Maria Rocha’s paintings are immersive and urgent. They are full of textures and information: scratches, scraps of magazines, occasional text, tissue paper, vibrant neon paint, and repeating pattern. Having just completed a Bachelor of Fine Arts at Concordia University in Montreal, QC, Rocha has chosen paintings in this exhibition to narrate the transformative experiences of the four years she spent in Montreal. During that time, painting was a form of self-care and love, and a vessel for finding her voice as a female artist. As a source of communication and self-discovery, painting also led Rocha to become a feminist – a position which deeply informs all the works in the exhibition. Rocha sees her work as a vehicle for creative expression that transcends language and gives her courage a voice to share personal stories that she would otherwise keep hidden from view.