Finding Footing
Group Exhibition
June 4, 2026 ~ 7-9pm
The Riviera, 102 Lakeshore Drive Ward's Island, Toronto, ON
Ula was a bright star whose path crossed each of ours. Her open heart, beautiful brown eyes and captivating spirit drew each of us into her orbit. The stars continue to align as we return again and again to remember and to honour Ula.
It was both Ula’s nature and her calling to foster connection, collaboration and community; she cared deeply for others, loved art wholeheartedly, and embraced life with curiosity, creativity, and joy.
The works on display in this exhibition, created in Ula’s honour, celebrate her spirit — and give form to the heartbreak of losing her. This collection addresses the devastating intersection of youth mental health challenges, the isolation of the pandemic era, and the overwhelming pressures of social media, which altogether amplify the crisis of today's toxic drug supply epidemic.
Guided by Ula's open heart and profound love for creativity, we carry forward Ula's enduring spirit while fostering awareness, dialogue and healing. We gather as a community to establish a meaningful footing to move forward together.
Legacy
As we continue to honour the life of Ula, we look for different ways to continue her legacy in a meaningful way. Through the efforts of various organizations, our work continues beyond this exhibition, supporting education, research, and the development of programs aimed at supporting young people and their families as they navigate the ongoing challenges of the toxic drug epidemic and mental health crisis in a post-COVID world.
If you would like to donate in Ula’s name, please consider the following organizations. A print of your choice from the artwork below will be given for donations over $50.
Shadowland Theatre
Ula was an arts enthusiast and loved to help prepare for gala day weekend. She participated in the youth program on the island and stilt-walking every summer. Shadowland and the work they do was a huge part of Ula’s childhood.
Ward’s Island Association Clubhouse
Ula loved the island and its vibrant community. She spent her entire childhood in the halls of the clubhouse that tragically burned down in the winter after her death. Ula loved to perform and had many opportunities to sing and dance on the WIA stage where she shone. She would have been so distraught by it’s razing.
Sick Kids
Ula was a participant in a program at The Hospital for Sick Children that supports and advocates for more understanding and resources for youth mental health and substance use. Her team continues to work to educate hospital staff and families as well as developing more consistent and effective programming for young people and their caregivers.
Please consider donating directly to the LLU fund in order to help cover costs of sharing Ula's artwork and legacy, or subscribing to Ula’s mom’s ongoing writing project where she has been writing openly and candidly about her experiences in losing her sixteen year old daughter. Her writing reflects the ebbs and flows of grief through the lens of a mourning mother during a highly polarized period of history. She is in the process of working to create a book from her personal experiences.
LLU Fund
Art
Many of the works from the exhibit were Ula’s creations from different parts of her life. Friends and family additionally created artwork to honour and celebrate her spirit — and give form to the heartbreak of losing her. The collection from the show addresses the devastating intersection of youth mental health challenges, the isolation of the pandemic era, and the overwhelming pressures of social media, which altogether amplify the crisis of today's toxic drug supply epidemic.
All of the art below with the exception of the photographs, are Ula's work. A print of your choice from this collection will be given for donations to any of the above organizations of over $50.
