Jody Peters
Jody Peters is a Toronto-based artist whose practice blends painting, drawing, and glass etching to create works that blur the boundaries between reality and the surreal. From an early age, Peters was immersed in art—her parents noticed her natural ability to draw as soon as she could hold a pencil and encouraged her passion with art history books. That early spark led to a lifelong devotion to creativity and eventually to her Honours Bachelor of Arts in Fine Art Studio from the University of Toronto.
Influenced by Surrealist masters such as René Magritte, Salvador Dalí, and Giorgio de Chirico, Peters explores the fantastical and absurd through imagery that fuses the ordinary with the dreamlike. Her work often begins in her “Idea Book,” a sketchbook where concepts evolve from quick notations into more detailed drawings before being translated into final pieces. Inspiration often comes from her surroundings—whether a walk by the creek or a visit to the Royal Ontario Museum. A recent drawing, And Then a Winged Leopard Appeared, grew out of a chance photograph in which the wings of a bird appeared to emerge from a leopard’s back.
Peters frequently challenges herself by incorporating glass etching directly into her paintings, transforming a protective surface into an integral part of the artwork. These pieces require precision and technical skill, but the result is a layered, immersive experience for the viewer. Her upcoming work, Inner Peace, combines acrylic painting with etched glass birds emerging from a woman’s hands, embodying both technical complexity and symbolic depth.
For Peters, art is an escape from reality—an invitation to imagination. She hopes her work inspires viewers to look beyond the surface and create their own stories through what they see. Looking ahead, she aspires to expand her practice with larger collaborative exhibitions and illustrated projects with writers.
Her advice to emerging artists is simple: always create. Whether sketching or working on a finished piece, consistent practice fuels growth. “Don’t take a painting at face value,” she says. “Look deeper—art becomes most powerful when it resonates with your own imagination.”
