Meet The Artist Who Gives A New Meaning To The Phrase “Life Imitates Art”

Noah Ocran-Caesar is a Toronto-based artist whose creations are just as compelling as he is. Whether it’s a lamp made to resemble the Fibonacci Hand or a clock crafted from a reclaimed shipping container door, each unique piece is sure to spark up a conversation. “I try to create art for living” said Noah when asked about his process.

“My focus is sculpture and design work such as lamps or other household items. However, I like to explore creativity in many forms whether it be interactive installation or photography, music etc.”

Noah’s opinions on diversity, inclusion, and community are beliefs he tries to reflect in his work whenever possible. For example, his human hamster wheel creation designed to explore how bias is a part of our physical reality, captures these thoughts quite well. In terms of his creative story, he encapsulates it in one sentence: “struggle, expression, politics, success, fear, failure, and of course, dreams.” 

As Noah sees it, being an artist is a privilege at the end of the day; Art should be taken seriously, used to challenge people in practice and thought, without prompting artists to take themselves too seriously in the process.  “I think art should compel, instigate and sometimes just be enjoyed for its mundane appeal” he says.    

As a creator, Noah knew that putting his ideas into practice would take a strong infrastructure, and so his exercises in art evolved to become a business. For artists, business registration can help to offset the cost of materials and experimentation, even if art for art's sake was Noah’s primary goal. He found the ShopHERE Powered By Google Program through a fellow artist and friend who recommended the initiative to help him expand his client base. Selling to clients he may not have had otherwise was one opportunity he considered to be of utmost importance, and found that Shopify’s simple and easy to navigate design improved ease online for him as well. Not only does his new website give him the opportunity to tell the stories associated with each of his ten featured pieces, he can now do it with ease. 

Noah’s feedback was frequently directed at the connections he made during the process, mentioning that his ShopHERE helper was professional, personable, and knowledgeable, and that “it felt like he was talking to a person, not just the employee of a company”

Now that Noah’s art and stories are showcased online, he can continue to connect with fellow art enthusiasts. It’s important now more than ever to support small and local businesses, so if you or someone you know is interested in getting started, check out the ShopHERE program for more information. Also, be sure to check out Noah’s store here, and share in his passion and craft.