May 23 to Sep 7, 2026
What holds us together
About the Exhibition
The artists in this exhibition work within states of in‑betweenness, using painting to assemble the memories, relationships, and events that shape their identities. Through layered processes and intuitive construction, they build worlds that hold them together—worlds offering coherence amid shifting selves and unstable histories. Par Nair reframes gender roles through intimate engagements with personal archives and memory; Scott Sawtell probes psychological tension through gestural contradictions and unconscious imagery; and Vicky Talwar evokes spiritual reflection through natural elements and symbolic layering.
While their approaches differ, all three artists treat painting as an act of care, one that nurtures resilience, reveals buried narratives, and creates room for freedom from social and cultural expectations. Their works become spaces of reflection and restoration, creating openings for connection, comfort, or possibility. Together, their practices unfold within the shared context of living and working in York Region, a place shaped by cultural plurality and continual transformation. This geographical backdrop echoes the fluidity and complexity of their individual production, grounding each abstract language within the here and now.
About the Artists
Par Nair (she/her) is an Indian–Canadian interdisciplinary artist and educator based in the Greater Toronto Area. Her practice pays tribute to ancestral and cultural roots while intimately and speculatively reimagining diasporic futures through oil painting, hand embroidery, installation, and creative writing. Nair holds an MFA in Interdisciplinary Art, Media and Design from OCAD University. Her work has been exhibited nationally and internationally, including at the Art Museum at the University of Toronto, The Robert McLaughlin Gallery, the Textile Museum of Canada, and Eastern Edge Gallery, among others. In 2025, she was shortlisted as a finalist for the CIBC National Art Award and the Salt Spring National Art Prize. Her practice has been supported by grants from the Ontario Arts Council and the Canada Council for the Arts. Nair is currently a Sessional Faculty member at OCAD University, where she teaches painting, drawing, and art theory.
Scott Sawtell is a painter based in the Greater Toronto Area who has exhibited his work for over 25 years across Canada and the United States. Working from his suburban studio, his practice explores contemporary painting through a sustained and dedicated studio approach. Sawtell holds an MFA from the University of Waterloo and is a graduate of the Ontario College of Art and Design. Alongside his studio practice, he has taught at Georgian College, OCAD University, and Brock University, and has curated exhibitions for institutions including the Town of Newmarket, the City of Kitchener, Oakville Galleries, and Humber College. He is currently focused on the continued development of his painting practice.
Vicky Talwar is an interdisciplinary artist whose work draws on her experiences as a Hindu Canadian, spanning painting, mixed media, performance, and installation. She holds a BFA and MFA in Art, Media, and Design from OCAD University, as well as a Bachelor of Education from York University. Talwar is an educator with the York Region District School Board and has exhibited her work nationally and internationally, including in Toronto, Los Angeles, New York, and the United Kingdom. Her recent solo exhibitions include presentations at the MacLaren Art Centre, Aurora Cultural Centre, Station Gallery, and Robert Langen Gallery. In 2017, she received the Juror’s Award from Latcham Art Centre. Her work is held in collections including Global Affairs Canada and the Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre.
