Biography

“Veronica follows in the style of the Old Masters, such as Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci, producing portraits that often appear to be a step back in time.”

Lisa Queen, North York Mirror, Toronto

“She possesses a unique talent for creating life on the canvas.”

Robin Brown, CBC Radio One, Toronto

“In a sense, she's a psychologist, unveiling a person's personality through her work. She enjoys finding what makes them tick, believing she can tell a lot about a person by looking into their eyes.”

Lorianna De Giorgio, Toronto Star, Toronto

Veronica Kvassetskaia-Tsyglan is a leading figure in the contemporary revival of the classical tradition of fine-art portraiture in Canada.

As the founder and president of the Portrait Society of Canada , Veronica has dedicated many years to promoting the importance and enduring value of portraiture throughout Canada.

Born in Russia, Veronica has received numerous awards for her artistic skill and expertise, including First Place and the People’s Choice Award at the International Portrait Competition in Toronto in 2002. She is also a member of the Arts and Letters Club of Toronto.

A professional portrait artist, Veronica follows in the tradition of the Old Masters, including Albrecht Dürer, Leonardo da Vinci, and Raphael, who emphasized accurate drawing and observation as essential foundations for capturing the beauty, character, and individuality of a subject.

The vitality of the model is one of the most important qualities in Veronica’s portraits. She is dedicated to creating works of exceptional quality with archival permanence, combining traditional techniques with a contemporary understanding of the individual sitter.

From childhood, Veronica knew that she would become an artist. She studied art and art history at the Surikov Academy of Fine Arts and Moscow State University.

She further developed her artistic and technical skills in Frankfurt, Germany, where she worked in the field of art restoration and copied works by the Old Masters in European museums. Later, in Larnaca, Cyprus, she studied Greek Orthodox iconography at the Agia Mina Monastery.

Toronto has been Veronica’s home for many years. Her work has been exhibited throughout Europe and North America and is held in museums as well as prestigious private and corporate collections internationally.

Her works are included in the private collections of former Canadian Finance Minister Jim Flaherty and the Honourable David C. Onley, the 28th Lieutenant Governor of Ontario.

Veronica has painted commissioned portraits of numerous distinguished individuals, including renowned baritone Dmitri Hvorostovsky, hockey legend Vladislav Tretiak, Canadian opera and jazz singer Measha Brueggergosman, Canadian composer Laryssa Kuzmenko, arts patron Sonja Bata, the Countess von Wedel of Hanover, Canadian opera director Tom Diamond, electric violinist Dr. Draw, American writer Lee Carroll, Olympic champion Simon Whitfield, financial executive Murray Pollitt, prima ballerina Tatiana Stepanova, the founders of Steam Whistle Brewing, Talk Is Free Theatre Artistic Director Arcady Spivak, Canon Canada CEO Mak Maedi, and many others.

Her projects have included portraits of acclaimed pianist Brahm Goldhamer, internationally acclaimed soprano Galina Lukomsky, and Artistic Director of Solar Stage Theatre Tim Kachurov.

Exhibitions

Veronica’s Canadian exhibitions have included the 2012 “Art of Canadian Portraiture” at the John B. Aird Gallery, a Celebrity Art Salon solo exhibition at the Arts and Letters Club of Toronto, and exhibitions at the St. Mark’s Coptic Museum in Toronto, Imagine Art Gallery in Thornhill, Gallery 7 in Yorkville, Toronto, Bohemiarte Gallery in Montreal, Grimsby Public Art Gallery, and other venues.

Curatorial Work

As curator of Portrait Society of Canada members’ exhibitions, Veronica organized and curated a series of major portrait exhibitions, including:

2007 — “Capturing the Human Spirit”, Varley Art Gallery of Markham
2008 — “A Portrait: The Face We Present to the World”, John B. Aird Gallery
2009 — “Contemporary Canadian Portrait”, John B. Aird Gallery
2010 — “Canadian Olympic Athletes: A Dialogue in Art”, John B. Aird Gallery
2011 — “The Art of Canadian Music”, John B. Aird Gallery
2012 — “The Art of Canadian Portraiture”, John B. Aird Gallery
2013 — “The Circle of Art: Portraits of Famous Canadians”, Arta Gallery, Historic Distillery District, Toronto

Veronica is also one of the founders and a juror of the annual national portrait competition “The Miracle of the Portrait.”

Television, Radio and Media

Veronica has made numerous television and radio appearances and has been featured in newspapers and other media outlets, including Bravo!, Rogers Channel 10, CP24, Classical 96.3 FM, RTVI, NTV America, Radio Plus, and others.

In March 2013, she was interviewed by Gregory Antimony on NTV America’s Hour of Interview.

In 2005, Veronica was one of the producers of the documentary film The Miracle of the Portrait, produced by the Portrait Society of Canada.

In 2009, she was featured in the Bravo! television series Star Portraits. She was one of three artists selected to paint a portrait of Canadian soprano Measha Brueggergosman. Brueggergosman was invited to choose one of the three portraits to keep and selected Veronica Kvassetskaia-Tsyglan’s portrait.