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Ida Tong - Visual Artist
“History is a relentless master. It has no present, only the past rushing
into the future. To try to hold fast is to be swept aside.” - J. F. Kennedy
Most Recent Paintings:
"... brilliant and technically sound paintings, deeply evocative..." - Michael Spillane
Artist Statement Human history is a story of human evolution. Scientific evidence shows that "it is a lengthy process of changes by which humans originated from apelike ancestors and evolved over a period of approximately 6 million years." From hunter-gathering to agricultural societies with better farming technology, human civilization began worldwide and simultaneously about 5 thousand years ago. After a long period of Dark Age (220 - 581 in Asia and 476 - 1453 in Europe), it was the Scientific Revolution that pushed humanity to the Industrial Revolution (1760 – 1840 in Europe), in the name of progress. From telephone to airplane, iPhone to self-driving car, there is no shortage of innovation in high-technology around the globe. Today, artificial intelligence (AI) comes to our homes, offices, private and public corporations, government and healthcare systems, and in all aspects of our daily lives, taking charge of all financial and health records, as well as many security issues. One cannot stop imagining what AI can do for humanity in our immediate future. Looking back at the past, it appears that our evolution has been a continuous series of accelerated technology to aid us with our survival. Consequently, Ida’s recent paintings explore the philosophical aspects of AI and the cross fertilization of our past, present, and future. Most importantly, Ida wants to reveal the interconnection between apes, humans, and robots (AI) as our progress “making.”
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Short Bio
After working as a graphic designer for 10 years, I am delighted to dedicate the time on some fresh and innovative paintings. Four years of consuming arts and culture in Italy (1991 - 1995) planted a creative seed in my heart, I came back to Toronto and started to paint passionately. There is no rest for the wicked, from 2000 to 2015, I ran a commercial art studio in Toronto, teaching drawing and painting to children and adults including those with special needs. Recently, I have retired from teaching and moved to New Hamburg (Ontario, Canada) with my husband, enjoying a lifestyle with tranquility, but I am excited to explore a body of work in futuristic paintings. Educations Mohawk College - Autism & Behavioural Science, Online (2016) Ontario College of Art & Design University - Bachelor of Fine Arts Toronto, Canada (2014) Palazzo Spinelli - Painting Restoration Florence, Italy (1994) Ontario College of Art - Fine Arts Diploma, Florence, Italy (1992) Sheridan College - Graphic Design Diploma, Oakville, Canada (1980) Awards FCA Active Membership Award See "Journal" on next page (2021) Favourite Visual Artist (Platinum) The Wilmot Post, (2021) Best in Show Award Etobicoke Art Gallery, COAA (2018) Heather's Choice Award Button Factory Arts, COAA (2018) Trillium Garden Award Toronto (2010) Alan Fleming Award Oakville (1980) Public Recognition March 3, 2020 A one-hour Art Presentation for the KWSA monthly meeting at the Kitchener Community Centre, Kitchener, Ontario. April, 2017 Conducted an art show at the Village Centre of Morningside Community in New Hamburg, Ontario. Memberships 1. Art$Pay https://artspay.org/professional-arts-practices-copy 2. Federation of Canadian Artists (Active Member) 3. Kitchener Waterloo Society of Artists https://www.kwsa.ca/ida-tong1.html 4. Local Art For Local Walls https://www.lafwr.com/ida-tong 5. UpTown Gallery http://uptowngallerywaterloo.com/index.php/artist/ida-tong |
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"The world doesn't make sense, so why should I paint pictures that do?" - Pablo Picasso
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Current & Upcoming Shows Sept. 21 - Nov. 15 - Featured artist for a new exhibition "Exploration" at the UpTown Gallery, Waterloo Town Square. 75 King St. S., Waterloo. (Sorry, due to pandemic restriction, there won't be an opening reception.) http://uptowngallerywaterloo.com/index.php Present - Local Art For Local Walls (LAF), An ongoing Online Art Store with over 100 artists. https://www.lafwr.com/ida-tong Solo Exhibitions Gerrard Art Space Gallery 2014 - Toronto, Canada Bluff Gallery 2010 - Scarborough, Canada Cliffcrest Library 2006 - Scarborough, Canada Studio 21 2003 - Scarborough, Canada A Space Gallery 2000 - Toronto, Canada Library of British Institute 1992 & 1993 - Florence, Italy Group Exhibitions LAF Ongoing Online Exhibition (2020); Central Ontario Artist Association juried member show, Etobicoke Civic Centre Art Gallery (2018); Uptown Gallery Featured Artist, Waterloo (2017-present); Central Ontario Artist Association juried member show, Art Gallery of Hamilton (2018); New Hamburg Studio Tour, New Hamburg (2017); Women Art Association of Canada, Toronto (2010-2015); Orange Art Gallery, Ottawa (2014); Bluff Gallery, Scarborough (2000-2015); Cedar Ridge Art Centre, Scarborough (2013); Scarborough Civic Centre, Scarborough (2002); just to name a few. |
Publications March 11, 2021 - A quarter-page article of The Wilmot Post featuring its 1st annual Willi Wellie Community Choice Awards for Ida Tong's winning of the Platinum Award as the "Favourite Visual Artist" in the Wilmot Township. https://wilmotpost.ca/news/article.php?Your-Willie-Wellie-Award-winners-2021-513 October 8, 2019 - An one-page article of the Waterloo Region newspaper called "Record" in the Arts & Life section; a headline “Ida Tong’s Imagination runs wild” to feature Ida’s latest paintings with a theme “Human Evolution to Artificial Intelligence” by Terry Pender. https://www.therecord.com/entertainment/2019/10/07/artists-among-us-ida-tong-s-imagination-runs-wild.html March 2018 - A two-page article in the Baden Outlook Monthly Newsletter, volume 18, issue 8, page 10 and 11, featuring Ida Tong’s latest paintings and her art journey. https://www.badenoutlook.com/PDFs/Archives/March18.pdf 2014 - A one-page with a short artist statement and two colour photos of Ida Tong’s latest paintings, published in an art book called International Contemporary Artists, volume IX, page 288, ICA Publishing, with editor and curator, Olga Antoniadou. https://www.idatong.org/discover.html |
"There is no such thing as ART. There are only ARTISTS." - E. H. Gombrich
"There is no such thing as ART. There are only ARTISTS." - E. H. Gombrich