Issha Marie is a Toronto-based visual artist. Her work deals with issues of the human condition, and often draws from her melancholic stupors and personal experiences to create pieces that are inherently dismal in spite of their mostly playful nature. Her primary influences include Dave McKean, Camille Rose Garcia, Mark Ryden, Ray Caesar, Francesca Woodman, Robert Parke-Harrison, Hideo Suzuki, and Kamil Vojnar, to name only a few.

While most of Issha Marie's work tends to delve around the photograph and the realm of digital manipulation, she is also known for her pen and ink illustrations, copper-based etchings, and paintings. The camera, however, is her instrument of choice. Having had no formal training in the field of photography, Issha has had to conquer the miniature beast using the aid of online tutorials and tonnes of on-field practice.

"I still have a lot to learn in terms of the craft, obviously; I have been dabbling with photography for only a little over two years now. I like to look through people's work for inspiration and I am known to blow my lunch money on art, media, and photography magazines like Silvershotz, Ciel Variable, Frieze, Hi-Fructose, and Juxtapoz. Simply put, I have fallen in love with the craft, and will stop at nothing to explore and understand the medium to its full potential."

As for the private nature of her digital dreamscapes, surrealist photography, and her ghoulish scribbles of figures, she states, "My art has always been personal; it is my source of therapy. I am [ albeit, only much recently ] trying to escape the enclosed spaces I have created for myself in order to reach a wider audience; but old habits die hard, and this will undoubtedly take some time."

Issha Marie is a recent graduate of the University of Toronto's Visual Studies programme, where she also studied (and majored in) English literature. She is currently freelancing for the UofT Faculty of Arts and Science graphic design department and is also available for freelance work in downtown Toronto. For band shots, graphics requests, portfolio requests, and/or price quotes for her services, please contact her at (647) 830-2416 or send her an e-mail at isshamarieonoya (at) yahoo (dot) ca.