Akin Member Highlight: Suzanne Dennis and Andrea Bailey
An image of Andrea Bailey’s artwork, Collage #2, a colourful collage of layered prints in blues, reds, whites and pinks, with a painting of a blue haired figure over top
We’re back with another highlight of some of Akin’s long-term members.
Andrea Bailey has been an Akin studio member since 2012, and Suzanne Dennis since 2014. We’re so proud to have provided a creative home for these fantastic artists, so, to celebrate Akin’s 15th Anniversary, we reached out to them to learn more about their work and their Akin journey.
Suzanne Dennis
Suzanne Dennis is a Toronto artist who paints abstract and nonobjective images on canvas and paper using acrylic paint and mediums.
The inspiration for much of her work has come from details found in nature and man made objects. A favourite source is ancient and modern stone surfaces and architecture. These provide not only interesting compositions, textures and colours but are silent elements present in the places where we live our lives, and where history is made.
Suzanne records images in photos and sketches using them as a roadmap to create the compositions and then lets her intuition and joy of painting take over. Suzanne invites the viewer to enjoy the interpretation she presents and to share the story of its creation. Suzanne has been painting for 25 years and exhibits and sells her work in Toronto at shows, galleries, commercial venues and clubs.
You can find more of Suzanne’s work on her website, www.suzannedennis.ca or on her instagram, @Suzannedennis01
Suzanne Dennis3: Suzanne Dennis stands in front of an easel in her studio. On the easel, and on the wall behind her, are abstract paintings of green, blue and red. Suzanne is holding up a piece of cloth covered in multicoloured paint, she’s holding it up to her face, her eyes peeking over it.
What brought you to Akin?
I moved to a condo leaving a home where I had a basement studio space. With nowhere to paint I started the process of looking for studio space in Toronto. I was at the Apple store, learning how to organise photos, and the instructor noticed all the images of my work.
He asked me where I painted and I said I had no space any longer. It was really my lucky day. He was a member of the Akin Collective.
He gave me the contact information for Oliver Pauk. I called Oliver and met him that week and secured studio space on Wade Avenue. I always consider this one of the luckiest things that has happened in my art career!
Can you give us a timeline of your Akin Journey? Where did it start? Which studios have you been a member at?
I met Oliver in September of 2014 and secured my first studio space on the ground floor at Wade Avenue. A number of years later the ground floor studios were “Reno-evicted” by the landlord. Jen Pilles quickly secured a space for me at the Dupont Studios (room 204).
The studio turned out to be too small and after a few months I moved within the same room to a larger space which I have enjoyed for a few years. Due to some family personal issues I was unable to get to my studio very often in the last year so I have moved again to a smaller space by the window. And I absolutely love it, and think it is the perfect spot for me. A total of four moves in 10 years!
Do you have any special memories associated with your time at Akin?
A favourite memory is my participation in “The Art of Healing” arranged by the Akin Collective in support of Ronald McDonald House Charities. I participated in 2015 and again in 2016. I was invited by Michael Vickers to participate as one of the 23 artists to craft a piece of art with a child staying at the House. The work produced with the children was exhibited and auctioned to raise funds and the joy it brought the kids and the artists, it’s one of my favourite memories.
Suzanne Dennis poses with two kids during Akin’s Art of Healing event in collaboration with Ronald McDonald House. The child to the right of Suzanne wears a red baseball cap, a striped shirt, and wears a nasogastric tube. The child on the left wears a blue shirt and a green lanyard. They stand beside a bright red abstract painting, accented with forest greens. The painting sits on an easel.
What was your favourite Akin studio to work out of, and why?
My favourite studio was the first one on the ground floor at Wade Avenue. The space there was very large and open. The ceiling was high and I was surrounded by artists of all kinds, costume designers, book illustrators, jewellery makers, and I felt a sense of real community and creativity. I would see Oliver, Michael and Jen frequently and always enjoyed the interaction.
Do you have a routine for art making at the studio? Any special rituals to get your creativity flowing?
I’d like to take a large piece of paper and scribble all over it and take out a brush and make marks just to get myself loose.
You've been creating art for a long time! What do you think is the key to keeping the practice going, long term?
Not everyone has the opportunity to keep creating art throughout their life, whether that is because of the expenses associated with it, or the time that it deserves. For me, it always sits in my mind as a destination I’ve got to make my way to. It is my source of pure joy, and I won’t sacrifice that.
Andrea Bailey
Andrea is a self taught abstract artist working in acrylic and ink, and most recently, collage. She is known for her use of colour; bold and confident, but also subtle and complex. Born with challenges which never defined her, she works from a home studio and the Akin Logan studio.
You can find more of Andrea Bailey’s work at her website, www.yummyarty.com and on her instagram @yummyartyab
Andrea Bailey stands inside of her Akin River Studio. The white walls have prints of her world arranged in a pattern. There’s a black foldout chair against the wall and a grey table with a painting in progress on it, alongside large containers of paint brushes.
What Brought you to Akin, originally?
A desire to be in a creative space with other creative people and to learn and develop along with them.
Can you give us a timeline of your Akin Journey? Where did it start? Which studios have you been a member at?
I joined in 2012. I have had studio space at Lansdowne (one upstairs and one downstairs), River Street and now at Logan Avenue.
Andrea Bailey painting inside her Akin Logan Studio. She is wearing a purple shirt, black pants and winter boots. She’s painting an abstract painting filled with lines which lays on a table. Another painting sits beside it. Behind her is a shelf filled with paint tubes.
Do you have any special memories associated from your time at Akin?
I always thought Oliver was the greatest. At an early art sale from the Landsdowne main floor studio, I gave Oliver one of my favourite paintings. He gave me a photograph of my plastic paint table covering that turned a mess into an abstract work of art. It is framed in my home to this day
What was your favorite Akin studio to work out of?
Lansdowne, main floor
An image of artist Andrea Bailey in her Akin Lansdowne studio, Andrea stands in front of a white wall lines with canvases, she’s wearing black pants and a grey jacket, she has brown, shoulder length hair. In the foreground is a large abstract painting, of circles, lines and dots in reds, purples, greens, blues and pinks.
Do you have a routine for art making at the studio? Any special rituals to get your creativity flowing?
It is just something I have to do every day.
You've been creating art for a long time! What do you think is the key to keeping the practice going, long term?
Don't be afraid to try new things and remember that not everything will work.
Thanks to Suzanne and Andrea for your participation, and for your beautiful work! We’re so thankful to have you both as such strong, vital members of our community. As we continue to celebrate our 15th Anniversary, later this month we’ll be highlighting some of Akin’s former members: where are they now? So stay tuned!
Want to celebrate in-person?
Akin will be hosting a 15th Anniversary drop-in celebration at Akin’s Remote Gallery on December 5 from 4-8pm for an evening filled with Akin memorabilia and nostalgia.
You can help Akin Projects continue to support arts in Toronto for another fifteen years! You can donate to Akin Projects here. Your contributions directly impact artists in ways that are meaningful to arts and culture in our city, as well as to the communities in which we work. We can’t thank you enough for your support.
