Futuristic Surrealism Artist

Futuristic Surrealism™ is a proprietary creative methodology and trademark of the Margueritte Tonbazian Art Lab

(CIPO App. No. 2,471,293)

Creative Journey

The Evolution of an Artist: A Journey Across Borders

My artistic inquiry began early, painting on specialty glass in Beirut—a period defined by playfulness, vibrant color, and a fascination with detail. While my natural aptitude for trigonometry initially pointed me toward the architectural department at the American University of Beirut (AUB), life revealed a different trajectory. That analytical foundation, however, remained, becoming the invisible skeleton upon which my future work would be built.

Following my move to the United States and eventually settling in Toronto in 1990, my practice underwent a profound metamorphosis. Constant travel and the rhythmic transition between landscapes became the new "architecture" of my work. No longer content with representation, I began to investigate how the speed of life—the blur of a highway, the shifting chemistry of the seasons—could be translated into abstract realism.

Over the decades, my commitment to the craft has been relentless. Through international gallery representation, rigorous evening studies, and the meticulous construction of a global reference library, I have evolved my technique into a practice of elemental mastery. I have moved from surface-level decoration to a deep, material-focused exploration of pigments, cold wax, and marble dust.

Today, my work is a culmination of those layers: the technical precision of my architectural interest, the cultural richness of my international upbringing, and the "in-motion" curiosity of a lifelong observer. I don't just paint what I see; I interpret the physics of the moment, creating textured, original works that serve as enduring assets for the discerning collector.

L'évolution d’un artiste : Un voyage par-delà les frontières

Ma démarche artistique a débuté précocement par la peinture sur verre spécialisé à Beyrouth — une période définie par le jeu, l'éclat des couleurs et une fascination pour le détail. Bien que mes aptitudes naturelles pour la trigonométrie m'aient initialement orienté vers le département d'architecture de l'Université américaine de Beyrouth (AUB), la vie en a décidé autrement. Ce socle analytique est toutefois demeuré, devenant le squelette invisible sur lequel mon œuvre future allait se construire.

À la suite de mon installation aux États-Unis, puis de mon arrivée définitive à Toronto en 1990, ma pratique a connu une profonde métamorphose. Les voyages incessants et la transition rythmique entre les paysages sont devenus la nouvelle "architecture" de mon travail. Ne me satisfaisant plus de la simple représentation, j'ai commencé à explorer comment la vitesse de la vie — le flou d'une autoroute, la chimie changeante des saisons — pouvait se traduire en un réalisme abstrait.

Au fil des décennies, mon engagement envers mon métier a été sans relâche. Grâce à une représentation en galerie à l'échelle internationale, des études nocturnes rigoureuses et la constitution méticuleuse d'une bibliothèque de références mondiale, j'ai fait évoluer ma technique vers une pratique de maîtrise élémentaire. Je suis passé d'une décoration de surface à une exploration profonde et matérielle des pigments, de la cire froide et de la poudre de marbre.

Aujourd'hui, mon travail est l'aboutissement de ces strates : la précision technique de mon intérêt pour l'architecture, la richesse culturelle de mon éducation internationale et la curiosité "en mouvement" d'un observateur de toujours. Je ne peins pas seulement ce que je vois ; j'interprète la physique de l'instant, créant des œuvres originales et texturées qui constituent des actifs durables pour le collectionneur averti.

"Tonbazian’s work positions itself as a singular and highly specialized niche, developed through an intersection of physics, trigonometry, and material research." — Read the Full Curatorial Review at https://margueritteart.com/curatorial-context

Professional Context

While I maintain my registration with the Real Estate Council of Ontario, my primary practice is now the studio. The analytical discipline of two decades in structured markets, reading cycles, assessing value, navigating risk, has become the invisible architecture of my work. I apply that same rigour to material research, conceptual development, and the long-term positioning of a body of work designed to endure.

Selected Exhibitions & Catalogue Placements

Year 2026

Artexpo New York Exhibition

Catalogue Placement

Year 2026

Milan Artboxy

Digital Exhibition

Year 2025

Red Dot Miami Exhibition

Catalogue Format

2025–26

The Observer and the Cosmos, Studio Series

Active Body of Work

Curatorial Recognition

Reviewer Despina Tunberg, Founder, World Wide Art Books; Lead Curator, Artavita

Publication context

International Contemporary Masters / Important World Artists series

Review focus

Futuristic Surrealism: Shared Cognition and the Artemis Era

Research & Field Studies

Year 2025–26 Activity

Field research, Kennedy Space Center, Florida

Ongoing

Studio investigation: Artemis II mission · Canadian Space Agency collaboration themes

Ongoing

Material research: mineral-based substrates, cold wax, iridescent oxide layering

Education & Professional Formation

Foundation

Trigonometry & architectural studies, American University of Beirut (AUB)

Studio development

Rigorous evening studies; international gallery representation

Professional discipline

25 years: banking and real estate (analytical methodology applied to studio practice)

Memberships & Affiliations

• Registered Member, Real Estate Council of Ontario (RECO)

• Active studio practice, Toronto, Canada · Est. 1990

Residency Interests

Actively seeking research-driven residencies with interdisciplinary focus, particularly institutions where art, science, and philosophy intersect:
Banff Centre for Arts & Creativity · ArtSci Salon, University of Toronto · Kluane International Artist in Residence (KIAC)