Andrew Osta

honors from the University of Toronto in 2004, with degrees in Computer Science and Philosophy. At this time, he faced an existential crisis. He felt sure that his future was neither with computer engineering nor with medicine. For six months, he could not sleep, because the question of his future remained unresolved. In 2004, during this period of crisis, Andrew began making drawings and later paintings. The act of drawing relieved his stress and made him feel happy. Quickly, art-making became an activity that took many hours of each day. His parents did not approve, because Andrew did not have even the most basic artistic training, but local galleries took interest in the work immediately. Already in 2005, paintings and drawings were being exhibited in Toronto, Canada. Soon after, Andrew visited New York, where he was commissioned to create two large paintings. This convinced Andrew of his future as an artist, and he decided to dedicate his life to painting. In 2007, Andrew lived, worked, and exhibited in South Korea. In 2008, he helped found Canada’s first “Healing and Counseling Through Art” program in Hamilton, Ontario. This program focused on helping refugees overcome trauma through making art. In 2009, Andrew was invited to speak and exhibit at the 5th International Amazonian Shamanism Conference in Iquitos, Peru. He stayed in Iquitos for 8 months, studying shamanism and exploring the healing potential of creative expression. This exploration lead to the publication of three autobiographical books. In 2011, Andrew moved to San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, where he painted prolifically and extensively exhibited.