The April 2026 exhibition in the main space at Mahtay Café & Lounge in Downtown St. Catharines is PERIPHERY : this is a selection of works by Jon Shaw.
The words of the artist :
‘My work celebrates the ever-changing urban landscape of locations to which I am most connected: St. Catharines, Toronto and Vancouver.
Recreated as illustrative ink and acrylic paintings on wood, I memorialize the slow transformation of these spaces, which actively (yet slowly) shift alongside our daily routines. These pieces celebrate crumbly detritus, discarded objects, and other bi-products associated with this change.
My works combine complex line with transparent paint, in a never-ending pursuit to harmonize spontaneity with detail. This approach, fuelled by urbanity and associated narrative, results in work that celebrates the relationship between environment and inhabitant.
I was born and raised in St. Catharines and received my BFA from Mount Allison University (Sackville, New Brunswick) in 2008. I received my Graduate Diploma in New Media Design from Sheridan College in 2009, before moving to Vancouver, BC to explore visual arts opportunities. In 2018 I returned to Niagara and am currently completing a Bachelor of Education in Technological Education at Brock University.’
More of Shaw’s artwork can be enjoyed at jonshawpaintings.com | IG: @jonnieredbeard.