For Canada’s 150th, the Government of Canada is bringing together artists and nonprofit organizations from across the country in a true “celebration of creativity and community.” Created by Framework Foundation, the Timeraiser150 initiative allows Canadians to use earned volunteer hours to bid on original artwork. Artists apply to be selected and Timeraiser chooses and purchases artwork at fair market value, which is set by the artists themselves. The goal of the project is to make art affordable while promoting the social good by bringing meaningful volunteer opportunities to nonprofits across the country. For those looking to get in on the bidding, each of the 10 participating provinces will be hosting their own Timeraiser party with food, drink and live performances, with an online extension available as well at Online150.

A graduate from Toronto’s Ontario College of Art and Design, Cybele Young has since become an internationally renowned artist and author. Known for her exacting miniature sculptures using fine Japanese papers, her work delves into a world of whimsy, replicating real life objects and abstract shapes into a playful dialogue. In creating these diminutive worlds, Cybele strives to highlight the “small seemingly insignificant moments in our everyday lives that come together to create unexpected outcomes.”

David Burdeny’s photography has a remarkable stillness to them — so focused that you feel physically pulled into each scene. Before getting behind the camera, David studied Interior Design at the University of Manitoba, later returning for his Masters in Architecture, which has certainly encouraged his art. His ability to appreciate “the artistic potential of pure space and how it can be purposefully structured to appeal to the senses” is manifested in each shot, whether an interior or a landscape.

Similar to David Burdeny, Anna comes from an interior stylist background, as well as graphic design. Fusing sculpting and photography (a.k.a. Sculptography, as Anna’s friend deftly coined for her), she creates unique, whimsical pieces that explore her love of plants and decor, which are layered in meaning as the eye explores each image.

As a mixed media artist, Christine Flynn truly embraces her love of nature and travel in her work. Focusing on scenic rural and urban landscapes, she elevates her images using graphic elements and textures that give her photography a subtle rawness. Her methodology targets the “experiences in her images rather than scenes” to “evoke a sense of nostalgia and wanderlust.”

It was only a year ago that Elsie Ciu was working in the corporate world, but has since decided to follow her love of painting full-time. Combining “accidental undefined brush strokes” with bold colours, she creates pieces that are graphic, as well as fluid, as if her paintings come with their own heartbeat.

Located in Toronto, Ontario, Partial Gallery allows art patrons to not only purchase, but also rent original artwork by local artists. Understanding that curating your own collection can come with a hefty price tag, Partial gives its customers the opportunity to test out a piece in your home to “experiment and explore artwork that speaks to you.” The gallery offers rental periods of three, six and nine months, with the option to renew your rental. And the best part? Should you choose to buy the artwork after renting, the fees you paid up to that point will go towards the purchase price.

Toronto's Canvas Gallery has been touted as one of the best places to purchase original Canadian artwork thanks to its extensive collection. With over 120 artists featured, you can browse the variety of paintings, encaustics, mixed media, photography, printmaking, and sculptural works they offer. And if you see something you like, you can take it home “on approval” to test it out in your space before you fully commit to the piece.