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Six weeks ago, 20 advertising and marketing leaders were asked to pick up a paintbrush, camera or whatever medium they choose and create an original work of art. And on April 16, all 20 pieces were auctioned off at Toronto’s Steam Whistle Brewery at Ad Lounge’s Art From the Unexpected event.

From a painting that couples Albert Einstein and Marilyn Monroe to a collage of genuine (unchecked) lottery tickets, the pieces showed an inspiring side of industry leaders that don’t typically get to be creative in their day-to-day.

The 20 artists include:

– Melody Adhami, president and COO, Plastic Mobile

– Viki Alincy, chief client officer, Mediacom

– Caroline Andrews, VP & group publisher, Consumer Solutions, Toronto and Vancouver, TC Media

– Stephen Brown, president, FUSE Marketing Group

– John Clinton, CEO, Edelman

– Aldo Cundari, CEO, Cundari

– Mike Da Ponte, president, BIMM Direct & Digital

– Karl Flanders, VP, media director, Saatchi & Saatchi Advertising

– Cam Heaps, co-founder, Steam Whistle Brewing

– Veronica Holmes, president digital, ZenithOptimedia

– Stephanie Nerlich, president & CEO Grey Canada

– Bruce Neve, CEO, Starcom MediaVest Canada

– Jill Nykoliation, president, Juniper Park

– Erin O’Keefe, head of global brand management, KPMG International

– Joseph Peters, VP, national deputy practice lead, social media and digital communications, Hill + Knowlton Strategies

– Paul Regan, director, media innovation & strategy, Scotiabank

– Franke Rodriguez, president, Anomaly Canada

– Rebecca Shropshire, VP, director of digital communications, UM Canada

– Hunter Tura, president & CEO, Bruce Mau Design

– Trish Wheaton, global CMO, Wunderman, managing partner, global new business, Y&R Advertising