5th annual uptown pride art exhibition

Pride TorontoToronto ArtistArtistic JourneyGallery Artist
Written By Laura Beaton

As a new member of the Women’s Art Association of Canada (WAAC) I am honoured to be juried into this annual group exhibition celebrating and uplifting the 2SLGBTQI+ community through art, storytelling, and shared experience.

Presented at the Dignam Gallery as part of Pride Toronto 2026’s Affiliate Event programming, the exhibition brings together a diverse range of artists whose works explore identity, visibility, love, memory, resilience, joy, and community through a wide variety of mediums and perspectives.

Guided by Pride Toronto’s vision, “to create a world in which all people feel safer, valued, celebrated, and included, regardless of how they identify or who they love,” the exhibition highlights the power of artistic expression as a means of connection, reflection, and advocacy, while reflecting WAAC’s continued commitment to fostering accessible opportunities for artists and creating a welcoming space for community engagement and celebration.

See art, ‘Birth of an Inner Warrior’ This piece looks at how an individual may discover strength while  focusing on a deeply personal, solo journey. It starts in a place of confusion and uncertainty, but then cuts through to a sharp clarity. Ultimately, the painting captures that quiet transformation, where navigating life's trials rewires you into your own inner warrior.

Birth of an Inner Warrior, Mixed Media Acrylic on canvas, black floating frame

Laura Beaton

I am a Toronto-born, international award-winning visual fine artist whose work fuses the traditions of Sumi-e, Chinese Brush Painting, and Western mixed media. Through my art, I explore and celebrate the differences and similarities among cultures—particularly Japanese, Chinese, and North American.

Though my roots are in Scottish bagpipes and English tea, a chance encounter with a Chinese brush painting on an antique tea wagon sparked a lifelong artistic journey. That early moment ignited a creative curiosity that led me to explore what it truly means to live, and create, in a multicultural society.

My art honours centuries-old techniques while looking to the future. I transform inks, rice papers, and layered textures into serene, imaginary worlds that are contemporary, yet grounded in tradition. Each piece whispers a quiet declaration: “I Am Canadian.”

Highlights of my career include:

• Election to both the Society of Canadian Artists and the Federation of Canadian Artists

• Multiple national and international awards, including Japan

• Serving as North American President for the International Chinese Calligraphy and Ink Painting Society, representing artists from eight countries

• Exhibiting in China, with my work held in the permanent collection of the Chinese government

As a non-Asian artist mastering the philosophies and aesthetics of traditional Japanese and Chinese ink art while infusing Canadian narratives, I aim to reimagine tradition, transcend borders, and create space for new perspectives. My practice is a re-wilding of the social graces and an invitation to connect.

https://LauraBeaton.com
Next

you are invited on Sunday march 1st from 2-5pm