Art Exhibits
The City of St. Catharines' public art exhibits provide the opportunity to experience original art, historic photos, or cultural treasures that reflect St. Catharines' stories, creative self-expression, experiences and perspectives. Our exhibits are coordinated by the Cultural Services office with support from the Public Art Advisory Committee.
Full Colour: A Celebration of 2SLGBTQIA+ Art and Expression
On View: June 11 - August 14
Third Floor of City Hall, Chambers Gallery
Curated by Leigh McLeod, Founder and Director of Willow Arts Community
“This exhibition exists because representation is not optional, it’s essential,” says curator Leigh MacLeod, Founder and Director of Willow Arts Community. “In the current climate where 2SLGBTQIA+ rights and lives are increasingly under scrutiny, Full Colour is a statement of presence, resilience, and joy. It’s about taking up space and celebrating the artists who continue to do so every day.”
Full Colour brings together artists working across disciplines to explore identity, connection, and the many ways queer and trans communities imagine and express their lives and futures.
Presented at City Hall, in the Chambers Gallery, this exhibition marks an important milestone—it is the first exhibition in this space dedicated to queer and trans artists, and one of the largest installations in this hallway to date. Installed in a highly public setting, Full Colour brings these works into everyday life, creating space for visibility, reflection, and dialogue.
This exhibition reflects an ongoing commitment by the City of St. Catharines to support and amplify 2SLGBTQIA+ voices, foster meaningful connections and relationships, and celebrate the creativity, resilience, and lived experiences of queer and trans communities.
Featured Artists:
Ainsley Arnold, Brutus Hackett, Colleen McTigue, Emilia Salazar, Erik Upper, Heather Teal, Jadyn Deming, Laurie Morrison, Malavika Krishna Kumar, Maxwell O’Toole, Milo Catton, Olivia Wyatt, Paige Simonen, Robert Herman, and Taylor Ross.
Everything is Connected
On View: June 11 - August 14
Fibre, natural dyes, ink, thread, embroidery, found textiles, buttons, cord, beads, mixed media
Lead Artists: Kate Spiegel, with Ainsley Arnold and Kathy Black
Participating Artists: Allison, Amber, Angeline, Barb, Chiara, Cynthia, Danni, David, Daya, Emma, Gem, Jessica, Karlie, Kennedy, Ketu, Kirstin, Kit, Kostyn, Lindsey, Madi, Mckell, Michelle, Owen, Terra
This spring, Willow Arts hosted a series of hands-on workshops created by and for members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. Participants explored eco-dye textiles, interlay textile construction, and textile-based political expression through accessible, no-cost programming.
Everything is Connected is a collaborative artwork shaped through these shared learning experiences. Each participant contributed a unique textile piece—created through processes such as natural dyeing, modular construction, and expressive mark-making—which together form a collective whole.
Through this work, individual voices are woven into a broader composition that speaks to creativity, identity, and community. It reminds us that our stories, relationships, and futures are intertwined, and that every thread plays a vital role in the larger tapestry.
Downtown Storefronts
Half-Breed by Marvin Dale
On View: Ontario Street Garage, 8 Ontario St., St. Catharines
Artist Statement:
"Half-Breed is a self portrait that shows the way I grew up. This picture captures what it felt like being stuck in two worlds and not being accepted by either. I was treated by white society the same way I was treated by the Indigenous community. As a young kid, growing up in the bush in Thunder Bay where the Indigenous population is higher than Niagara, racism and poverty was really bad. I felt torn between two worlds. I endured a lot of violence, and now face a battle to reclaim my own identity. I am a full blooded native but the government put a wedge by taking my status when my great grandfather joined the Canadian Military. I don't feel accepted by my own band due to government interference."
Culvert by Erin Greenizan
On View: Mahtay Cafe & Lounge, 241 St. Paul St., St. Catharines
Artist Statement:
"I am drawn to the flux of seasonal change through our Canadian landscapes. I seek to grasp why our human nature is in conflict with 'actual' nature and wonder where does this separation begin and end and if more cooperation can be achieved. My work does not depict any violent destruction of nature and does not have a cynical appearance. I try to paint the shape, flow and cycles of these ideas to garner realistic compositions of our nature and the impact our daily lives have on the landscape around us."
Stronger Now by Wayne Moore
On View: 53 St. Paul St., St. Catharines
Artist Statement:
"Part of my Tool of Tools series, Stronger Now reflects on the quiet yet powerful ways we shape one another’s lives. Hands repeat like heartbeats in the background, speaking without words and weaving comfort and connection. They hold, guide, and build tools of both creation and care. Within the silhouettes lies a shared strength, lives intertwined and journeys carried together. This is resilience shaped by touch, love multiplied, and the truth that we rise stronger when we rise for each other."
Shadow Puppet by Quinn Oberlein
On View: The Hobby Shop, 401 St. Paul St., St. Catharines
Artist Statement:
Quinn Oberlein is an interdisciplinary artist located in St. Catharines, Ontario. Her practice is inspired by intrapersonal exploration and the nuances of love and grief. Her work focuses on repurposing and reclaiming materials to create more sustainably within painting, textile sculptural pieces and garments.
Exhibit Locations
Some exhibits are permanent or installed on a temporary basis and can be found throughout City buildings, parks and property, and in the community, while others are displayed on a rotating basis and can be found at:
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