Azade Afaghi is a Toronto-based multidisciplinary artist and designer with over 15 years of experience in fine art and visual communication. Her work explores emotion, identity, and subtle tension through bold yet minimal compositions. Drawing from her background in graphic design and contemporary art, she creates pieces that balance concept and aesthetics with quiet intensity.

Brendan is a 27‑year‑old artist from Kingston, Ontario, now living in Toronto. A former business student and football player turned painter, he draws major inspiration from music and album art. Influences include Quasimoto, Bladee, MF DOOM, Jeff Jank, and Wharfie Boy. He primarily works in acrylic and oil pastel on canvas, while occasionally experimenting with other mediums.

Juan Pablo Briggs is a Colombian‑born multidisciplinary artist whose rugged early life fuels the honesty and passion in his work. Outgoing and driven, he’s led creative workshops in Zimbabwe and Colombia through Sick Muse Arts, collaborating on community murals that honor local heritage. A painter, illustrator, muralist, and tattoo artist with four years of experience, he works from his private studio to bring each client’s vision to life.

Leslie is a landscape artist from Georgian Bay who works in oil, watercolor, and acrylics. Her pieces have been shown in Toronto galleries, and she has participated in art markets across central Ontario. After a hiatus spent working in the public garden industry, she’s now working her way back into the art world with renewed focus and inspiration.

Mariia Levadnia is a Ukrainian‑born, Innisfil‑based artist and art educator whose practice bridges classical painting traditions with contemporary exploration. Trained in Kyiv, she holds a Master of Arts in Art Pedagogy, a program that shaped her strong foundation in drawing, painting, and visual art instruction. Since moving to Canada, she has been an active member of the Ukrainian Association of Visual Artists of Canada and the Barrie Art Club, regularly exhibiting in their shows, auctions, and plein airs. In 2021, she founded The Arts House, a creative studio dedicated to inspiring people of all ages to discover beauty and express themselves through art.

MYLZ is an artist working in abstract expressionism, digital illustration, and mixed media. Recently, he presented his artwork in person for the first time at Revival Bar and Event Venue, marking an exciting step in sharing his creative vision with the public.

Reem is a civil‑engineering graduate who has been drawing and painting since childhood, once dreaming of becoming an animator. Her artistic style centers on realism and still life, with pencils and acrylics as her favorite mediums. When she’s not creating, she’s relaxing with a book and an iced coffee. She’s excited to return for another Art Battle, having competed in three events—two in Ottawa and one in Toronto.

Sahel is one of those kids who never stopped doodling just because he got older. Though not formally trained, he has spent the last ten years taking classes ranging from figure drawing and acrylic landscapes to comic art and polymer‑clay figure making. He loves exploring new mediums and keeping a sense of play in his process. He’s been to many Art Battles—fun, exciting, and terrifying for someone shy like him—but he’s ready to step out of his comfort zone and be part of a great show.

Samuel’s practice is shaped by his Mauritian roots and Indian ancestry, drawing on vibrant color, intricate pattern, and rich textile traditions. Working across painting, sculpture, installation, and mixed media, he explores identity, transformation, and shared humanity through themes of migration and cultural memory. With a background in fashion and woven design, he brings material sensitivity and precision to his work, often incorporating upcycled textiles and found objects to reassemble discarded histories into forms of renewal and resilience.

Shannon loves the high‑energy atmosphere of live painting and the way artists feed off each other’s creativity in a shared space. She has been painting live for over a year, working spontaneously and intuitively—often with her hands rather than a brush—moving with the music and the energy in the room. The 20‑minute challenge suits her instinctive style, allowing her to create in the moment rather than plan ahead. She’s fallen in love with this way of painting and thrives in events where artists support and inspire one another.