Biography

Sara Shields is a Toronto-based artist working primarily with works on paper. A graduate of the Fine Arts Studio program at Centennial College (2010), she began developing her distinctive approach to figure drawing during her time there—an expressive and consistent thread throughout her ongoing practice. Since graduating, Shields has exhibited her work in numerous solo and group exhibitions, as well as art fairs. Her drawings have been acquired by private libraries, corporate head office collections, and collectors from around the world. In May 2025, Shields will debut a new body of paintings in a solo exhibition titled Identifying the Invisible at Emily Harding Gallery.

Artist Statement

Sara Shields’ figure drawings and paintings reclaim the feminine form from societal stereotypes and expectations. Rather than situating the body within externally imposed narratives of beginnings or endings, she places it firmly in an eternal present—a timeless, often-overlooked middle ground. In doing so, Shields draws attention to the space between conscious moments, illuminating the emotional and experiential truths that reside there. Her work celebrates the inherent beauty of imperfection, intricately mapping pathways toward both inner and outward healing.

Her mixed-media paintings signal a bold new direction, shifting away from figuration toward a more abstract, deconstructed visual language. In these works, Shields expands her focus to explore the environment, conjuring imagined landscapes untouched—or perhaps regenerated—by human presence. She envisions a post-disposable reality, one in which the concept of waste has either never existed or has long been forgotten. These speculative worlds emerge through layered textures, organic forms, and recurring patterns, offering asymmetrical panoramas where natural beauty coexists with quiet disorder.

Inspired by the wild spaces woven into the fabric of Toronto—its ravines, shorelines, and urban flora—Shields grounds her environmental work with a love for the community. Her connection to the city’s natural rhythms infuses her art with a sense of place, reminding us that even within dense urban environments, nature endures and transforms.

In all her work, Shields offers a dual vision: one that liberates both the feminine and the natural world from the constraints of a consumer-driven society—inviting viewers into a space of reflection, reimagining, and release.

@sarashieldsart