Ailleen Pou has been practicing Chinese art since she was 10 years old. She developed a strong foundation in art techniques, and has become very adept at using art to express her ideas. She minored in Fine Arts at the Chinese University of Hong Kong in order to improve her technical and theoretical understanding of the visual arts and, most importantly, to find more inspiration for her own work. After all those years, she discovered that the fundamental idea behind most of her art is the beauty found in nature. Ailleen has been earning painting awards since she was 14 years old. These include: The New Talent prize for the 20th Collective Exhibition of Macao Artists, an honorary award in the Macao Science Center Logo Design Competition and the Macao Annual Art Exhibition in 2008 and 2009. She has also been exhibiting her work since she was 14. Select exhibitions include, Photography Exhibitions in Hong Kong and Macau and current work exhibitions at Uptown Waterloo Gallery. She has taught adults and children Chinese painting at the Uptown Waterloo Gallery, Grand River Chinese School and Gradation Canadian Club. Explore more at aileenpou.com.

Andrew Judd is a professional illustrator and art director. An award winning graduate from the Ontario College of Art, he has exhibited in Vienna, Prague, London, Santa Fe, Montreal and Toronto. Andrew had a unique opportunity to learn the traditions of the Art Students League of New York while working for his first employer, William Biddle. Sharing this information with others in private, classroom, and workshop settings has been an important component of his own personal growth as an artist and teacher. Years of working in the business have taught him how critical the fundamentals of good drawing, value relationships and color are to the success of an image. Painting outdoors, in cafes, or working in the comfort of a studio, Andrew believes a simple, orderly, and knowledgeable working process contribute to the success of good art. Andrew’s illustrations are represented by Masterfile, and his original paintings and drawings are available through Westmount Gallery in Toronto. You can see his work at www.andrewjudd.com

Barbara Lilker graduated from the Faculty of Architecture at the University of Toronto in 1996. She is founding partner of the multidisciplinary design firm Lilker Hecht Design Studio, which concentrates on small-scale residential and commercial architecture. Since 2001 Barbara has developed and taught architecture programs to children of all ages as a faculty member of the Avenue Road Arts School, an outreach instructor for Vibe Arts and for various public and private schools in Toronto. Barbara’s focus has been to use architecture as a vehicle to integrate the arts, science and social studies objectives of the Ontario curriculum. Most recently Barbara co-developed and is an educator for No. 9 Contemporary Art and the Environment’s program: Imagining My Sustainable City. This program, in partnership with the Toronto District School Board, teaches grade 7 and 8 students about sustainable urban design and architecture with a focus on enhancing eco-literacy. Barbara has taught the Imagining My Sustainable City program to over 2000 Toronto students as well as in Chicago through a partnership with The Chicago Architecture Foundation and with the Hamilton Wentworth school board. Barbara is a co-recipient of the 2018 Community Art Educator of the Year award from the Ontario Arts Education Association.

After completing his undergrad at OCADU, Daniel Hughes went on to do his MFA at the New York Academy of Art. He also studied in Florence, Italy for one year. Daniel received the Elizabeth Greenshield's Award 2 times in his career and was a finalist in the BP Portrait prize at the National Portrait Gallery in London, England. He was also a finalist 3 times in the Canadian Portrait prize and runner up in 2017. Daniel has had solo shows throughout Canada, in the United States and in Europe. He works primarily with the figure and portraits.

Evan Hutchinson is a lens-based artist, with a practice that incorporates mixed media, performance and installation, whom currently resides in Toronto. After graduating university, Evan relocated her practice to London, U.K., where she continued her development in art education at the Royal Academy of Arts. She has exhibited at The Great Hall, Artspace, Vs.Vs.Vs. Collective, Maximum Exposure, Full Frame and Elgin Winter Garden Theatre.

Evan graduated from Ryerson University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts, specializing in Photography. Recognized for her academic achievements, she was awarded the Roloff Beny Foundation Photography award in 2014 as well as the Photography and Digital Communication Award in 2015.

Farida Zaman has a passion for art and design and in her 20 years as a freelance illustrator she has worked in Europe, North America, and the Middle East with clients across the world, bringing style, colour, and joy to many. Trained in fine art and illustration and now a seasoned freelance professional, Farida displays a wide versatility of applications of her style: her art has been used in posters, book covers, children's book illustrations, clothing, packaging, and giftware. The look is unmistakable - lively, colourful, whimsical, and executed with flair and drama - designs that always enhance and enliven. Her style includes watercolours, gouache, and digital mediums.

Farida enjoys travel and loves food, music, and culture from around the world. She travels extensively – across oceans and across continents. Her travel influences come through strongly in her work: she is cosmopolitan, appreciates global cultures and multiculturalism, and has a world view. All of this translates into a passion which makes her art enriching and inspiring. Farida went to boarding school in England and went on to a foundation course at the Chelsea School of Art in London. Graduating at the top of her class with honors from the Wimbledon School of Art, Farida built an international career as a freelance illustrator in Geneva, London, New York, and Toronto. Her work has been exhibited at private shows and public galleries in New York City, New Jersey, and Toronto. She is a member of the Society of Illustrators in New York, SCBWI (Society for Children's Book writers and Illustrators), and CANSCAIP (Canadian Society of Children’s Authors, Illustrators, and Performers). She has taught art at colleges, high school, and elementary school levels and also run adult art workshops. Farida is married and lives in Toronto where she has her friends, family, and art studio

Isabel Fryszberg, builds resilience and health through creative engagement. Isabel is an interdisciplinary artist bringing with her the depth and breathe from her wide palatte. She is an arts-based, registered occupational therapist program developer and coach, visual artist, singer songwriter and documentary filmmaker. Isabel works with non-profit groups, health, corporate and social organizations to create wellness through the arts. She is also a status lecturer at the University of Toronto. Isabel founded Creative Works Studio, the innovative, arts based, occupational therapy program for adults living with mental health and addiction issues which she ran for over twenty years in her role as creative lead at St. Michael’s Hospital. Isabel has also directed and produced several independent documentary films : What's Art Got To Do With It? which aired on the CBC documentary channel, Memories that Sing and In Search of Joy. She has released her own debut album of original songs called Hearts and Arrows, as well as spearheaded a music album, Coming Out of Darkness as a community arts engagement project. She has presented at conferences nationally and internationally throughout her career and conducted workshops and train the trainer opportunities for students and staff on arts based approaches. Most recently she has created an online course on arts based practice through the Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists (CAOT). Isabel integrates all her creative endeavors with integrity and a passionate desire to combine art making and well-being for all ages across the life span: www.isabelfryszberg.com

Jennifer Chin is a professional visual artist and educator. She holds a Master of Fine Arts degree (Hons. M.F.A.) from the University of Windsor and an Associate’s Diploma (Hons. A.O.C.A.D.) from the Ontario College of Art and Design. She has exhibited her multimedia works across Canada and internationally and has lead numerous adult and youth focused, community arts programs with a variety of organizations such as: Vibe Arts and The Royal Ontario Museum; The Art Gallery of Algoma; The City of Toronto’s Cultural Services Department and Canon Canada. To learn more about her practice visit jenniferchin.ca.

Jennifer Hinrichs graduated from Central Technical School’s Fine Art department. She has worked as an art director in publishing and has been painting and exhibiting her work for over 20 years. Her subjects include the figure and the landscapes and interiors they inhabit, in a variety of mediums including charcoal, pastel, oil and acrylics. Jennifer has taught drawing and painting at George Brown College, and is an experienced creativity workshop leader. Her work is in private collections around North America and Bermuda, where she was an artist in residence with Masterworks Foundation. Jennifer’s work appears at the John B. Aird Gallery, and Main Gallery, Neilson Park Creative Centre. Visit grandmananartists.com.

Jessica Rysyk is a Toronto-based mixed media artist. Rysyk received a Bachelors of Fine Art in the Sculpture and Installation program at OCAD University, and a certificate in Art and Design from Georgian College. Recent venues Rysyk has been exhibited at include The Gladstone Hotel, Toronto Outdoor Art Show, Giants of Africa, Interior Design Show, Queen West Art Crawl, and Koffler Gallery. Jessica has also worked in the scenic department for film and television. She has worked as an instructor for adult and youth programming since graduating.

Rysyk’s personal practice uses semiotics through object-making to express her concerns on modern world-systems. Contemplating and responding to environmental issues is important facet of her work. She explores concepts of decay and preservation within ecosystems and environments. Jessica communicates humankind’s relationships with the environment and mass-consumption through object-based metaphors. Please visit jessicarysyk.com.

Joseph Romantini is a visual artist and art instructor. His style of work focuses on contemporary realism. He completed his formal studies and graduated from both the Ontario College of Art & Design and the Academy of Design. Joseph has been teaching at the Avenue Road Arts School for the past seven years. Visit www.jromantini.com and P.I. Creative.

Julia Oelbaum is a lover of all forms of art and has been assisting in both the performing and visual arts at the Avenue Road Arts School for the past six years. She is a graduate of Queen’s University with an honour’s degree in Biology. She has combined her skills as an artist and science student to create a class that is both educational and fun for students! She has been a peer tutor in the sciences at the university level, as well as a tutor for younger grades. Additionally, Julia has instructed in the performing arts, working with Act One Productions, to put together musical performances for students aged 7 to 12. In addition to her work in the arts, Julia is a nursing candidate at the University of Toronto and uses the care and attention to detail that she has to help each individual student in her classes thrive.

Lauren Lavery is a visual artist, writer and editor. Her interdisciplinary practice consists mainly of sculpture, painting, installation, textiles and ceramics. She is interested in the discourse of taste, value and politics surrounding aesthetic objects and environments, mainly situated within the domestic sphere. Her visual art has been exhibited throughout Canada, in solo and group exhibitions in Vancouver, Toronto, Cambridge, and Winnipeg. She is the founder and editor of Peripheral Review, a Toronto-based online platform of exhibition reviews of Canadian emerging artists and spaces. She holds a BFA with honours from Simon Fraser University’s School for the Contemporary Arts in Vancouver, BC.

Linda Prussick is a multidisciplinary artist with an unbridled passion for paper and colour. An award-winning graduate of the Ontario College of Art & Design, she has combined her skills as a designer, illustrator, lettering artist and writer to create 2- and 3-dimensional paper-based art. More recently, she has been incorporating assorted metals into her work. Linda has worked with Beyond the Box™ facilitating numerous workshops. In addition to teaching at the Avenue Road Arts School, Linda is also a Registered Aromatherapist and she often uses Aromatherapy to help her class focus and gain inspiration for particular projects.

Martha Johnson received a Bachelor of Fine Arts, Honours, from the University of Guelph, worked with and was mentored by Tom Hodgson (Painter’s 11). She is known for figurative and landscape painting as well as ephemeral animal sculptures typically seen in installation and photography. Her work often incorporates an environmental subtext. Martha has researched and developed a body of work based on a hundred-year-old narrative about an Albatross found in the Bay of Fundy. As a history painter SHADOW RED, a solo exhibition in 2017 referenced the hundredth anniversary of Tom Thomson’s death. She shares a family connection to the discovery of the artist’s remains on Canoe Lake (The Tom Thomson Mystery; Judge William T Little). A listed Canadian artist, her work is held public, corporate and in private collections worldwide. Martha’s work is carried by Art Interiors and White Wall North in Toronto. Visit www.marthajohnson.ca.

Matthew Tarini is an artist and instructor currently living in the Hamilton, Ontario area. Matthew began his art education at a traditional art academy before earning his Bachelors of Fine Art at York University and Masters of Fine Art at the University of Western Ontario. He was an instructor at Western University and the University of Alberta and has taught workshops across the country. Working mostly in oil paint his subject matter consists of cityscapes, still lifes, landscapes and figurative work. Along with creating work in these genres, Matthew is actively pursuing a career as a portrait artist. He has done private and public commissions, including portraits for University of Toronto and Canadian Lesbian and Gay Archives and has appeared on the television show Star Portraits where his work was selected by the comedian Sean Cullen for his private collection. So far Matthew has had four solo exhibitions, including a recent solo show in Edmonton at Scott gallery in 2018. He has also been included in numerous group exhibitions across Canada, including a show at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Calgary. His work is in collections across Canada and internationally.

Melanie Billark is a multidisciplinary Toronto based Artist, achieving an advanced diploma in 2011 at Sheridan College’s Craft and Design Program for glass in Oakville, ON. Following her degree she completed a year artist residency at the Living Arts Centre in Mississauga, ON, in 2012. Melanie graduated from OCADU's Sculpture and Installation program, obtaining her BFA in 2016. She has participated in a number of shows including venues such as Toronto Pearson Airport, Lonsdale Gallery, Canadian Sculpture Centre, Gladstone Hotel, Xpace Cultural Centre, and has shown internationally participating in Treefort Music Fest. Melanie has also won a number of bursaries and awards including The Masonic Foundation of Canada Bursary in 2011 and was recently the recipient for The OALA Ground Award in 2016, for her sculptural work Rewilding. Melanie’s current body of work is focusing on the cross over of art and ecology and interested in where they intersect when thinking about urban planning.

Over the years Melanie has been creating and developing unique arts based curriculum that focuses on a variety of mediums and techniques such as creating community art projects, eco-arts, sculpture and installation, and painting and drawing. Melanie has years of experience facilitating courses, leading workshops, art directing, program coordinating, and presenting lectures across the GTA for people of all ages and skill level. Melanie is passionate about art education, community development, and creating art opportunities that bring people together, in order to create positive change.
Visit www.melaniebillark.com.

Moira Clark’s Teaching Philosophy: “I think it’s great when people of all ages and experience want to study visual arts. In teaching painting my intention is to foster individual expression and growth for students by providing a solid foundation of technique combined with the freedom to experiment and play with the medium. Ultimately I enjoy seeing students discover their own personal style.”

Moira Clark has a BFA from York University. Her prints and paintings have been exhibited across Canada in public galleries such as the Art Gallery of Ontario, the Art Gallery of Hamilton, the Burnaby Art Gallery, the Albright- Knox Gallery in Buffalo and her work is in many public and private collections. Her paintings in acrylics and oil have evolved over the years from representational observations of still life and architecture to her current abstract works. Moira has exhibited in Toronto art galleries since 1977 and was a founding member of the artist-run gallery, Loop, in 2000. She has taught printmaking and painting since 1979 at Open Studio, Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto School of Art, and Sheridan College/UTM. Visit moiraclark.weebly.com and at the Centre for Contemporary Canadian Art.

Molly Grundy is an energetic and extremely dedicated Arts Educator, Artist and Designer. Working in everything from Fashion, Film and Character Design to Illustration and Installation she builds on her skill set everyday excited to share these findings with her students and fellow makers. Molly is overjoyed to be joining the amazing team at The ARAS, teaching Fashion Design and Wearable Fabrication!

Noah recently graduated from Tufts University with a BA in Film and Media Studies and Political Science. During his time in school, Noah wrote and directed two live action short films and one animated short. He was also a Teaching Assistant for an introductory film course. Noah has worked professionally in the film industry as a Business Affairs Intern for JoBro Productions and as a Production Assistant on the Canadian feature film James Vs. His Future Self.

Paul Robert Turner is a figurative oil painter and is a co–founder of AWOL Collective, Gallery and Studios. He continues to exhibit his work both nationally and internationally and is a grant recipient of the Elizabeth Greenshields Foundation, the Ontario Arts Council, and the Canada Council for the Arts. His work can be found in private collections in Canada, England, France, Israel and the United States. He attended the Ontario College of Art and Design from 1994 to 1998. Upon completion of the Drawing and Painting program, he then studied traditional drawing at the Michael John Angel Academy of Art. Visit www.paulrobertturner.com.

Pete Smith is an artist and writer who lives in Bowmanville, Ontario. His recent image based work explores the collective anxiety around environmental change. Smith has exhibited his work extensively since completing his BFA from York University in 1998 and his MFA from the University of Guelph in 2007. Recent solo exhibitions include: Winter Kept Us Warm at the Toronto Public Library (Leaside), NOANOA at St. Johnsbury Academy on Jeju Island in the Republic of Korea (2018), Habitat at the Oshawa Center (in Conjunction with the Robert McLaughlin Gallery in 2018), Open Letter at Bowmanville Town Hall (2017), Southern Pastoral at No Foundation, Toronto (2017), Postscript at the Robert McLaughlin Gallery in Oshawa (2015), New Frontier at Kelowna Art Gallery (2015), Initial Public Offering at Station Gallery in Whitby (2013), New Drawings at Colorida Exposicoes in Lisbon, Portugal (2012) and Proverbs for Paranoids at Elissa Cristall Gallery, Vancouver (2010). His work is included in numerous private and public collections in Canada and abroad including TD Bank, The Colart Collection, Imago Mundi (Italy), The Robert McLaughlin Gallery and The Art Gallery or Guelph. His writings on art have frequently appeared in Canadian Art and Border Crossings magazines. Smith has held teaching positions at Western University, the University of Guelph, and the University of Toronto. He is a lecturer in the Department of Drawing and Painting at OCAD University, and has taught at the Avenue Road Art School since 2012. Visit www.petesmith.ca.

Rachel Crummey is a visual artist working primarily in painting and drawing. Her work incorporates pattern, improvisation, and collage. She has worked with children in a variety of contexts and loves sharing her passion and enthusiasm for art making. She has been an artist in residence with Kulturkontakt Austria and the Salzburger Kunstverein, and was the 2015 winner of the Joseph Plaskett Foundation’s Nancy Petry Award for emerging Canadian painters. She has exhibited in Canada, London UK, Austria, and Italy. She gratefully acknowledges the support of the Ontario Arts Council and the Toronto Arts Council. She received her BFA from Concordia University in 2010, and her MFA from the University of Guelph in 2014.

Roberto Rosenman graduated with honours from York University in Fine Arts and Literature. He also attended the Ontario College of Art and Design and The Grand Central Atelier in New York City where he studied classical painting techniques. With an interest in contemporary realism, he switches between still life and portraiture, always incorporating strong symbolism and narrative in his work. He was awarded a Visual Artist Grant (2014), and a Chalmers development grant for Visual Art (2013) from the Ontario Arts Council. He teaches Art and Design at George Brown College and is represented in Toronto by Loch Gallery. Visit www.robertorosenman.com.

Sadko studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Sarajevo, Bosnia, earned his MFA at the University of Belgrade, Yugoslavia (1984) and arrived in Canada in 1993. Since his arrival from Bosnia, Sadko has participated in over sixty exhibitions in public galleries and artist-run centres across Canada. He is the recipient of visual arts grants from Toronto Art Council, the Ontario Arts Council and the Canada Council for the Arts. Sadko continues to explore identity, and its cultural and social implications, with an extensive portraiture-based body of work using mixed media and collage, and an array of references to popular culture. Visit www.sadkohadzihasanovic.com.

Sam Paonessa is a graduate of the Ontario College of Art. He has been a professional artist for over 30 years creating paintings and illustrations, which have been reproduced as greeting cards, calendars, magazines and home décor reproductions. His love of painting is demonstrated in exhibitions and he has gained the attention of fine art collectors, which include private and corporate collections in North America and Europe. Sam is a founding member of Plein Air Canada and a member of the Ontario Society of Artists. Over the years Sam has enjoyed conducting workshops sharing his valuable experience as an artist in the GTA, Haliburton, across Ontario, and Morocco. Visit www.sampaonessa.com.

Sandra Tarantino received a Bachelor of Fine Arts through the Ontario College of Art and Design and Bachelor of Education at Western University. She has actively participated in the artistic community as Founder and Director of C1 art space from 2004-2011 and Co-founding Director of AWOL Gallery and Studios from 1996-2012. She is a past recipient of the Ontario Arts Council’s Visual Artist Grant (2007, 2005, 2003), Exhibition Assistance Grant (2006, 2005) and Artist in Education Grant (from 2008 to 2012). Teaching all ages in a variety of media including mural creation, mixed media painting and ceramic sculpture, she currently teaches at Avenue Road Arts School and throughout GTA communities and schools with various arts organizations including VIBE Arts. Tarantino’s personal art practice incorporates elements of both painting and sculpture through shaped canvases, ceramic figurative pieces and other mixed media work, which are held in private and corporate collections across Canada, U.S.A and Europe. Visit www.sandratarantino.com.

Sarah Jane Gorlitz has been working as a visual artist since 2002 across the mediums of painting, collage, video, installation, and sculpture. She holds an MFA from the Malmö Art Academy in Sweden (2011) and an HBFA in painting from the University of Waterloo (2002). She was a finalist for the RBC Painting Competition in 2008 and the recipient of an Edstranska Fellowship in 2011. Meanwhile, her video-centered collaborations with Wojceich Olejnik under the name Soft Turns have been widely exhibited at institutions in Canada and abroad, including Oakville Galleries (Oakville), Skånes konstförening (Sweden), Greusslich Contemporary (Berlin), Centre Clark (Montréal), Southern Exposure (San Fransisco), Stride (Calgary), O’Born Contemporary (Toronto) and YYZ (Toronto). Their work has been recognized by numerous grants from Toronto, Ontario and Canada Arts Councils, the latter awarding them the Joseph S Stauffer Prize for Emerging Artists in 2008 as well as a 2013 Paris Residency. Visit her website.

“My teaching strategies employ a balance of critical discussion and contemplation. More than anything I believe that imagination, curiosity and the drive to challenge oneself are the most necessary elements to be nurtured in art students."

Visit her website here.

Sarvenaz is an Iranian visual artist now based in Toronto. She received her BA in Painting and Visual Communication from Art University in Tehran. She has exhibited her work internationally and has recently participated in group exhibitions at Urban Space, Evergreen Brick Works and Capital One in Toronto. Last summer, Sarvenaz led People & Trees, a SPARK project about the life of trees that culminated with an art installation in East York’s Dentonia Park.