Erik Nieminen is Finnish-Canadian artist born in 1985. He holds a BFA from the University of Ottawa and an MFA from Concordia University in Montreal. He has exhibited in Europe and North America, including recent solo shows in London (Albemarle Gallery), Montreal (McClure Gallery), Berlin (Galerie Kremers), and New York City (PLATO). Present in private and corporate collections, he is the recipient of numerous awards, including three Elizabeth Greenshields Grants, the Canada Council for the Arts, The Ontario Council for the Arts, The Quebec Council for the Arts, and was the Grand Prize Winner for the final edition of the Bombay Sapphire Artisan Series. He lives and works in Montreal Quebec.

His works are 'real' and 'hyper real' which are not about "looking for the exotics" but rather tapping into the "endless narratives and ironies" that happen all the time.

Erik describes his works as presenting ‘an independent reality, liminal, unreal world dependent on our world yet separate from it’. He seeks ‘to dismantle the reality we inhabit in order to remake it according to the logic inherent in the painting process.’

He’s been on the show before in an earlier season which you can find on your website HYPE-a.com or Spotify, Amazon, iHeart Radio, Apple Music and more.

www.eriknieminen.com

Erik Nieminen is Finnish-Canadian artist born in 1985. He holds a BFA from the University of Ottawa and an MFA from Concordia University in Montreal. He has exhibited in Europe and North America, including recent solo shows in London (Albemarle Gallery), Montreal (McClure Gallery), Berlin (Galerie Kremers), and New York City (PLATO). Present in private and corporate collections, he is the recipient of numerous awards, including three Elizabeth Greenshields Grants, the Canada Council for the Arts, The Ontario Council for the Arts, The Quebec Council for the Arts, and was the Grand Prize Winner for the final edition of the Bombay Sapphire Artisan Series. He lives and works in Montreal Quebec.

Tony Swaby challenges the idea of dystopia and utopia, revealing how they are both tools of control, he shares his life changing experience, The Joy Principle and more in episode 10. Not to be missed. Turn on, tune in.

He is is a portrait artist whose work is rooted in a simple but powerful belief: drawing should be a source of joy. For Tony, portraiture is an act of connection — a way to witness the small, human truths that appear in a glance, a gesture, or a fleeting expression. His approach blends emotional sensitivity with simplified observation, allowing him to create portraits that feel alive while keeping the process playful, accessible, and deeply rewarding.

Over a five-year period, Tony created nearly 4,000 portraits, a remarkable achievement that reflects not speed for its own sake, but the pure enjoyment he finds in drawing every single day. This body of work stands as a testament to the power of consistent practice when it is guided by genuine enthusiasm and curiosity.

https://thejoyprinciple.net/

@thejoyofportraiture

@hypeavoices

@cristallina_fischetti