Winsom Winsom
This is my story
Winsom Winsom is a Maroon 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.

Scroll down to view Winsom’s CV.
ARCHIVES
Winsom’s Archives are with the Art Gallery of Ontario.
EDUCATION
1995 Traveled through Mali and Ghana learning about and documenting
Traditional Spirituality for a series of new works.
1989 Traveled through ten countries in West Africa, documenting
Traditional textile techniques and working with master dyers and
Adinkra printers.
1965 – 1968 Studied at Jamaica School of Art
GUEST LECTURES & WORK EXPERIENCE
1998 Speaker on Art & Spirituality with Wade Davis, Dr.Thom Alcoze &
Bruce Elijah at Ontario Science Centre, Canada
1998 Artist talk – Wifredo Lam Center, Havana, Cuba
1996 Artist in Residence- Mattagami First Nation School, Gogama,
Canada
1993 Visual Arts Program Designer & instructor – Fresh Arts – Toronto
1972 Art Teacher at Green Island Secondary School, Jamaica
1969 Restorer at Port Royal for the Jamaica National Trust
1968 Artist for the Jamaica National Commission for UNESCO
EXHIBITIONS
2022–2024 Group show – Eleven Black Women Artist , Show travelling Across
Canada, opening A Space Art Gallery , Toronto, ON
.
2022 Solo Show “ THE MASK WE WEAR “ Grey Gallery – Agnes
Etherington Art Center – Queens University. Kingston, Ontario ,
Canada
2019 Solo Show “ I Rise” Art Gallery of Ontario , Toronto , ON., Canada
2018 Group show “ Spiders: Fear & Fascination “ Royal Ontario
Museum , Toronto , ON,.Canada
2016 Group Show ” Toronto : Tributes + Tributaries , 1971 – 1989″ Art
Gallery of Ontario, Toronto , ON., Canada
2000 “Solo Exhibition” Thames Art Gallery, Chatham, ON.
1999 “IN THE SPIRIT” White Water Gallery, North Bay, ON.
1998 Solo Show, Altar installation – Ontario Science Centre, Canada
1997 “A SPIRITUAL DIALOGUE” Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto Canada
1996 “THIS IS NOT A POEM, THIS IS A SUMMER QUILT” Group Show
with Faith Ringgold, Barbara Brown etc. – Textile Museum,Toronto
1995 Solo Show – Gallery Connexion, Fredericton N.B.
1993 Two Person Show “THIS AIN’T VOGUE/HEADS ABOVE THE
WATERS” SAW gallery, Ottawa Ontario
1993 Solo Show “MULTIMEDIA INSTALLATION” YYZ Gallery, Toronto, ON.
1989 Group show – “BLACK WIMMIN, WHEN & WHERE WE ENTER”
-Toronto, Ottawa, Vancouver, Victoria, Montreal & Halifax – Canada
1986 Group Show, Folklife Pavillion, EXPO 1986, Vancouver, B.C.
1985 Solo Show – Jamaican Consulate, Toronto, Canada
1985 Solo show – “AFRO-JAMAICAN FABRICS” KAAI Gallery, Kingston, ON.
1973 Group show ,Royal Bank of Jamaica Ltd. May Pen,Clarendon
1954 Solo Show “Water Scenes” Banbury, St.Catherine, Jamaica
VIDEOGRAPHY
2000 “YEMAYA ASESU” VHS, Colour, Sound, 3: 32 min.
1998 “OYA “VHS, Colour, Sound, 3:42min
PUBLISHED WRITINGS
2013 “MYSTERY OF A SACRED SASTUN AND THE TRINITY OF STONES”
Hoodo & Conjure New Orleans, Vol.1, Issue 1.
2011 “CRY A BUCKET OF TEARS FOR MY DAUGHTER” Hoodo & Conjure
Quarterly, Spring /Summer 2011, #2
1994 “MY VOICE, MY ART “Canadian Woman Studies .Spring 1994 Volume14,
Number 2 A York University Publication
1990 “CON – VER – SA – TION “Canadian Woman Studies .Spring 1990
Volume11, Number 1 A York University Publication
COMMUNITY WORK
2007–2022 Founder & Director of “Winsom Foundation”
2000 Artist/Speaker/Workshop Leader, Toronto Young Offenders
Detention Center, Toronto, Canada
1999 Guest Speaker on Systemic Barriers Faced by Black Artists
PUBLICATIONS BIBLIOGRAPHY
2004 Selected for “Who’s Who In Canada 2021 updated edition”
2002 Selected for “Who’s Who In Black Canada”
1997 CBC Radio – Metro Morning, 15 August
1997 Now Magazine, Vol 16 No 50 August 14 – 20 Pg77
1997 Revue Nore # 25 African Contemporary Art – African Canada
1995 Matriart, Volume 5 Number 4
1989 Canadian Art, Vol.6 No.2
1998.08.06 Toronto Star – “ Black Artist enter the Toronto’s. Mainstream”
AWARDS & GRANTS
2015 Hon. Doctorate, Ontario College of Art and Design University,
Toronto, ON, Canada
2003 Canada Council Visual Arts “A” Grant
2002 Marilyn Lastman Award, City of Toronto Arts Foundation, Canada
2000 Ontario Arts Council Visual Arts Grant, Canada
1996 Artist in the Workplace Grant – OAC, Canada
1994 Multiculturalism and Citizenship Canada – Visual Arts
1994 Studio D Professional Development, NFB, Canada
1994 Travel Grant – Canada Council
1991 Canada Council Exploration
1988 Ontario Arts Council Professional Development, Canada
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS AFFILIATIONS
Agent – Clint Roenisch Gallery (416) 880-8593
CARFAC Copyright Collective
Canadian Artists’ Representation Ontario (CARO)