Mehtap Mertdogan studied Mathematics at Middle East Technical University in Ankara, Turkey, and has worked in the finance sector for almost 30 years. But, when she started playing with mosaics 15 years ago as a hobby, she knew that she had found her true calling. Ms Mertdogan hasn’t looked back since. In 2019, she graduated from fine arts in Centennial College with the Dean’s Award in Entrepreneurship and Innovation.
In addition to developing her own professional creative practice, Mehtap is also committed to giving back to the community. In Turkey, she was responsible for establishing mosaic workshops for children with their parents. Now in Canada, she continues to enjoy working and helping children understand texture, shapes and colors and develop their artistic skills by mosaic. To this end, Ms Mertdogan freelances as mosaic instructor and volunteers extensively with various community projects in Toronto. She splits her time between creating new mosaic pieces and teaching mosaic in her studio which is together with a speciality coffee house; At Origin Toronto. Recently, her mosaic “Somewhere Under the Birch Tree” has been selected in mixed media category for 2019 Art Showcase competition of Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan). It is exhibited in Château Laurier, Ottawa in the public collection.
Exhibitions
2022 Putting The Pieces Back Together, Ontario Mosaic Artists Group Show, Leslie Grow Gallery, Toronto
2021 Andemanto, Ontario Mosaic Artists Group Show, Leslie Grove Gallery, Toronto
2020 Love From a Distance window installation, At Origin Coffee, Toronto
2020 Stay on the Line, Four Point Artists Group Show, At Origin Coffee, Toronto
2019 Nar Turkish Rendezvous, George Brown College, Toronto
2019 Reverie, Group show at ARTIST NETWORK GALLERY Toronto
2019 A Vibrant Richmond Hill, Richmond Hill Cultural Summit, Toronto
2018 Wait, What?, Group show at URBAN GALLERY, Toronto
2004 Mosaics, Group show at VENI VIDI GALLERY, Istanbul
Community Projects
2022, Step Public Art and Oakwood Village BIA, 2 Mosaic Table, designed and created 2 tabletop mosaic art work.
2020, Collebrative installation with painter Natalie Plociennik, focusing on how COVID has made us recognize what is truly important in our lives.
2019, Lakeside Long Term Care Centre, leading team for designing and managing a mural project in the center. The mural had been produced with residents, families and staff of the Lakeside Long Term Care Centre and students from Centennial College, Toronto
2018, CASSA (Council of Agencies Serving South Asians), designing and managing a community mosaic project that challenged racism and discrimination through art, Toronto
Awards
2022, Community Engagement Artist Award Fall/Winter 2021/2022, Steps Public Art, Toronto
2019, Dean’s Award for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Toronto
2019, Mixed Media Category, Art Showcase competition of Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan), Canada
Public Collections
Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan), Château Laurier, Ottawa
