About the Artists

Thank you to the Artists

Thank you to the following artists whose creativity and talents added the pops of colours to liven up this book.

All of the artists below are with The Nina Haggerty Centre for Arts, and you can find more information about each one at thenina.

The one artist not with The Nina is Eoshanelle Francisco. She is a graphic designer and illustrator, originally from the Philippines (eoshanellegraphics).

Eli Abada

Eli Abada joined the Nina Collective of artists in late 2017. He experimented with printmaking and drawing before focusing on painting with acrylics, his preferred medium. He uses bright, primary colours to create boldly contrasting images of insects, fossils, and animals.
Through his artwork at the Nina, Eli has discovered an interest in animals that he hopes to pursue outside the studio. He has visited the Edmonton Humane Society and is looking forward to volunteering with animals in the future.
Eli’s work has been included in many group exhibitions, including shows at the Art Gallery of Alberta and in Glasgow, Scotland.

Raymond Keung

Raymond Keung joined the Nina Collective in 2022. Originally from Hong Kong, he has lived in Edmonton for several years and worked as an accountant for much of his life. After having a stroke in 2021, Raymond decided it was time to try something completely different and start a new life as an artist. Although he had never made art before, he showed an immediate talent for drawing and painting animals and landscapes. He continues to practice to develop his skills every day. In 2022 his work was included in Shuffle, a group exhibition featuring twenty Nina artists at the Art Gallery of Alberta. He also received the ATB Emerging Artist Award in 2022.

Amynah Pirani

Amynah Pirani is a visual artist working predominantly with textiles, clay, mixed media assemblage, and watercolour. Amynah’s process relies heavily on experimentation. She allows her compositions to come together organically and they often unfold to create open narratives. Her work is frequently figurative and at times includes text that she hopes will connect with viewers and leave them with uplifting messages.

Amynah lived in Kenya for most of her life and came to Canada in 2006. She aims to create bold and captivating work that gives viewers insight into who she is as an artist and as a person. Her cultural background influences her formal decisions and Amynah mixes Swahili & English text to further establish both cultural and personal links in her pieces. She enjoys collaging textile pieces to create larger integrated work and has been experimenting making three dimensional sculptures out of clay, fabric and found materials to make dimensional and meaningful works.

Aaron Harvey

Aaron Harvey is a visual artist who has worked in many mediums including printmaking, needlework, and fused glass. Currently, his focus is on coloured pencil drawing and watercolour and acrylic painting. Across all mediums he enlivens his work with bright and imaginative colour combinations. His early drawings focused on architecture and patterns, using geometric tools to create straight lines and sharp angles. Over time, his work has evolved to include lyrical linework and playful depictions of animals, people, and landscapes.
Aaron has contributed to several collaborative projects including permanent installation at the East Edmonton Health Centre. His work has been exhibited throughout Edmonton in galleries and public spaces. In 2024 Aaron received the Nina’s Artist of the Year Award and had his first solo exhibition titled Animal City in the Stollery Gallery. In the same year, he worked with fellow Nina artist Boyd Dymchuk to create Wavy Dimension, a joint exhibition in the Art Gallery of Alberta.

Randy Stennes

Randy is a prolific artist and was a member of the Nina Collective for twenty years before retiring in 2024. He works with pencil, pastels, and paint, as well as digital animation and printmaking. His subject matter often includes landscapes or animals. Randy’s passion for art and willingness to try new things have given him a variety of unique opportunities. In 2015, Randy traveled to Glasgow, Scotland, as a representative for the Nina at an international conference of centres for artists with disabilities. He has designed logos for the Heart of the City Festival and Project Citizenship. In 2017, Randy worked with volunteers from the RBC Emerging Artists Project to create a show inspired by Canadian artists. In 2018, Randy Stennes received the Realtors Community Foundation CREATE Award, recognizing his commitment and achievement in the arts.

Ulrike Rossier

Born in West Germany in the midst of World WarII, Ulrike (Uli) Rossier came to Canada when she was 23. Uli has always been an artist and taught weaving before her brain injury.

Uli typically works in ink and oil pastels and creates richly coloured drawings with playful designs. She considers her drawings to be abstract representations of nature, the seasons, and her own mood. Green is her favourite colour, she says, as it represents life. Many of her paintings have objects like butterflies, fairies, and faces hidden within the design.

Uli is a prolific painter and many of her works have been sold and exhibited, including on billboards for the YEGcanvas project. Large-scale reproductions of her work have also been used in the Edmonton Conference Centre. As the Nina’s 2021 Artist of the Year, Uli’s work was exhibited throughout the city of Edmonton. Her highly distinctive style has many fans, and she always recognizes her own work with delight.

Watch Uli’s video online at bit.ly/uli2021

Sheila C

Sheila C. has been a member of the Nina since 2019. She enjoys working with watercolours, pastels, and acrylics. Sheila’s cheerful personality shines through her work, which often features landscapes and portraits. Her work is frequently featured in the Stollery Gallery and Nina gift shop.

About the Community Collaborators

Thanks to the local partners. Your commitment to sharing local knowledge and fostering cultural connections is vital to bringing Edmonton’s heritage to life.

The Nina Haggerty Centre for the Arts: Collaboration for artistic representations and community engagement, integrating visual arts with storytelling.
The Writers' Guild of Alberta: Offering writing workshops, mentorship, and networking opportunities.
The Edmonton Public Library's Writer in Residence: Individual manuscript consultations, public readings and talks, and networking with the writing community.
PageMaster Publishing: Assisting with production and distribution of the anthology.

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