Erin Finley

ERIN FINLEY is a TEDx speaker and the winner of three teaching awards: two from OCAD University and one from the University of Toronto.

As a globally recognized drawing expert, Erin has been interviewed by Yahoo News, CTV News, Fox News, Global News, CTV's The Social, CTV's Your Morning, Breakfast Television, CityTV, CBC The National, CBC Here and Now, CBC Commotion, CBC Radio, and CBC Arts.

She is the creator of "Project Elinor," which helps older adults boost brain power through drawing. Finley is also the creator of "Ambi Drawing," a program that encourages ambidexterity. Dr. John Whyte, chief medical officer of WebMD, has said Finley's drawing processes stimulate neuroplasticity, which is the brain's ability to reorganize itself by forming new neural connections.

Erin believes in care-based pedagogy and strives to support all learners. She adopted this approach while teaching at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto.

Erin Finley has exhibited art nationally and internationally, including at the following institutions: Paul Petro (Toronto, ON); Arc Gallery (Chicago, IL); Hallwalls (Buffalo, NY); Allegheny College (Pennsylvania); Eastern New Mexico University (NM); CBGB's (NY); Miami University Gallery (Oxford, OH); Line Gallery (North Bay, ON); La Porte Peinte Centre Pour Les Arts (Burgundy, FR); Femina Potens Gallery (San Francisco, CA); Idaho State University (Pocatello, ID); Siena Art Institute (Siena, Italy); Queen's University (Kingston, ON); École Polytechnique (Paris, FR); Moonfruit (Amsterdam, The Netherlands); Utrecht University (the Netherlands); and Karat Artspace (Cologne, Germany). In 2012, she collaborated with Canadian artist Heather Saunders to produce the large-scale drawing performance "Opera Yoko", held at Sarah Lawrence College (NY), Yoko Ono's alma mater. In 2023, Finley collaborated with Agustín Plancarte Fexas (Universidad de Monterrey) to create a ceramic drawing project exhibited at Toronto's Gladstone House as part of an OCADU International Artist Residency. Erin also launched the "Drawing Disco" through the Gladstone and OCADU International.

Erin Finley has received project support from the Canada Council for the Arts, the Ontario Arts Council, the Toronto Arts Council, the Alberta Foundation for the Arts, Université du Québec a Montréal, and the University of Calgary, where she obtained an MFA while teaching in the University's engineering program. Finley has given talks at McGill University, University of Toronto, University of Buffalo (SUNY), University of Ottawa, Queen's University, Brock University, Ryerson University, York University, University of British Columbia, New York University, University of Western Ontario, Utrecht University, University of Melbourne, and Montreal's McCord Museum.

Finley's "Memory Drawing" project is supported by the Canada Council for the Arts. Recently, Erin spoke at Oxford University (UK) about drawing and memory activation.

Erin Finley teaches drawing in the Faculty of Art. She also teaches drawing at Far Eastern University (Manila, Philippines) through OCADU International. Previously she has taught with Admissions & Recruitment and OCADU's Centre for Learning and Teaching.