Ningjada|Visual Artist
Welcome to my portfolio. I create oil paintings and pastel works shaped by lived experience, cultural memory, and the quiet moments that ask us to pause and reflect. My practice is grounded in emotional truth, Ilokano and Tagalog heritage, and the subtle narratives found in everyday life
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My name is Cheryl "Ningjada" Quejada Canning
My name is Cheryl “Ningjada” Quejada Canning, a Sydney‑based visual artist working primarily in figurative, conceptual oil painting. My work explores memory, identity, and the emotional terrains we carry — the stories that live beneath the surface of ordinary life. Rooted in my Ilokano and Tagalog upbringing, my practice is a way of seeing: a way of honouring lived experience, cultural inheritance, and the quiet resilience that shapes who we become.
About Ningjada
Artistic
Journey
My journey as an artist began with oil painting and later expanded into soft pastels. Over time, I developed a practice shaped by memory, emotion, and lived experience, deeply connected to my Ilocano and Tagalog heritage. Working through chronic sensory challenges, art became a grounding space — a way to practice self‑compassion, find clarity, and share quiet moments of reflection with others.
Artistic
Approach
Building on this journey, my artistic approach is grounded in observation, emotion, and the subtle narratives that emerge from everyday life. I work primarily in oil and soft pastels, with additional pieces in ink, acrylic, and watercolour. I paint on both traditional surfaces and repurposed materials such as cardboard and paper bags, allowing each support to contribute its own voice. My process is slow and intentional, building layers of colour, light, and atmosphere to explore stillness, memory, and the intimate moments that shape lived experience.
Daily Approach
My practice is supported by a disciplined daily rhythm. Each morning, I create a small abstract work — a meditative exercise in colour, gesture, and presence. When I begin a 12×12 inch piece, I commit to completing it within the same day, allowing the work to hold the coherence of a single moment. I adapt to the space I have and use the materials available, creating without waiting for ideal conditions. This steady, intentional rhythm keeps my practice grounded and clear.
Sustainable Practice
I work with both traditional and humble materials — linen, cotton canvas, fine art papers, cardboard, paper bags, and found packaging. Natural tools such as twigs and organic objects often shape the marks in my work. Sustainability, for me, is both practical and philosophical: I honour what already exists, minimise waste, and allow each material to carry its own quiet history into the piece. Every surface has a story; I simply continue it.
My Portfolio
My portfolio spans oil painting, soft pastel, ink, acrylic, and watercolour, but the heart of my practice remains constant: I explore the inner landscapes shaped by memory, emotion, and lived experience. Every work — regardless of medium — begins from the same place of reflection, unfolding through colour, gesture, and the quiet truths that rise from within. Grounded in my Ilokano and Tagalog heritage, my art turns toward what is often unseen: the emotional terrains we carry, the histories we inherit, and the subtle shifts that shape who we become.
The mediums may change, but the message does not. Each series is simply a different doorway into the same world — a coherent practice guided by cultural memory, emotional honesty, and the discipline of paying attention. My work continues to evolve from a life rebuilt, shaped by resilience, heritage, and the quiet act of looking inward with intention.
Get in Touch
For inquiries or collaborations, I’d love to hear from you.