Windsor-based artist Emily Bezaire has had a busy and rewarding year so far, with recent exhibitions placing her work in the spotlight both locally and internationally.
Earlier this spring, Bezaire was thrilled to have three of her portrait drawings selected for the Shō Your Self Juried Exhibition of Portraiture, held at Shō Studios in Windsor, Ontario.
Among her submissions, her graphite pencil self-portrait titled Is That All There Is? captured the attention of jurors and was awarded an Honourable Mention.
The exhibition, which highlighted a range of compelling and diverse approaches to portraiture, is also featured in the Spring 2025 issue of Art Create Learn magazine, giving Bezaire’s work even greater visibility within the Canadian art scene.
Beyond Windsor, Bezaire’s artistic reach has extended across the continent.
In collaboration with her father, fellow artist Bruce Bezaire, Emily contributed to Prophetic Images, an exhibition currently on display at Biola University in La Mirada, California through August.
The show explores artistic interpretations of the prophet Jonah throughout history and includes three pages from the Bezaires’ original graphic novel adaptation of the Book of Jonah.
Closer to home, Bezaire is also looking forward to exhibiting The Rome Series (Seven Drawings of the Eternal City) from June 3 through August 2, 2025 in Kingsville.
These graphite drawings, inspired by her solo travels through Italy, capture the light, architecture, and charm of Rome and will offer visitors a little taste of la dolce vita right here in Essex County.
A portion of all sales from this show will be donated to the 2025 Kingsville Terry Fox Run, part of Emily’s long-term goal to raise $10,000 for cancer research by her tenth year of involvement in 2027.
Emily has been immersed in fine art and art history for her entire life, thanks to her father, Bruce Bezaire, a professional artist who also taught post-secondary art throughout most of her formative years.
While attending college, Emily took two semesters of Art History taught by her father, during which she developed a deep interest in Italian Renaissance art.
In 2009, at the age of twenty-four, Emily decided to travel to Italy to see firsthand the remarkable art and architecture she had studied.
She found a work exchange opportunity just outside Rome that would allow her time to explore the city while helping with the olive harvest in exchange for room and board.
However, after booking her flight, the hosts unexpectedly canceled the arrangement.
This twist of fate turned out to be a blessing—Emily secured modest, affordable accommodations in Rome and suddenly had the entire two weeks to immerse herself in the city’s rich cultural offerings.
Whether through intimate self-portraits, ambitious narrative collaborations, community-minded exhibitions, or championing the work of fellow artists, Emily Bezaire continues to make her mark as a distinctive voice in Canadian visual art.
For fans and followers eager to stay up to date with her creative journey, visit Emily’s website www.emilybezaire.com and check out the News page which highlights the latest on exhibitions, publications, and upcoming projects.
The Rome Series (Seven Drawings of the Eternal City) will be on display at Olive Branch on Main from June 3rd through August 2nd. An open house event is planned for July 5th from 10am to 4pm.
Olive Branch on Main is located at 21 Main Street West in Kingsville.
~ All images provided by Emily Bezaire