Toronto family showcases five-year-old daughter's artwork on World Down Syndrome Day
A dozen hand-drawn, and sometimes abstract, pieces of art are on display in west-end Toronto. The gallery debut is a major upgrade for the artist -- whose usual canvases include her parent’s hallways and refrigerator.
Five-year-old Olly Sardelic, who was born with Down Syndrome, picked up the craft during the COVID-19 pandemic and, as her father explains it, she quickly produced a number of works.
- Download our app to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates right to your inbox
“We were indoors so much and as an activity we took on drawing as sort of a daily routine and she really took to it,” Tom Sardelic told CTV News Toronto.
Her creations, some of which are bursting with colour and others strictly monochromatic, feature images of flowers, family, birds, and ice cream in an almost neo-expressionist style.
On Tuesday, Sardelic’s parents unveiled a dozen of those pieces at a small studio in the city’s Queen West neighbourhood to mark World Down Syndrome Day.
“We just want her to sort of experience it without it being tainted by the parents,” Tom said. “We thought, this is perfect, we could exhibit her work. We’ve been stockpiling it for so many years now.”
Five-year-old Olly Sardelic is seen amongst her drawings in Toronto on March 21, 2023.
Sardelic’s grandfather, a creative in his own right as an acclaimed sculptor and painter, was there for Tuesday’s show and celebrated his granddaughter’s talents.
“She’s discovering her ability. To us, she’s incredible,” Ante Sardelic said.
The solo exhibition is on now until April 1.
With files from CTV News Toronto's Scott Lightfoot
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Trudeau acknowledges charges in Nijjar killing, calls for commitment to democracy
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has acknowledged the charges laid Friday in relation to the murder of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
No proof man lied to brother about number of kittens born in litter, B.C. tribunal rules
A man was denied a $5,000 payout from his brother after a B.C. tribunal dismissed his claim disputing how many kittens were born in a litter.
Bodies recovered in Mexico likely 2 Australians, 1 American who went missing: officials
Three bodies recovered in an area of Baja California are likely to be those of the two Australians and an American who went missing last weekend during a camping and surfing trip, the state prosecutor’s office said Saturday.
Princess Anne lays wreath at B.C. veteran's cemetery; receives 21-gun salute
Princess Anne paid tribute to veterans buried at a cemetery in British Columbia today, laying a wreath to honour the more than 2,500 military personnel and family members buried there.
Mystik Dan wins the 150th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in a three-horse photo finish
Mystik Dan won the 150th Kentucky Derby in a photo finish, edging out Forever Young and Sierra Leone for the upset victory.
'I just can't believe that it took so long': Body found in wreckage 3 months after deadly fire
A man accused of arson in a January Old Strathcona apartment fire is expected to be charged with manslaughter after a body was discovered in the burned building late last month.
Quebec police hand out hundreds of tickets to Hells Angels and other bikers before 'first run' meeting
Quebec provincial police handed out hundreds of fines to Hells Angels members and other supporting motorcycle clubs who met for their 'first run' in a small town near Sherbrooke, Que.
Work stoppage possible as WestJet issues lockout notice to maintenance engineers' union
A lockout notice issued by WestJet to a union representing aircraft maintenance engineers could result in a work stoppage next week.
London Drugs begins 'gradual reopening' on 7th day after cyberattack
Almost a week after all London Drugs stores across Western Canada abruptly closed amid a cyberattack, they began a "gradual reopening" on Saturday.