Biography
Connor Garito is a multidisciplinary artist born in Mississauga, Canada, currently a third-year student at OCAD University in Toronto. He engages with body language and the figure through the use of a rendered-down photo-based impressionist painting style. Utilizing advanced digital editing software to modify and assemble collages of reference photos for his final projects, Connor crafts distinctive compositions that reflect his artistic vision. Participating in “Lines of Inquiry: Expanding the Boundaries of Drawing” (2025), OCAD University, and “Why Do You Create” (2025) at Visual Arts Mississauga over the course of his studies, he is motivated to continue his exploration of the figure with other artists, galleries, public art spaces, and to collaborate with emerging artists in his practice.
To see Connor's CV, click here
Artist Statement
My work revolves around the intricate language of the human body. Through painting, I explore the figure as more than just a visual subject—it becomes a medium through which untold narratives and emotions unfold. Each decision I make towards the gesture, shadow, or expression of the figure initiates questions: In what way can the body influence our understanding of what is in front of us? What can the body tell us that words cannot?
This unspoken dialogue between presence of the body and perception of its viewer is central to my practice. To me the body holds an ability to communicate beyond language. It challenges the viewer to look deeper, not just at the figure, but at the space it occupies, the emotions it elicits, and the parts missing from it.
Painting Process
Trained and taking an emphasis on traditional figurative observational style, I combine it with a wide colour palette.
Working in a three-stage process; starting by gathering and documenting reference photos from inspirational areas and sites found across my daily travels. Then transferring them into a digital editing software called Krita to collage them together. Once satisfied with the general placement and composition of the image, I color correct and alter the image by drawing overtop the study. Then I translate the image onto canvas using Gamblin oil paints, and finish up or readjust any spots which I feel need improvement.