Founder, Project coordinator

Batool “Batoolio” Yahya is a self-taught Palestinian-Canadian artist who identifies with abstract expressionist, and Art Brut movements. She is an activist who believes practicing arts as a basic human right, and necessary integration for vitality in community.

Batoolio draws inspiration from classic painters Frida Khalo, and Vincent Van Gogh, and her experience as a second-generation Arab-immigrant, drawing on landscapes and experiences of her ancestors. a multi-media, interdisciplinary artist who uses art to communicate abstract feelings that words cannot, she creates often polarizing work using artistic mediums available to her. This mixture of textures results in layered, vibrant, abstract pieces of work, often described as what dreams look like. 

2023 BIPOC Artist in Residency at Artcite INC, two-time recipient of the City of Windsor’s Arts, Cultural, and Heritage Fund grant, founder of heart from the streets, a curated gallery of works providing equal opportunity to artists. She is a current board member with artcite inc. and has hosted “Saturdays in the Studio” workshops with Art Windsor Essex in 2023, and 2024. Her work has been shown in group, and solo exhibits at Phog Lounge, and Artcite Inc. It can also be seen on Spotify as cover art for Windsor-based musicians Dagobah Green, and Dig Samples, and has worked with local designer designs by sav to produce their logo design.