Winsom Winsom

This is my story

Winsom Winsom is a Jamaican Canadian artist with a prolific career spanning over several decades. She was born in Jamaica and studied at the Jamaica School of Art from 1965-1968. Her work is characterized by bold colors, dynamic brushstrokes and themes, and a sense of movement and energy.

Winsom has had numerous solo and group exhibitions across Canada, the United States, and the Caribbean, and her work has been recognized with awards and grants. In addition to her work as an artist, Winsom is also a dedicated teacher and mentor. She has taught art classes to students of all ages and has been recognized for her contributions to the arts community.

Winsom has presented her work and participated in various speaking engagements at prestigious events and institutions such as the 8th Global Yoruba Congress in Cuba, the Culture and Development International Conference in Havana, the Ontario Science Centre in Canada, and the Wifredo Lam Center in Havana. She has also consulted for the Royal Ontario Museum and CUSO, and has conducted workshops in Grand Cayman Islands.

Her travels through West Africa have been instrumental in shaping her artistic practice and have resulted in a series of works that document traditional spirituality, textile techniques, and master dryers and Adrinka printers.

Winsom’s art often explores themes of spirituality and identity, and she has been featured in several solo exhibitions such as “I rise” at the Art Gallery of Ontario in Toronto, “Jumping the Big Boa” at the Image Factory Gallery in Belize, and “The Masks we wear” at the Agnes Etherington Art Gallery at Queens in Kingston. She has also been part of numerous group exhibitions, including “Toronto: Tributes + Tributaries, 1971-1989” at the Art Gallery of Ontario and “Spiders: Fear & Fascination” at the Royal Ontario Museum.

Winsom has been recognized with several awards throughout her career, including an Honorary Doctorate from the Ontario College of Art and Design University in 2015, the Marilyn Lastman Award from the City of Toronto Arts Foundation in 2002, and a Canada Council Visual Arts “A” Grant in 2003. She has also been shortlisted for the Skills of Change Arts Category and received the Studio D Professional Development award from the National Film Board of Canada.

She continues to create new and exciting works of art, pushing the boundaries of what is possible and inspiring others to do the same. Winsom’s work continues to inspire and captivate audiences, and her contributions to the art world are invaluable.