January 21 – February 8, 2026
Saturday, January 24: Opening Reception 2 – 5 pm & Artist Talks: 3 pm
This exhibition is my nod and expression in painted form to both Canadian landscape near water and to the landscape and the mythological creatures who live in reality rather than fable and verse, under the sea.
During 2025, I spent a great deal of time traversing the international ocean ways through my time spent teaching watercolour painting on large ocean liners.
The mysticism and the oral tradition of mythology depicting life under the surface of water are celebrated in every ocean in most countries. We have the Mermaid, the Merman, the Sirens, the Shape shifters and More. Most countries have their own oral tradition of telling stories of life under the sea.
I have always imagined that Venice, Italy, is Mermaid Headquarters.
My series of paintings situated in Venice is part of creating a new chapter of Canadian mythology, The Canadian Mermaid in Venice. I became obsessed with the image of a large Canadian canoe traversing the waters of the Grand Canal, outfitted in traditional red brocades of the Venetian gondola over ten years ago. This hybrid vision of the boats of two countries sparked an idea to find an outlet to actualize the concept.
I eventually discovered the Vogalonga Race in Venice, a place where a boat like this could have life. I have hopes of participating with a team representing Canada in the near future. The paintings in this exhibition that are deeply tied to Venice and Mythology represent this passionate interest.
In the beauteous and atmospheric lakes north of Toronto, I appreciate the gift of solitude and the traditions of summer camps past. During the summer of 2025, I was a guest of many gracious cottage hosts in Ontario. Their support and kindness allowed me to sketch and to develop a new approach to capturing the essence of the atmospheric lakes in Ontario.
All paintings and sketches are in oils. The two series running simultaneously through this exhibition are complemented by the sculptural forms of my hand-painted wedding gowns in mermaid attire. The gowns are ready to be worn, under the sea.
Elizabeth Greisman is an international visual artist, curator and educator based in Toronto, Canada. She has developed collaborations with dancers, poets, musicians, actors, physicians and cooks and is the Founding Director of the Artist Cooperative of Canada and the Nascent Art Science Collective.
Her work has been the subject of a solo exhibition at the Canadian Embassy in Dublin, Ireland and group exhibitions supported by the Canadian Embassy in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Her Visual Artist to the Paris Opera Ballet was profiled by the Centre for Canadian Culture, in Paris, France.
Solo exhibitions in Toronto, Canada, include Holy Blossom Temple, the Propeller Gallery, Gallery 50, Tanenbaum Centre for the Arts, Tapestry Opera, The Ruth Upjohn Gallery at the Women’s Art Association in Toronto, Gallery 1313 and RE-Max Unique Windows Project.
Selected group exhibitions include shows at La Maison Verte du Jardin Botanique (Marnay-sur-Seine, France), Spadina Museum for Nuit Blanche (Toronto), BROTA House (Buenos Aires, Argentina), Gallery 1313 (Toronto), Rhizome Collective at Plymouth University (Plymouth, UK), The Art Gallery of Ontario, “ I am Here” show and the University of Buffalo (Buffalo, New York).
She is the volunteer Curator of the Lower Level Gallery at Holy Blossom Temple, Toronto, exhibiting contemporary artists of excellence. She teaches adult advanced-level painting classes at the Haliburton School of Art and Design, Haliburton, Ontario, and private painting classes for Special Needs adults.
As an adventurer, Elizabeth teaches watercolour painting on board the Cunard line ships to all levels, international students.
