A Fearless Creative Voice Fuelled by Joy and Freedom
Toronto’s creative landscape continues to thrive through artists who bring fresh perspectives, bold energy, and deeply personal storytelling to the city’s cultural fabric. Among them is MAXINE, a New York-born painter, illustrator, and multimedia artist whose vibrant work has quickly captured attention for its expressive colour, playful spirit, and unmistakable sense of joy. Now based in Toronto, she brings together the intensity and creative pulse of New York with the warmth, diversity, and evolving artistic energy of her adopted city.
Known for her large-scale still-life paintings and multidisciplinary approach, MAXINE creates work that celebrates abundance, beauty, and the simple pleasures of everyday life. Her pieces often transform ordinary objects and fleeting moments into immersive visual narratives filled with movement, emotion, and character. Whether working with paint, drawing, or experimental materials, she approaches each medium with curiosity and fearlessness.
Beyond the canvas, MAXINE’s journey is one of resilience, reinvention, and trusting creative instinct. From her early influences growing up in SoHo to building a new chapter in Toronto, she has shaped an artistic practice rooted in authenticity and optimism.
In this exclusive interview with TorontoPages Magazine, MAXINE opens up about life between two iconic cities, the experiences that shaped her voice, navigating creativity through personal loss and change, and why joy remains at the centre of everything she creates.
To begin, can you introduce yourself to our readers and tell us who MAXINE is beyond being a painter?
Hello! I’m Maxine. I’m an artist based in Toronto. Being a painter infiltrates most of my life; I’m always drawing or thinking about a drawing or painting I’d like to make, ordering food that I might be able to get inspiration from, or having conversations about things I’ve seen that could inform some future work. Drawing, painting, and making things are pretty intrinsic to who I am, so there isn’t really a line that separates the two parts of myself.
You’re a New Yorker now creating in Toronto. How has living between two major cultural cities shaped your artistic identity and perspective?
I got my impatience from New York and have learned to calm down a bit in Toronto. The pace is more manageable and peaceful here, which I love, but I can still move quickly, and others are fast-paced and excited here too. I love and need that energy, and I find that Torontonians have an adventurous spirit but are also so deeply kind and generous with their time and insights.
Can you tell us about your upbringing and the early experiences that first connected you to art?
My earliest memories of art are the street art around my native neighbourhood of SoHo in New York. There used to be so much of it everywhere. My parents loved it and would always point it out to me, and we’d talk about the new work that went up. My mother is also a Haitian immigrant, and she always had very bold and vibrant Caribbean work around the house, which deeply informed my love of colour and celebratory energy.
What was your educational journey like, and how did formal training or self-teaching help define your voice as a painter, illustrator, and multimedia artist?
I studied Environmental Studies at NYU, but I took a couple of life drawing classes while I was there. I really didn’t get much formal training, but I always loved to draw and make things since I was tiny. I knew a lot of people who went to art school and ended up disliking art afterward, and I really didn’t want to give up this thing I always loved with such purity, so I kept it to myself for most of my life.
Was there a specific moment when you realized art was not just a passion, but something you wanted to pursue seriously?
COVID helped push me out of my shell. I was a floral designer in Detroit, and when COVID wiped out most of our business, I figured the world seemed to be ending anyway and I might as well go full throttle while the government was paying us to stay home. I was also deeply anxious and fearful of everything happening with COVID, so it really took my mind to a positive place. Eventually, people saw my work and started paying me for it, which was a shock, and that led to it becoming full-time.
You work across painting, illustration, and multimedia. What draws you to expressing ideas through multiple mediums rather than just one?
I get bored easily and like to move through ideas quickly. Sometimes an idea can only be expressed through papier-mâché, drawing on paper, or with thick globs of paint on canvas. I just like to see how accurately I can convey an idea in my mind in real life, and I find immense freedom in trying new mediums and seeing what feels right in the moment.
How would you describe your visual style to someone seeing your work for the first time?
I usually say I make large-scale still-life paintings with lots of colour and joy. A bit folk-art-ish and playful as well.
What themes or emotions consistently find their way into your work?
Joy, community, and a bit of hedonism. I like abundance and the feeling of plenty, and enjoying life as much as possible. Life is so short and can be so cruel, and when I’m painting, I like to imagine the perfect meal in a beautiful place with beautiful food. It can be messy, but free and delicious.
As an artist who has experienced both New York and Toronto, what differences do you notice between the creative communities in each city?
I didn’t really work as an artist in NYC, I was always too intimidated. I grew up with people whose parents were real, serious artists featured in the world’s best museums, it just felt like another planet to me. But I think I was just absorbing it all along and enjoying it as a viewer. Coming to Toronto, I was shocked at how kind and hospitable other artists were. There didn’t feel like there was a sense of competitiveness here, just welcoming energy. I felt, and still feel, so lucky to be part of this fabulous community.
How has Toronto influenced your recent work, whether through its people, architecture, diversity, or pace?
I’m sure all of it has influenced me tremendously, but sometimes you can’t really see it until later. I think overall I feel so happy here and at peace, and that has made me able to paint every day and experiment a lot, which is vital.
New York is known for intensity and edge, while Toronto has its own rhythm. Do those energies appear differently in your art?
The intensity of New York will always be a part of me. I like that I can paint with that feeling while taking advantage of being at a slightly calmer pace here.
When beginning a new piece, do you usually start with a concept, a feeling, a sketch, or experimentation?
Mostly I start with an idea, then continue with experimentation. For example, I’ll see a cup I was infatuated with at a restaurant. Then I might sketch it there or take a photo. Then I’ll base a whole painting around that cup. What kind of person could have such a beautiful object in their house? What else might they be eating? What time of day is it? I just kind of play with ideas based on something small like that, then paint only with my feelings. I admire artists who sketch first, but I can’t really do that.
Walk us through your creative process from the first spark of inspiration to the final finished piece.
Usually I’ll see something I love, sketch it in situ, bring it to my studio, and start painting. I might do it all in one day, or start it and finish it months later. It all depends.
How do you know when a piece is complete?
Just a feeling I get!
What role does storytelling play in your paintings and illustrations?
I feel like each piece tells its own story that can be narrated by whatever the viewer thinks could be happening. It’s all open to interpretation by the viewer.
Has moving cities ever caused a creative reset or reinvention in your practice?
Definitely! To me, feeling safe and happy is the most important part of my creative process. I love it here, and that has been huge for keeping the work coming.
What personal challenges have most shaped you as an artist, and how have they influenced your work?
I lost my dad on 9/11, and that was one of the defining moments of my life. He was a wonderful man and did everything “right” in life. I think it taught me that nothing is a given and to do what your heart calls you to do. Tomorrow is never promised, so it’s vital not to let made-up fears get in your way.
How do you navigate creative blocks or moments of self-doubt?
Let them roll. Try to get into your studio or space every day that you can. But if you’re there and it’s not happening, do something you can do, then take it easy on yourself. I try to do something, even a 30-second sketch, every day. If I’m really not feeling it, I use that day to do the less glamorous things like answer emails, etc., and try again the next day. It’s all moving the pendulum forward, and we can’t be expected to make art eight hours a day, every day.
What conversations or emotions do you hope viewers leave with after experiencing your work?
I hope they find joy, bring some colour into their day, and remember what brings them peace and happiness. I hope they can be reminded to linger a little longer over their meal, make something nice for themselves, or have a delicious glass of wine or a nice cappuccino instead of rushing around. Life is short, and it’s okay to indulge a bit sometimes.
Is there a dream collaboration, exhibition space, or public project you would love to create in Toronto or New York?
I love clothing, and I love working with clothing brands. I love what Hermès and J.Crew are doing with artists and taking them seriously while allowing them to really play and experiment.
Finally, what message would you like to share with emerging artists who are trying to build a life between cities, cultures, and creative disciplines?
As trite as it may sound, be yourself and do what feels right to you. I spent so much time looking at other people’s work and trying to figure out my own voice, but the best way to do that is to just keep making things as much as you can. Keep drawing, writing, or making things. Someone will always relate to you, so just be yourself and make what you like, and you’ll find your audience.
