Participatory experiences for a more connected world

I create collaborative art experiences and projects that deepen relationships between people and the natural world.

Explore the projects below to learn more.

Scarborough HERstory Expressions (2020 – Present)

An annual mural art & project management intensive for young women & non-binary youth ages 14-19 based in Scarborough.


my role: co-lead & project management mentor

Art Cart (2023 – Present)

A mobile, bike-powered art studio that brings free, pop-up creative experiences into public spaces. Activated annually through community art programming.


my role: co-lead

Painting in the Park (2024)

A series of outdoor watercolour workshops designed to build artistic skills while encouraging connection with local parks and trails.


my role: co-facilitator

Seasonal Expressions (2022-2023)

A series of outdoor, nature-based art workshops developed in collaboration with nature interpreters, inviting participants to explore creativity through seasonal change and environmental connection.


my role: co-producer & facilitator

ECO ARTS Fest (2022)

A national online festival for youth (ages 16–29) exploring eco-arts, environmental stewardship, and social justice through workshops, artist talks, and panels.

my role: lead curator

inside & out (2021)

An online exhibition featuring emerging artists exploring the relationship between our inner worlds and the outer environments we inhabit.


my role: lead curator

Take a glimpse into my process.

  • Another 📸 from an incredible shoot with @gracegladwellphotography It’s the end of June. The end of Q2 + the beginning of summer. Regardless of how you slice it, it’s got me reflecting on how my work has evolved over the last few years. ✨ Stepping into the role of Co-Executive Director of @thestarfishca while continuing to nurture my creative practice has changed how I think about my work. For a while, I thought being an artist, an environmentalist, a facilitator, and a leader were separate parts of my life. Lately, I’ve realized they’re all different expressions of the same mission. I’m interested in how creativity & community-building can help young people imagine & build more just and sustainable futures. + That’s what I want to explore more here: reflections on nonprofit leadership, social impact, creative practice, community building, and the questions I’m grappling with along the way (+ there are a lot of them 🙃). I’m on a journey to build a mission-driven life not by choosing between identities, but by integrating them together. With gratitude & curiosity, Sylvie 🌱
  • Can’t believe it’s been two years since visiting Iceland for an environmental arts residency in Blönduós. 🤯 It’s cliché to say, but life moves so fast. This feels like a lifetime ago. Traveling to a place and experiencing its culture leaves a mark on you. It etches its way into your being. I still think about the vast landscapes, the endless arctic summer light, and the feeling of standing in a place that seemed to stretch on forever. Feeling grateful for that time of exploration, and for the person I was then: always wanting to be on the land, soaking up the sun, feeling infinite in the expansiveness of a field, standing on a cliffside, watching the sunset. Wild to think it’s already been two years. Photo credits to @gabrielle.lacoste + special thanks to @kathleen.sheila.vaughan for coordinating such an incredible trip as a part of @concordia_arte’s Imagining Iceland Field School. 🙏🏻
  • starting this long weekend with a heart full of gratitude and awe. 🫢 I recently did a shoot with @gracegladwellphotography, and her process is pure magic. ✨ I had a vision: making art with the river, in the river, barefoot with my work by the rocks—and she captured it so beautifully. Grace has a gift for seeing and honouring people’s authentic selves, and it shows in every frame. Excuse me while I keep it 💯, making art that captures the feeling of the land, the sea, the sky through colour, & imagination.
  • She’s a graduate! 🎓 ✅ Master of Arts in Art Education — complete! After 2.5 years, I’m proud to share that I’ve completed my Master of Arts in Art Education, with a research focus in sustainable art-making. I’m officially a #CUGrad and #CUAlumni! This degree is more than a piece of paper. It represents a time of deep transition in my life. I moved out on my own. I established my own routines and work/life balance. I scaled work I love, and I deepened commitments to myself. Along the way, I experienced a lot of loss — of friends and family I thought would be in my life for years to come. That’s been really hard, but I still carry them with me. The weight of this moment isn’t lost on me. I’m the first in my family to earn a master’s degree. A hundred years ago, this path might not have even been within my ancestors’ realm of possibility, and yet, here I am—steeped in the grit, tenacity, and care they gifted me. This part of my education journey was made possible through the generous support of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council and Concordia University, who helped fund my studies. 🙏🏻 If you’re considering graduate studies or applying for scholarships, I’d be more than happy to share my experience. I’ve always pursued education with one goal: to bring knowledge back to community. Today, I get to do exactly that in my ongoing work with @thestarfishca and in the Scarborough creative community, and for that, I’m so so grateful. With love and gratitude 💜🫶🏻✨
  • 𝘞𝘪𝘴𝘥𝘰𝘮 𝘧𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴. ✨ We don’t just inherit the struggles of those who came before us. We inherit their patience, resilience and hope. The quiet strength that carried them forward, and the wisdom beneath it all. Gifts. I first created this piece for my mom’s birthday in 2023. Since then, I’ve returned to it again, and again. Adding flowing flecks of gold, pink and purple. Each layer is a reminder that… - My ancestors are always with me. - I am not alone. - Sometimes the most powerful thing is community. This piece is dedicated to the mentors in my life who’ve held myself and my work with such tenderness, as I continue to grow. Thank you. 💗 🖼️ “Wisdom flows through generations” will be featured at a @fora.nfc event later this month that’s dedicated to uniting generations to create a better, more equitable future for all. With gratitude 💗 • • • #ArtAsAffirmation #WatercolourArt #MixedMediaArt
  • May flowers came early this year 🌼 Had the pleasure of leading an intergenerational Planting Seeds of Possibility workshop earlier this month at Scarborough Historical Museum. The program centred on themes of wellness, healing, and home. Participants chatted about the importance of recognizing our interconnectedness, as beings a part of a larger ecosystem. Together, we co-created this beautiful installation. ✨ A huge thanks to co-facilitator @franniepotts for taking the lead on priming and varnishing these pieces, and to Scarborough community members for bringing such open hearts to the creation process. May our seeds of intention inspire hope and conversation beyond this blooming season. #PlantingSeedsOfPossibility #CommunityArt #PublicArt #CommunityCollaboration #IntergenerationalWorkshop #Scarborough #Art #ScarboroughArt #EcoArt #CoCreation #ArtTogether
@sylvietheartist