Leah Flanagan

Breanna Shanahan (she/her/they) is a recent resident of the traditional territories of the Erie, Neutral, Huron-Wendat, Haudenosaunee and Mississaugas (Hamilton) Shanahan is an artist, researcher and educator whose sculpture and drawing practice focuses on a community engaging process of collective creation which she calls Daily Art Practice. Shanahan received her MFA at Concordia University in 2019 and was a SSHRC recipient in 2017.  

Flanzella, the artistic pseudonym of Leah, is a traditional surreal collage artist whose work intricately combines the whimsical and feminist lens. Leah's artistic journey began at McMaster University, where she studied Multimedia & Communications with an honorary minor in Studio Arts. During her time there, she explored the digital realm of video art and installation, but her heart continually led her back to the hands-on challenge of collage, where imagination has no 'CTL + Z' functionality.

Flanzella's work has captivated audiences both locally and internationally. She has exhibited at prestigious events such as The Artist Project, the Toronto Outdoor Art Fair, and the Clio Art Fair, earning recognition and acclaim for her distinctive style and artistic vision. Each of her pieces is a reflection of her journey, merging her digital experiences with her passion for hands-on creation.

Leah continues to evolve as Flanzella, constantly seeking new ways to innovate within her practice while staying true to the essence of traditional collage. Her work is a celebration of the art of making, inviting viewers to experience the depth and richness of her meticulously crafted compositions. is a director at the Hamilton Artist Inc. and one of the newest members of the Assembly Gallery artist collective. Shanahan is a member of QO (Quite Ourselves) artist collective and her works have been exhibited in Italy, China, Austria, the United States of America and in Canada. Shanahan has taught Sculpture and Drawing courses across Canada at multiple post-secondary institutions. 

Flanzella is an artist known for her vintage-inspired handmade collages cut from magazines dating from the 1920's to 1990's. 

With the help of her cutting tools, vintage magazines, and adhesive, she creates visually captivating works that critique social norms and/or the status quo. Flanzella enjoys including humour in her artwork and loves to get people talking! 

She describes her artistic process as “organized chaos”. Using intuition and analysis, "piles of potential" start to form on the desk. These piles have complimenting colours that juxtapose the original meaning. Carefully the pieces are cut out, arranged, and glued together.

Magazines in this era are chocked full of misogynistic, unrealistic, expectations making them perfect for humour and criticism. 

By bringing history to modern art, the conversation of equality can continue to be discussed. Yes, we've come a long way as a society, but there is so much left to be done.  

Flanzella has always adored reading magazines. Her passion for publishing and advertising became her main source of inspiration. After graduating a multimedia program, she acquired a large sum of vintage magazines that elevated her practice into what it is today.  Flanzella continues to create works in her studio and set ambitious goals for the future.