Kseniya Tsoy

About the Artist

 
Kseniya is a new Canadian community-engaged artist and a recipient of RBC Newcomer Arts Award 2021. Originally from Uzbekistan, she loves sharing about this undiscovered part of the world through the iconic patterns and traditional applied art techniques in her workshops. In the community, Kseniya is most known for her bright colourful murals on various and most unexpected surfaces. She is passionate about turning every community collaboration into a joyful experience for all. Bringing community members together that would not otherwise interact, she hopes to foster empathy and connection beyond visible differences, uniting in our shared humanity. Joy, vibrant colours and uplifting messages are the medium of her community art as she hopes to bring about positive societal change one brush stroke at a time. 

Uzbek patterns and symbols can take you on a visual journey through histories, cultures, and religions of the world. You will be fascinated how we are more connected than you might have thought.

— Kseniya Tsoy

Artist's Programs

Curriculum Links

History and culture of Central Asia; explore nomadic cultures’ artistic traditions and folklore symbolism; learn about symmetry, geometry and explore the properties of shapes, repeated patterns and tessellations; express and communicate ideas through graphic illustration; exercise problem solving and design thinking; cross-curricular links to STEM.

Artistic Disciplines

Visual Arts

Diversity

Culturally Diverse, Person of Colour, Women+

Age

All ages, Children ages 5 - 11, Children ages 12 - 18, Seniors, Junior Kindergarten, Senior Kindergarten, Grade 1, Grade 2, Grade 3, Grade 4, Grade 5, Grade 6, Grade 7, Grade 8, Grade 9, Grade 10, Grade 11, Grade 12

Language Proficiency

English

People love this artist

That mural is beautiful! I can't stop looking at it. I am happy that each student got the chance to contribute to the mural. Thanks for making that happen! It looks fantastic to me! I'll wait to see the students' reactions at the unveiling :) Thanks again so much for everything! Having you visit us and work on the mural with us is one of the highlights of this school year!

— Nicole Zani, Ottawa Catholic School Board

The experience was amazing, the community was able to have access to artists like Kseniya and Stephanie [Babij] who are just so versatile, so adaptable to community members. Like, we had adults and really tiny babies and they somehow figured it out. One other day we had about twenty kids between the ages of four and seven, it was incredible. I think what's amazing is that everyone captured their vision, and that's why I love this!

— Ana Ticas, Ottawa Community Housing in Carlington

The design is really beautiful, what we did was actually nice. It inspires people to do what they want to do, to never give up on their dreams. Making the mural was fun and it looks really nice.

— One of the young participants in Carlington

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