10 Canadian Women Artists We Love

Hanging a new piece of art is an easy way to instantly refresh the look of a room. The good news? Curating your own art collection doesn't have to be expensive. The pandemic has postponed many of summer’s outdoor art festivals, but there are plenty of affordable prints, paintings and collages to be found online if you know where to look. Meet 1o Canadian female artists whose unique and affordable work just might catch your eye.

Rachel Hawkes Cameron

Whether working on large-scale canvas or paper, artist Rachel Hawkes Cameron brings a playful energy to abstract movements using bright, saturated hues. 

Katie So

Using minimal colour palettes, Katie So⁠—who also works as a tattoo artist in Vancouver⁠—explores issues of racial identity and mental health in her bold brush and ink style.

Quinn Rockliff

Quinn Rockliff started sketching nude self-portraits as a way to reclaim her body. Her limited-edition prints are raw, vulnerable and powerful. "At first, my self-portraits would trend towards the way I wished I looked and I would avoid the details that I hid from in the mirror," says Rockliff. "Slowly, I realized that when I authentically represented my body through art, I could see myself in a new way and begin to feel connected with my body again." 

Katy Biele

Born in Chile and now based in Victoria, B.C, textile artist Katy Biele mixes painting and embroidery to create upbeat pieces inspired by her travels.

Chief Lady Bird

Working in digital illustrations, acrylic paintings, mixed media portraits and murals, Toronto-based Anishinaabe artist Chief Lady Bird creates bright and futuristic artwork that portrays Indigenous experiences, stories and symbolism.

Melissa Falconer

Self-taught Toronto artist Melissa Falconer takes her inspiration from Black culture to create colourful, empowering pop art pieces.

Sara Purves

After two decades in graphic design, Sara Purves dove headfirst into a new dream: becoming a full-time artist. Her abstract works are bursting with colour, energy and feel-good vibes.

Light + Paper

In her Toronto studio, self-taught artist Ali Harrison of Light + Paper creates intricate and affordable laser-cut pieces in paper and wood.

Alanna Cavanagh

Printmaker and illustrator Alanna Cavanagh creates playful pieces with a retro sensibility. She boasts an impressive list of clients—including Hudson's Bay, the New York Times and the Smithsonian, to name just a few—and her affordable silkscreen prints are the perfect addition to a budding art collection.

Amika Cooper

Amika Cooper (a.k.a. BlackPowerBarbie) creates nostalgic digital illustrations and collages that give a voice to Black and queer femmes. "There is so much tenderness and creativity to be found here that has not yet been widely acknowledged," she says.