About the artist
Sasha JIMENEZ French
Sasha Jimenez French is a multidisciplinary Cuban American artist whose work bridges the realms of visual art, dance, and community building. Based in Ottawa and Kingston, Sasha’s practice is deeply rooted in collaboration, accessibility, and the celebration of human connection. Her Stittsville Main Street studio serves as both a creative sanctuary and a hub for fostering artistic opportunities, where she inspires others to engage with the arts meaningfully.
Sasha’s art explores the interplay of movement, nature, and form, reflecting her dual passions for dance and visual storytelling. Working on an ambitious scale, Sasha challenges conventional boundaries of studio art, merging exploration and public access to her creation process.
As a City of Kingston Mayor’s Art Award recipient and multidisciplinary arts educator in Ottawa, Sasha uses her platform to empower others, particularly underserved communities, by making art accessible and fostering a sense of collective creativity.
Sasha’s Caribbean heritage and bicultural experiences further enrich her practice, infusing her art with themes of resilience, growth, and cultural fluidity. Her work is a testament to the power of art as a tool for connection, storytelling, and transformation, and her commitment to cultivating inclusive creative spaces has made her a vital force in the Canadian arts community.
Since moving to Ontario in 2014, Sasha’s dedication to the arts has extended beyond her own practice to include a broad range of collaborators and participants. She has worked as a teaching artist and dance therapy facilitator for long-term care communities, fueling her drive to make the arts accessible to a diverse range of individuals. Sasha has also shared her knowledge and skills in both visual art and dance through a variety of local organizations including the Tett Centre and Skeleton Park Arts Festival. As a principal member of the professional dance company, Movement Market Collective, Sasha has played an integral role in shaping the Ground UP Dance Festival during its formative years. Sasha’s artistic vision also extends to the world of murals, where her talents as a painter find new life in both commercial and residential spaces.
Sasha's artistic journey has been marked by a diverse career, including touring with the Moving Current Dance Collective, performing with renowned theater companies, and sharing her expertise as faculty in local colleges and as a guest artist in museums and schools. Her experiences extend to her work with the American Dance Festival at Duke University, as well as an Artist-in-Residence at the University of Florida. Over the last two decades, she has crafted physically demanding works interwoven with cultural, historical, and personal narratives, captivating audiences across Canada and the U.S.
Sasha embodies the spirit of community and inclusivity in the arts. Her artistic vision and drive to collaborate, share knowledge, and uplift others enhances the cultural tapestry of Kingston and serves as an inspiring and unifying force, forging connections across communities.
Awards & publications
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2023, City of Kingston Residency with Movement Market Collective, Grand Theatre, Kingston, ON
2021-2023 Resident Artist, Tett Centre for Creativity and Learning, Kingston, ON
2021, City of Kingston Residency with Kay Kenney, Grand Theatre, Kingston, ON
2021, City of Kingston Residency with Camille Spencer, Grand Theatre, Kingston, ON
2021, City of Kingston Residency with Francisco Corbett, Grand Theatre, Kingston, ON
2020, City of Fredericton Summer Residency at Odell Park, Fredericton, NB
2020-2021, International Artist Residency in Motherhood, Fredericton, NB
2019, 2020, 2021, New Music New Dance Residency with Connections Dance Works, Fredericton, NB
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2023, Cezanne’s Closet at Union Gallery, Kingston, ON
2022, REMEMBER, Modern Fuel Gallery, Kingston, ON
2022, The Show of Smals, Artnoise Gallery, Kingston, ON
2022, Chromascope, Parrott Gallery, Belleville, ON
2022, The Square Foot Show, Kingston, ON
2022, AGH Festival, The Art Gallery of Hamilton, Hamilton, ON
2022, Creating Communities Through Art, Mitacs Project, Union Gallery, Kingston, ON
2022, Plein Air Festival, SF Heritage House, Smiths Falls, ON
2022, The New Arts Festival, Ottawa, ON
2022, Artfest, Kingston, ON
2022, Tett Tuesday: A community offering, co- curator, Kingston, ON
2022, Humana Obscura, Literary Magazine, California
2022, PRESHRUNK at Argyle Fine Art, Halifax, NS
2022 Cezanne’s Closet at Union Gallery, Kingston, ON
2021, Resident Artist Exhibition at Tett Centre for Creativity and Learning, Kingston, ON
2021, PRESHRUNK at Argyle Fine Art, Halifax, NS
2021, Out of the Blue at Grassroots Gallery, Fredericton, NB
2020, City of Fredericton Residencies exhibition at Gallery 78, Fredericton, NB
2020, Saint John Film Festival at BMO Theatre, Saint John, NB
2020, Solo portraiture show, Faces of Fredericton at Downtown Public Library, Fredericton, NB
2020, Art Social Fundraiser at Created Here Gallery, Fredericton, NB
2019, 2020,2021 Group show at Capital Arts, Fredericton, NB
