Barrie artist selected to showcase paintings at big exhibition

Barrie artist Francesca Viscardi, who has been selected to showcase her art in The Artist Project 2026, is shown oil painting. (Francesca Viscardi/YouTube)

A Barrie artist is getting ready to bring her creativity to the big city.

Francesca Viscardi is an oil painter and content creator, who’s been selected to showcase her paintings at The Artist Project 2026 in Toronto, an exhibition showing 250 independent, contemporary and juried artists.

Viscardi’s specialty is using photos she’s taken of spots around Simcoe County and turning them into whimsical, layered oil paintings.

Not only is she an accomplished artist but she takes art lovers and fans on behind-the-scenes journeys of her creative process on her online community on TikTok and YouTube.

The theme for the exhibition this year is The Art of the Game, a nod to Toronto’s role in becoming a global city of sport as it gets ready to host the FIFA World Cup later this summer. The artists’ subject matter will be on sport and competition, exploring themes of athleticism, rivalry, teamwork, movement and emotional intensity.

“Competition exists at every level of the art world, from applying to a fair, to refining a practice, to standing out in a crowded field,” says Mia Nielsen, Director of Artist Project. “In a year when Toronto is welcoming the world through sport, Artist Project embraces competition not just as subject matter, but as a reality artists navigate every day.”

The artists’ mediums include painting, photography, sculpture, textile, mixed media and installation.

On opening night, one artist will be honoured with The Art of the Game Gold Medal.

The exhibition takes place at the Enercare Centre at Exhibition Place over four days from March 26 to 29.

General admission passes range from $24 to $28 for adults, $20 to $24 for seniors and students, and children under 12 are free.

The public can access tickets and more information through The Artist Project website.