Artist Bio

Harman (Harmanilla) Grewal is an illustrator, painter and tattoo artist based out of Brampton, ON, Canada. After having spent 7+ years working in the tech sector Harman saw an opportunity during the beginning of the pandemic to pursue art full-time.

Culture and Identity is a prevalent subject throughout his work; figures adorned with the sikh dastar (turban) and the kara (steel bangle) around the wrists, arms covered with warrior-like bandages, combined with a general sense of playfulness in the apparel. Grewal is pushing the boundaries of what he can do with his work by incorporating his interests in hip-hop and anime with his ancestry. As a south-asian second generation immigrant raised in Canada he attempts to make sense of his roots with his lived experiences.

Harman received his specialization in visual arts and major in psychology at Western University in 2013, studied at the Academy of Realist Art Toronto in 2019 and has taken sessional courses at Emily Carr University of Art and Design in 2021. Harman currently tattoos at the award-winning 905ink and also volunteers his time sitting on the board of SOCH Mental Health and the Brampton Arts Organization.

Some notable milestones include:

• Collaborating with IKKY and Revive Films to create a portrait of Soni Pabla that has garnered over 5M views on youtube.

• Landing a licensing contract with Homesense and Winners to sell Harman’s art in stores across Canada.

• Being selected for the Untapped Emerging Artists showcase in 2022 for The Artist Project in Toronto and being invited back for 2023 and 2024.