Meet a 2021/2022 Student Group Leader:

“My name is Touheed Kashif Niazi (she/her), and I’m a second-year Material Art & Design student. My work leans more towards crafting and creating, rather than designing, and I’ve been doing so ever since I was 12 years old! I joined OCAD U to formally hone these skills and use them to do what I enjoy.

I’m also the president of The South Asian Society (TSAS). For those intrigued, TSAS is a student-ran group whose purpose is to commemorate and honour South Asian heritage whilst also providing a sense of community, to the diaspora!

I was 13 years old when I made this black satchel bag (hence its worn-down, shabby look)! With loads of help from my mother, I beadwork-ed a keychain mirror charm, and used bright yellow and green wools to make DIY mini pom-poms. The bag-strap was made by gluing two cotton ropes together, and wrapping it in black cloth, before adding minor adornments like pink, green, and purple wools, and an orange/rust, dual-toned lace. I then stitched a colourfully expansive patch onto the black material.

This turmeric-dyed 6×6 inches cotton sample is what I made for my final textile project. Its borders are two interlocking rows of triangles, in the colours dark green and sea blue, and two stripes in black and rose. I used white acrylic-gouache, a stencil, and a sponge to paint on an abstract design, inspired by the ‘Textile Museum of Canada’s Pakistani/South Asian online catalogue. This design is spread across two columns, that is divided by a vertical line in ultramarine.

Studying during COVID-19 has proven to be especially demanding when your entire program is studio-based. In fact, suggesting that COVID-19 essentially restricted my academic journey before it even started, wouldn’t be too far-fetched! In this post-pandemic world, I’ve noticed my increased reliance on digital/online venues; I’m more comfortable using resources that were previously unconventional by my standards. Still, I look forward to widening my expertise furthermore and exiting my comfort zone more frequently!”

Instagram: @touheedkn