Clients
Facebook
Redbull Racing
1Password
Shake Shack
Converse
lululemon
Cirque du Soleil
Perrier
Stella Artois
American Express
The W Hotel
Holt Renfrew
Telus
The Globe & Mail
Earl’s Kitchen + Bar
The Drake Hotel
The Polaris Prize
TIFF
Osheaga Festival
Wayhome Festival
Née: Kirsten McCrea
Born: Edmonton, AB
Work/Live: Berlin, Germany
MURALS, BRAND COLLABORATIONS, & PUBLIC ART
2025 Mural: Midtown Mix, Shake Shack, Toronto
2025 Design: F1 Academy Livery for Redbull Racing and 1Password at the Canadian Grand Prix
2025 Commissioned Paintings: Multicaf Art Auction & Fundraiser, Montreal
2025 Mural: Tranquil Tapestry, Union Hotel, Toronto
2024 Commissioned Paintings: Multicaf Art Auction & Fundraiser, Montreal
2024 Mural: Helmi Fur Alle, Berlin Germany2023 Mural: Relax, Yorkville Murals, Toronto
2022 Installation: Quadreal Art Walk, Toronto
2022 Mural: Forms of Joyful Engagement, W Hotel, Toronto
2022 Mural: Pattern Perception, Red Deer Intermediate School, Red Deer Canada
2021 Mural: Life Circle, LOCO Space, Toronto
2021 Public Art Commission: Busy, Vinyl-Wrapped Benches, Yonge-Dundas Square, Toronto
2021 Public Art Commission: Kaleidoscopes, Vinyl-Wrapped Traffic Boxes, Saskatoon Canada
2021 Public Art Commission: Pattern Recognition, Vinyl Installation, Toronto
2021 Permanent Public Art Commission: Valley Line LRT Transit Station, Edmonton Canada
2020 Mural: Corridor, Yorkville Murals Festival, Toronto
2020 Mural: Vases, Yorkville, Toronto
2020 Mural: Everything I Miss Most, Mississauga Canada
2020 Mural: Yin Yang, Dixon Hall Youth Centre, Toronto
2019 Mural: Lively, Earls Kitchen + Bar King Street, Toronto
2019 Mural: Like A River, Gerrard & Carlaw Underpass, Toronto
2019 Mural: Sweat Life, lululemon at Eaton Centre, Toronto
2019 Mural: Peace, Saint Michael’s Hospital, Toronto
2018 Mural: Listen to Learn, Colombia College, Chicago USA
2018 Mural: Like a River, Gerrard & Carlaw Underpass, Toronto
2018 Public Art Commission: The Present Moment, King St, Toronto
2018 Public Art Commission: Mix It, Financial District Vinyl-Wrapped Traffic Boxes, Toronto
2018 Mural: See the North (with En Masse), TIFF Bell Lightbox, Toronto
2017 Mural: Global Toronto (with Bareket Kezwer), Facebook, Toronto
2017 Mural: Pattern Pool, Facebook, Toronto
2017 Mural: Parkdale Patterns (at Women Paint TO Festival), Toronto
2017 Mural: Ecoscope 2, Toronto
2017 Mural: Spring Fling, The Drake Hotel, Toronto
2017 Mural: Ecoscope 1, Toronto
2017 Mural: See the North, TIFF, Toronto
2016 Mural: Wallpaper, Union Station, Toronto
2016 Mural: Untitled, with En Masse, Facebook Canada Office, Toronto
2016 Mural: Queer the North, Up Here Festival, Sudbury Canada
2016 Mural: Wild Walls, Osheaga Music Festival, Montreal
2015 Mural: Young Hearts Run Free, Toronto
2015 Mural: Electric City/Nogojiwanong, Peterborough Canada
2015 Mural: Let’s Go Places Together, Telus Social Art Rally, Toronto
2015 Mural: Everything That Happens, Artscape Sandbox Theatre, Toronto
2014 Mural: En Masse Collaboration, Shanghai International Arts Festival, Shanghai China
2014 Installation: Hunted Hunters, Long Winter, Toronto
2014 Performance: Fortune Seller, AGO First Thursdays, Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto
2013 Installation: Hot Topic, Feminist Art Conference, Toronto
2013 Mural: Dan-D-Noser (at AGO First Thursdays), Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto
2013 Mural: Super Crawl (with En Masse), Hamilton Canada
2013 Conference: Open Engagement: The Cedar Room, Portland State University, Portland USA
2012 Mural: Pop Montreal: No Cars Go (with Cease Collective), Montreal
FESTIVALS
2021 Mural: Water is Life, Women Paint, Toronto
2021 Mural: Cafe Artois, Yorkville Murals, Toronto
2016 Mural: Wild Flowers, SeaWalls/Love Letters Festival, Toronto
2015 Mural: MassivArt Chromatic, Paris
2015 Mural: Welcome, Wayhome Music & Arts Festival, Oro Medonte Canada
2015 Mural: Paper Traces, Live Art Festival, Pan Am Path, Toronto
2013 Social Practice: 12-HR Zine Machine, Nuit Blanche, Gladstone Hotel, Toronto
2013 Installation: League of Legendary Ladies, Sheroes, with Whippersnapper Gallery, Toronto
2012 Social Practice: Papirmasse-a-thon, Exposure Queer Arts, Nina Haggerty Gallery, Edmonton
2012 Social Practice: Papirmasse-a-thon, Nuit Blanche, Galerie Maison Kasini, Montreal
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2016 Objectify, Nuvango Gallery, Toronto
2014 Recent Works, Artscape Gibraltar Point Showcase, Toronto
2014 Hot Topic Redux, Galerie La Centrale Powerhouse, Montreal
2012 Flora & Fauna, Arbor Gallery, Vankleek Hill
2011 Hot Topic, Galerie Maison Kasini, Montreal
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2021 MIOTAS//MYTH, Canada Ireland Foundation, Toronto Canada
2019 Punchlines, Munich, Germany
2018 Saving Banksy, Yorkville Town Centre, Toronto
2018 Live Life, AMEX Pop-up Queen West, Toronto
2018 Punchlines, Annecy, France
2018 Punchlines, Under Pressure, Montreal
2017 Slaight Family Polaris Prize Heritage Poster Show, The Drake Hotel, Toronto
2017 UAB Project, University of Manitoba School of Art Gallery, Winnipeg
2016 UAB Project, Grimsby Public Art Gallery, Grimsby
2016 Love Letters to the Great Lakes, Rally, Toronto
2015 Under New Management, Union Gallery, Kingston
2015 Under New Management, The New Gallery, Calgary
2014 En Masse, Art Media Centre, Shanghai
2014 En Masse, Art Labour Gallery, Shanghai
2014 Papirmass Five-Year Anniversary, Hermann & Audrey, Toronto
2014 Prints & Inks, Ideaspace, Ottawa
2014 It Wasn’t Supposed To Be Like This, Videofag, Toronto
2013 AGGG II, Rennan Isaacs Contemporary, Guelph
2013 Summer Reading Room, The Hole Gallery, New York
2013 Creative Type V, Cooper Cole Gallery, Toronto
2013 29, Gallery West, Toronto
2012 Live Free, The Hellion Gallery, Portland
2012 Creative Type IV, Cooper Cole Gallery, Toronto
2012 Salon Masse, Galerie Pangée, Montreal
2012 Reshelving Initiative 5, Eyelevel Gallery, Halifax
2011 Big Bang (with En Masse collective), Musée des Beaux Arts, Montreal
2011 Collage Show, Monastiraki, Montreal
2011 Poplar & Pine: Where Are We Going?, Latitude 53, Edmonton
2011 Chromatic II, SAT, Montreal
2011 Baronesque, Maison du Conseil des Arts de Montreal, Montreal
2011 No Sleep Till Brooklyn, Underworld, Montreal
2011 Papirmass, S.P.A.C.E. Gallery, Vermont
2011 Distroboto 10-year Anniversary, Monastiraki, Montreal
2010 The Box Project, ARPRIM, Montreal
2010 Digital Miniprint Exhibition, Voix Visuelle, Ottawa
2010 Crowded House, 52 McCaul, Toronto
2010 Papergirl Berlin, neurotitan Gallery, Berlin
2010 The National Portrait Gallery, Latitude 53, Edmonton
2010 MassivArt: Chromatic, SAT, Montreal
PRESENTATIONS & OTHER ART PRACTICES
Founder and Publisher of Papirmass Art Subscription (2008 – 2020)
Member of En Masse Collective (2010 – present)
2024: Workshop: Street Art Stencils, Vinted, Berlin
2022 Panelist: Burnout and Mental Health, MUSE Arts: Toronto
2022 Artist Talk: The Textile Design Lab, online
2020 Artist Talk: University of Toronto, Toronto
2018 Presenter: Nurture Creative Dinner, The Depanneur, Toronto
2017 Panelist: Creative Careers, OCADU, Toronto
2017 Workshop: Collaborative Painting, OCAD University, Toronto
2017 Guest Lecture: Sociology 525: Media & Images of Inequality, Ryerson University, Toronto
2016 Artist Talk: Up Here Festival, Sudbury
2015 Auction: Plug-In ICA, Winnipeg
2015 Artist Talk, Struts Gallery, Sackville
2015 Workshop: Making Ideas Happen, Struts Gallery, Sackville
2014 Panelist: Artists for Artists, CARFAC National Conference, Toronto
2014 Panelist: Hustle Hard, The Drake Hotel, Toronto
2014 Artist Talk: Klondike Institute of Art & Culture, Dawson City
2014 Invited Participant: Canada Council for the Arts National Forum on the Literary Arts, Montreal
2014 Artist Talk, University of Guelph, Guelph
2014 Panelist: OCAD University, Toronto
2014 Auction: Toronto Design Offsite Festival, Toronto
2013 Artist Talk, Canzine Symposium, Toronto
2013 Artist Talk at OCAD University,Toronto
2013 Auction: ArtSIDA, Museum of Contemporary Art, Montreal
2013 Programming Board, XPACE Gallery, Toronto
2013 Submissions Workshop, XPACE Gallery, Toronto
2013 Artist Talk, University of Waterloo
, Waterloo
2013 Workshop with JP King at University of Waterloo, Waterloo
2012 Panel Discussion: The Art of Collecting, PAPIER Art Fair, Montreal
2012 Auction: ArtSIDA, Museum of Contemporary Art, Montreal
2012 Artist Talk at Loyalist College, Belleville
2011 Chair of Panel Discussion: Becoming an Artist, Exposure Queer Arts & Culture Festival, Edmonton
2011 Artist Talk, Concordia University, Montreal
ART FAIRS
2018 Edition Art Book Fair, Paper Pusher, Toronto Canada
2017 Toronto Art Book Fair, Papirmass, Toronto Canada
2016 Vancouver Art Book Fair, Paper Pusher, Vancouver Canada
2013 New York Art Book Fair, Paper Pusher, New York
2012 Papier, Maison Kasini, Montreal
2011 San Diego Art Fair, En Masse, San Diego
2011 Papier, Maison Kasini, Montreal
GRANTS & AWARDS
2022 Ontario Arts Council, Craft Grant
2020 Artscape Daniels Launchpad Bursary
2016 Ontario Arts Council, Magazine Publishers Project Grant
2015 Ontario Arts Council, Magazine Publishers Project Grant
2014 Canada Council for the Arts Travel Grant – Shanghai
2014 Canada Council for the Arts Travel Grant – Dawson City
2014 Ontario Arts Council Visual Artists Project Grant
2014 Art Gallery of York University, Artist Book of the Moment, shortlist: Dan-D-Noser
2013 Expozine Small Press Awards nominee: Best English Publication, Dan-D-Noser
2011 Conseil des Arts et des Lettres du Quebec Grant to Visual Artists
2010 Voix Visuelle Gallery Digital Print Award, 2nd place
2010 Expozine Small Press Awards nominee: Best English Publication, Papirmass
RESIDENCIES
2023 Artscape Gibraltar Point, Toronto Canada
2021 Holt Renfrew, Artist in Residence, Toronto Canada
2018 Artscape Gibraltar Point, Toronto Canada
2017 Spark Box Studio, Prince Edward County Canada
2015 Struts Gallery, Sackville, NB
2014 Klondike Institute of Art & Culture, Dawson City, YK
2014 Spark Box Studio, Prince Edward County, ON
PUBLICATIONS
2018 Geraldine Davis, Uncovering Artist Books, Grimsby: Grimbsy Art Gallery (catalogue)
2018 Correy Baldwain and Janine Vangool, Print/Maker: Inky, Creative Success, Uppercase
2016 Tara Cooper and Jenn Law, Printopolis, Open Studio.
2014 Various Authors, 6 Years Later 3, Australia: SYL
2013 Various Authors, MUDGUM, Belgium: YumYum Collectif
2013 Various Authors, What Is An Art Book 3, New York: The Modern Language Experiment
2013 Various Authors, 6 Years Later 2, Australia: SYL
2012 Kirsten McCrea, Dan-D-Noser, Toronto, ON: Paper Pusher.
2012 En Masse, essays by Nathalie Bondil & Isa Tousignant, Montreal, QC: MBaM (catalogue)
2012 Bettina Forget, “Kirsten McCrea: Hot Topic”, The Belgo Report: Highlights From 2008-2011: 20-21.
2011 Kirsten McCrea, Hot Topic: Portraits of 20th Century Feminists, Montreal, QC: Maison Kasini.
2011 Gabe Wong, Poplar & Pine: Where Are We Going?, Edmonton, AB (artist multiple/catalogue)
2009 Gabe Wong Poplar & Pine: Where Are We From?, Edmonton, AB (artist multiple/catalogue)
EDUCATION
2008 Concordia University, Montreal, Bachelor of Fine Arts, with Great Distinction
2005 Grant MacEwan, Diploma of Fine Art, with First Class Standing
SELECTED PRESS
CBC News, Tyson Lautenschlager, “Toronto muralist straddles 2 male-dominated industries in 1 weekend”, June 14, 2025.
GP Fans, Sheona Mountford, "Red Bull drops stunning new livery at Canadian Grand Prix", June 14, 2025.
Sportsnet, Jonathan Brazeau, "F1 Academy driver Palmowski hopes Canadian-inspired livery brings good luck in Montreal", June 13, 2025.
Autosport, Mark Mann-Bryans, “Art of the deal – 1Password and Red Bull partnership showcased in F1 Academy at Canadian GP”, June 12, 2025.
The New York Times, Madeline Coleman, “Red Bull’s F1 Academy car takes on a bold look ahead of 2025 Canadian Grand Prix”, June 11, 2025.
Sports Illustrated, Zach Koons, "Alisha Palmowski Q&A: Rise to Red Bull’s F1 Academy Team, Canadian Grand Prix Livery", June 11, 2025.
Forbes, Kanzah Maktoum, "Red Bull Racing And 1Password Reveal Purpose-Driven F1 Academy Livery", June 10, 2025.
The Suburban, Mike Cohen, “MultiCaf Arts and Comedy evening brings in $1 million”, May 28, 2025.
Blog TO, Phoebe Knight, "Former homeless shelter-turned-swanky Toronto boutique hotel officially open", May 1, 2025.
Global News, Phil Carpenter, “Art auction to combat food insecurity”, April 9, 2023.
La Presse, Jean Siag, "L’art au service de l’aide alimentaire", Apr 9, 2025.
Global News Morning, “Art exhibition spotlights food insecurity”, March 29, 2023.
CTV News, Daniel J. Rowe and Christine Long, "4 celebrated artists creating mural for Montreal’s MultiCaf food bank auction", Apr 4, 2025.
City News, "‘Painting a brighter future’: Artists unite to combat food insecurity in Montreal", Apr 2, 2025.
The Greatscape, Elliot Brooks, “Top 10 Artists in Canada”, Apr 2, 2025.
Global News Morning, “Art auction fights food insecurity”, March 29, 2023.
Pattern Observer, Amanda Letscher, “Painting, Murals, Sculpture and more with Hello Kirsten”, January 24, 2022.
Create! Magazine, Christina Nafziger, “Environmental Activism + Art: Elegy for Lake Toronto”, November 21, 2021.
Daily Hive, Laura Hanrahan, "Three-day mural festival coming to Toronto's Yorkville neighbourhood", Sep 7 2021
Toronto Life, Meg Prosper, “10 Yorkville patios you need to visit this season”, June 24, 2021.
Daily Hive, Irelyne Lavery, "Yorkville Mural Festival returns to Toronto this month", Aug 13 2020.
Slate Magazine, Tammy Oler, ““Hot Topic”: The Complete Annotated Lyrics”, Oct 31, 2019.
Toronto.com, Joanna Lavoie, "Nine east Toronto underpasses getting a colourful refresh East End Bridges to Art series spans the Carlaw-Dundas rail corridor", Aug 14, 2019
Beach Metro, Al Shackleton, "East End Bridges to Art underpass celebrates mural at Gerrard and Carlaw", Aug 1, 2019
Uppercase Magazine, Janine Vangool, “At Home with Surface Pattern: Kirsten McCrea”, #41 May 2019: p 30-31.
Michigan Ave Magazine, Thomas Connors, “Keep This Eye-Catching Public Art on Your Radar”, Dec 4, 2018.
Computer Arts UK, “Meet the team behind Papirmass”, Nov 2018: p 60.
La Presse, Violaine Ballivy, “De L’Art Pour Tous”, Oct 10 2018.
Blog TO, “Nobody is Complaining About King Street Anymore”, Aug 15, 2018.
Global News, Emily Mertz, “Edmonton unveils 14 pieces of art for Valley Line LRT”, January 22, 2018.
CBC Arts, Leah Collins, “This feminist mural project already has people debating the issue”, July 14, 2017.
Radio Canada, Marjorie April, “Y a pas deux matins pareils”, September 29, 2016.
Chart Attack, Kristel Jax, “How Up Here Aims to Rebrand Sudbury”, August 18, 2016.
CBC News, Samantha Lui, “Sudbury Gears up for Second Annual Up Here Festival”, August 10, 2016.
Newsweek, “The 2015 Newsweek Gift Guide for Everyone”, December 15, 2015.
Bustle, Caitlin Morrison, “10 Subscriptions to Get”, November 23, 2015, p 42.
Mashable, Eli Epstein, “11 Creative Ways to Say Thank You”, November 20, 2015.
The Peterborough Examiner, Jessica Nyznik, "Bridge arch mural artist Kirsten McCrea has previous experience painting pillars under Toronto's Gardiner Expressway", August 8, 2015: C4.
Buzzfeed, “40 Awesome Art Prints”, July 31, 2015.
Fast Company, Elisabeth Segran, “From Socks to Sex Toys: Inside America’s Subscription-Box Obsession”, April 6, 2015.
The Today Show (NBC), Jill Martin, “Best Box of the Month Clubs”, March 20, 2015.
The National Post, “Gift Guide: Did you leave it to the last minute, again?”, Dec 19, 2014: B2.
Huffington Post, Rebecca Shapiro, “When A Regular Gift Won’t Cut It, Try Giving An Experience”, Dec 1, 2014.
Brit + Co, Rachel Sumner, “This is the Easiest Way to Create a Gallery Wall”, October 14, 2014
Lucky Magazine, Alison Syrett Cleary, “11 Stellar Style And Beauty Subscription Boxes We Just Can’t Quit”, Aug 1, 2014.
Broken Pencil, Kelly Boutsalis, “Please Mister Postman: Artists and Canada’s Mail Cuts”, June 18, 2014: 16-17.
NBC News, “Gifts that Keep on Giving: 9 Uniquely Awesome Subscriptions”, May 16, 2014.
Canadian Art, Sam Cotter, “Hot Jobs”, December 2013: p. 63.
BUST Magazine, Lan Truong, “Papirmass”, December 2013: p 52.
Canadian Living, “Subscriptions for Everyone on Your List”, December 9, 2013.
Apartment Therapy, Gregory Han, “Subscriptions for a Healthier, Happier, and Tastier Life”, June 5, 2013.
Artinfo, Rea MacNamara, “Artist’s Multiple (Choice): Kirsten McCrea’s “Papirmasse””, May 8, 2013.
The Singapore Straits Times, Clara Chow, “Boxed Surprises: Subscription Boxes Offer Up Myriad Goodies”, May 19, 2013.
Real Simple, Valerie Rains, “8 Surprising Subscription Box Ideas”, April 29, 2013.
The Globe and Mail, Dierdre Kelly, “Kirsten McCrea has a special delivery for art lovers”, April 10, 2013: L5.
She Does The City, Lisa Amergongen, “Papirmasse”, March 20, 2013.
The Montreal Gazette, Fatima Arkin, “Papirmasse makes art accessible, and affordable, to everyone”, Feb 23, 2013: B2.
Artinfo, Sky Goodden and Benjamin Bruneau, “Canada’s Top 30 Under 30”, January 28, 2013.
Trendhunter, Simal Yilmaz, “Shuffled Art Delivery Services”, December 14, 2012.
Flare Magazine, Andrea Karr, “Papirmasse”, November 15, 2012.
Hazlitt, Emily Keeler, “The Accidental Editor: Papirmasse’s Kirsten McCrea”, October 4, 2012.
Chatelaine Magazine, Alanna Glassman, “Mail-Order Art: Build Up Your Collection for $5 a Month”, Feb 2012: 30.
Juxtapoz, “The Work of Canada’s Kirsten McCrea”, August 9, 2012
Rabble, Jaela Bernstien, “Kirsten McCrea’s art: Honouring feminists who challenge status quo”, July 9, 2012.
Infopresse, Sophie Chartier, “L’art en envoi postal”, January 4, 2012.
As It Happens (CBC Radio 1), Carol Off, Radio Interview, 5 January 2012.
The Jealous Curator, Danielle Krysa, “I’m Jealous of Kirsten McCrea”, August 5, 2011.
The Montreal Gazette, Lori Callaghan, “Montreal Has a Lot to Offer Anglo Artists”, 17 July 2010.
The Walrus, Emily Testa, “The Edmonton Manifesto”, 21 December 2009.
Book By Its Cover, Julia Rothman, “Magazine Appreciation Week: Papirmasse”, 10 December 2009.
Edmonton Journal, Janice Ryan, “Edmonton’s own National Portrait Gallery ignites debate about Canadian identity”, Jul 9, 2010.
Vue Weekly, David Berry, “Picture Perfect: The NPG goes beyond cheeky reactions”, June 16, 2010.
See, Andrew Paul, “Portrait of a Gallery: Grassroots movement creates National Portrait Gallery”, June 10, 2010.
The Edmonton Journal, Paula Simons, “The Guerrilla Portrait Gallery”, May 25, 2010.
Georgie Magazine, Nathan Marshall, “Artist Profile: Kirsten McCrea”, 1 March 2010.
See Magazine, Mari Sasano, “Where did Where Are You From? come from?”, 23 September 2009: 12.
SNAP! Magazine, Shayl Prisk, “Artist of the Month”, Summer 2009.
Ottawa Express, Adam Volk, “Pop Goes the Hamster”, 28 May 2009.
Design Milk, Erin Loechner, “Papirmasse”, April 13, 2009.
Vue Weekly, Sarah Hamilton, “Hot Topic Vs. Wednesday Lupypciw: Up for debate”, 13 November 2008: 14.