Meet Our Arts Team

River holds a Bachelor of Arts in Fine and Performing Arts, Theatre Concentration from SFU. She has performed in many community productions, both on the Sunshine Coast and in Vancouver. River's 2-minute video "Please" won the UN pavilion’s Messages for Peace competition at Expo 86 in the senior audio/video category. She has written and produced for both stage and video, and currently writes short stories and poetic prose. River began her career at Bonsor in 1992 and now works full time at Bonsor as a fine and performing arts program coordinator.

Phone: 604-297-4584
Email: [email protected]

Caia received her Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from Simon Fraser University. Before that, she was a competitive dancer for 5 years, competing in jazz, stage, musical theatre, modern and ballet. She won various group awards as well as individual awards for her studio in those years. In 2013, she began her career with the City of Burnaby. She has held a number of roles within the City, but in 2018 found her passion working at Bonsor supporting the Fine and Performing Arts area. In 2020, she was the successful candidate for the regular part time Recreation Leader 1 position supporting the fine arts area and has recently been promoted to a Recreation Leader 2 position. In this role she has found the perfect work/home balance, which gives her plenty of free time to take her two children, who have followed in her footsteps, to their numerous dance classes and competitions.

Phone: 604-297-4598
Email: [email protected] 

Curtis attended Douglas College as part of the Physical Education and Coaching Program which specializes in coaching and instructing youth in a classroom/sports setting. He began working for the City of Burnaby in 2018 and worked in a number of different departments before becoming the successful candidate as the Fine Arts Leader at Bonsor. With very little ‘Arts’ background to draw from, Curtis is driven by his passion to provide world class service to his community. From his meticulous organizational skills, to his ability to connect with a wide range of people on a very human level, Curtis has found a true passion working at Bonsor in the Fine Arts Department.

Phone: 604-297-4586
Email: [email protected] 

Sarah’s love for dancing began at the age of three and her passion has only grown since then. She received vocational ballet training from Sharon Boswell, successfully completing all the RAD Vocational and Advanced Levels of Examinations. She has also trained with renowned choreographer Rachael Poirier in jazz, lyrical, contemporary, modern, tap, hip hop and musical theater.

Sarah has had the opportunity to perform extensively in a variety of productions including Ballet Victoria’s ‘The Gift.’ Sarah has competed both locally and internationally including at the competition NYCDA winning multiple high score titles. She has worked with renowned teachers and choreographers including Joe Lanteri, Suzi Taylor, Sarah Dolan, Kristen Wicklund (Ballet BC), Danielle Gardner, Matt Cady and Sean Smith.

Sarah's dedication to sharing her passion for dance with the community has allowed her to teach dance in a variety of settings outside the dance studio including elementary schools in Coquitlam as well as preschool communities in Burnaby. Her students have competed and received high score awards at competitions in British Columbia. Sarah is an enthusiastic teacher who enjoys helping dancers of all ages build both strong technique and confidence. She is currently pursuing a Bachelors in Education at Simon Fraser University with a specialization focused on children with developmental disabilities.

Danielle has always had a strong passion for the arts, but dancing is what she was meant to do. Becoming a teacher has broadened her mind to a new level of creativity. Having trained in all styles she could get her hands on, being: Hip-Hop, Tap, Jazz, Stage, Ballet, Lyrical, Contemporary, Modern and Acrobatics, she hopes to still develop and grow with learning new styles of dance in the future.

“Being the Acrobatics instructor at Bonsor has so far been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life and I can’t wait for all the great years ahead.” Danielle is excited to have the opportunity to instruct the Jazz Intermediate and Advanced class this year as well.

Jhaymee “Eloquence” Hizon is an “OG” B-boy from Vancouver, Canada. He started breaking in 1995 and has won many breaking competitions with his crew, Now or Never, over the years. Jhaymee hosts practice sessions weekly for the local Vancouver dance scene and continues to train regularly. He also coaches and teaches young breakers as he strongly believes in giving back to communities. He hosts annual youth breaking events in hopes of sharing his passion for breaking, and to inspire the next generation to help grow the dance scene. Jhaymee is certified as an adjudicator through WDSF/CDS and has judged many local and national breaking events such as the Redbull BC One Canada Cypher and CDS National Qualifier and Champion events.

Ginger began her passion for dance in 2015 in High School and continued her desire to be creative through dance by self-learning K-Pop dances in 2016. She started taking professional K-Pop classes at a studio in 2021. In total, Ginger has 7 years’ experience dancing and teaching K-Pop routines. Ginger has acquired a wealth of knowledge in her work experience through Bonsor Complex, Mamakeish K-pop Academy, Douglas Park Community Centre, and one-day events held at Burnaby, and South Burnaby, Neighborhood Houses. In addition she has also been invited as a guest instructor for Burnaby North and Heritage Woods Secondary Schools.

Ginger helps run, teach, and direct “Krush,” and “Krayons,” Mamakeish’s Performance teams. In total, she teaches 10-15 classes a week over multiple studios for a wide variety of ages from 5 years old up to 65 years old. Ginger works closely alongside Keisha, (Mamakeish’s CEO) who used to be a K-pop trainee and was a debut member for some Korean idol groups. As a member of “Krush” Performance Team, Ginger has performed at numerous venues around BC and has also received an award for first place at the Youth Purpose Society Competition in 2020 along with the Louella Downing Visual Arts Scholarship. Her thirst for dance and teaching are clearly apparent by all of her students lucky enough to attend one of her classes. She is a valued member of the team here at Bonsor.

Jenny graduated from the Canadian College of Performing Arts with a Diploma Enriched in Arts. Trained in ballet, jazz, tap, lyrical, modern/contemporary dance and acrobatics, Jenny has been dancing for over 13 years. She's expanded her talents to musical theatre, acting and hip-hop. Jenny has travelled to China to teach Performing Arts at a summer camp in Guangzhou and toured across BC and Alberta, performing in children’s theatre with Story Theatre Co. She learned American Sign Language (ASL) to share her love of arts with students who are deaf or who experience hearing loss. She's introduced ASL workshops into Story Theatre Co.'s school programs. Jenny teaches at both Bonsor Recreation Complex and Edmonds Community Centre.

Sydney started her dance journey at the young age of 3 in baby ballet class. From there, she spent her elementary and high school years dancing at the competitive level in ballet, jazz, tap, hip-hop, contemporary and lyrical. Sydney has won numerous awards at local, provincial and national competitions and has completed her classical ballet training up to RAD advanced 2. Starting 5 years ago at her home studio in Victoria, Sydney has taught many styles including, ballet, acro, jazz, tap, contemporary and lyrical. Alongside teaching, she is continuing her own training in a pre-professional training program here in Vancouver.

Danielle holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Simon Fraser University. She's been a dancer for over 20 years, training in ballet, jazz, tap, musical theatre and modern/contemporary dance. Before becoming a dance instructor with the City of Burnaby, Danielle trained and taught dance in Canada, the US and Australia, participating in workshops and teaching summer camps.

Vicky has been dancing for over seven years, with a special focus on K-Pop, inspired by her love for its creativity and music. She has extensive experience with dance covers and performances, having been a member of the UBC Kwave Dance Team and currently dancing with Vancouver’s local K-Pop cover team, Kaleidoscope. Vicky’s teaching experience began during her time at UBC, where she led weekly classes with Kwave. She is excited to share her passion for K-Pop dance with her students and looks forward to learning, growing and dancing together with them!

Piano

Kristina has been pursuing her passion for music and dance since the age of 3. She has successfully completed Royal Conservatory of Music graded exams as well as the theory requirements. In addition, Kristina has completed her elementary, intermediate and advanced piano pedagogy teaching certificates with the Royal Conservatory of Music. She has also participated in a variety of music festivals and community events.

In dance, Kristina has completed the Royal Academy of Dance graded exams and has trained in ballet, jazz, contemporary, modern, musical theatre, and tap. She has also worked with numerous guest choreographers. Kristina had the opportunity to participate in a variety of productions including Ballet Victoria’s “The Gift” and has been awarded high score titles in various dance competitions.

Kristina holds a Bachelor of Education from SFU as well as a Graduate Diploma in education. Kristina is currently working on completing her Masters in education. The past years have been devoted to instilling a love of the arts into the youth through teaching both piano and dance. She cherishes the relationships she has built with students, parents and families. Kristina finds teaching to be a truly rewarding experience and looks forward to seeing the growth and improvement of her students.

Piano & Tot/Preschool

Sarah holds piano pedagogy teaching certificates through the Royal Conservatory of Music (RCM) for elementary, intermediate and advanced levels. She has completed all Royal Conservatory of Music (RCM) exams with theory requirements. Her musical training began at Staccato Music studios at the age of three with instructor Kera Doherty. Sarah has performed at festivals across the lower mainland as well as community and private events. In addition to teaching piano she also teaches baby, toddler, and preschool group music classes. Sarah takes pride in making learning fun for all students so that they can build a love for music that will last a lifetime while developing technical skills on the piano. She is currently pursuing a Bachelors in Education at Simon Fraser University with a specialization focused on children with developmental disabilities.

Guitar, Drums, Ukulele, Mandolin & Piano

Mark is a guitarist, drummer and keyboard player from Vancouver, BC. From age 7 to 18 he studied music at the Douglas Academy of Music under David Lund where he completed his Grade 7 Royal Conservatory of Music studies. He went on to study Classical music at Douglas College and Jazz music at both Capilano University and Vancouver Community College. Mark has toured and played across North America and Europe for over ten years with several different groups, most notably with world music pioneers Roots Roundup. During that time he also traveled to Asia to study and experience the music and culture of India and South East Asia.

Mark has been teaching since grade 12 and he loves the opportunity to pass on what he has learned in his life so far, especially to youth. For him, few experiences are more rewarding than fueling the curiosity and passion for learning that he sees in others. Discovering each student’s unique gifts and process of learning is a continuous journey that he finds deeply motivating and inspiring.

Violin & Viola

Pavel has had a distinguished international career as a musician and teacher for many years. From a young age, he played in high quality orchestras, and as a violinist gave many recitals. His repertoire includes most of the great works of the violin, such as concerts by Bach, the Bruch G minor, the famous Mendelssohn in E minor, the Tchaikovsky, Beethoven and Brahms D major. Pavel has also played a variety of chamber music, including sonatas by Mozart, unaccompanied works for violin by J.S. Bach and E. Ysaye.

When Pavel left Romania, he performed as concertmaster with the Beaux Arts Opera Company and the “Straussiana Italiana” Philharmonic orchestra and led the renowned Prometheus String Quartet in Rome. During his time as a concertmaster with the Straussiana Philharmonic, the orchestra won first prize and the gold medal at the international competition “Foyer Des Artistes”.

Since 1993, Pavel has been performing as a contract player with Okanagan Symphony orchestra, as well as free-lancing with the symphony orchestras of Prince George, Kamloops, Viva Musica and Vancouver Island. He has also played with the Kelowna Philharmonic at the Mozart Festival, the Canada Day orchestra and various chamber groups and ensembles around the province, including the Raven String Quartet and the Victoria Chamber orchestra.

Pavel holds both a Bachelors and a Masters of Music, which he obtained at the George Enesco University in Romania. More recently (1997-98) he studied at the University of Victoria, taking Masters level courses in violin and chamber music with members of the Lafayetter String Quartet. 

Pavel has steadily gained a considerable reputation as a first class teacher. Many of his students have already won awards at local and provincial festivals and have enjoyed great success in concerts and Royal Conservatory exams. His students have the opportunity to learn successfully proven techniques that enables them ultimately to play with relaxation and effortless efficiency. His teaching has roots in the most advanced instruction methods - the result of more than 30 years of study and research. Some of these methods include the Classical German from Carl Fleisch: the modern French from Ysaye, the Eastern European from Enerco and Oistrach; the North American from Ivan Galamian and application of the Suzuki methods. 

The reasons for Pavel’s success as a teacher lie in his unlimited patience and gentleness, especially towards his younger students and his ability to customize his teaching to suit each student’s needs. These qualities together with his vast store of knowledge and his ability to teach at all levels from beginners to advanced students.

Piano

Sydney Clarke has been teaching at Bonsor since September 2022 and loves it. She is originally from the Okanagan, but moved to the coast 6 years ago to attend university. Although she has a degree in Political Science, her post-secondary experience began in music due to her lengthy history playing piano. She has been playing piano for over 20 years, starting at just 3 years old, when her mom enrolled her in lessons, up until she was 19 years old when she completed her Grade 10 Royal Conservatory of Music (RCM) exam. She has said, "I’m pretty sure I have been able to read music longer than I have been able to read words!". Throughout her years of piano lessons, she has performed dozens of recitals and festivals.

Her experiences with a teacher that brought her joy has greatly influenced her teaching style. She has said "that...teacher is someone I still admire and have in my life until this day. She remains my role model and is the real inspiration behind why I teach piano, and how I want to be perceived by my students". Although her day job is for a legal education society, she spends most days playing the piano she was gifted from her family for her university graduation.

Guitar, ukulele, banjo

Alexander Flock is a versatile guitarist, adept at rock, country, jazz, funk and fingerstyle, just to name a few. Over the years Alex has received various awards and accolades for his playing, including a 3rd place finish at the 2012 Canadian Fingerstyle Guitar Competition. With his experience teaching both privately and at various studios and summer camps, such as the UBC Summer Music Institute, Alex is comfortable teaching all ages and all levels in a wide variety of contemporary styles.

Mack has been teaching piano for over seven years, with experience in both private lessons and community center programs for the City of Burnaby and the City of Vancouver. A graduate of the Royal Conservatory of Music, he holds a Level 10 Piano Certificate along with all required Harmony and History achievements.

Mack has worked with students of all ages and skill levels and he is committed to creating a positive, supportive and engaging learning environment. By collaborating with both students and parents, he tailors lessons to individual goals and learning styles, helping students develop not only strong technical skills but also a lifelong love of music.

A Burnaby South local, Mack began studying music at age five and completed RCM Level 10 by the time he was 17. He also grew up taking Red Cross swimming lessons and volunteering at Bonsor Recreation Complex during high school summers. Mack is a recent graduate of Simon Fraser University, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts and a Minor from the Beedie School of Business.

Winnie is an accomplished violinist and pianist who has performed in concert halls across Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom. She earned both her Bachelor and Master of Music degrees from the Cleveland Institute of Music and holds dual ARCT diplomas in violin and piano from the Royal Conservatory of Music. Winnie enjoys working with students of all ages and abilities, offering expert guidance through the RCM program and fostering a strong foundation in both technique and musical expression.

Vivian has been teaching piano and violin for over a decade, working with students of all ages and levels, from preparatory to post-ARCT. Many of her students have earned top honors, including RCM Gold Medals in piano and violin and have performed at gala concerts such as the Kiwanis Festival. Her students are also actively involved in chamber music ensembles and youth orchestras within the community. She holds ARCT diplomas in both piano and violin performance (2011, 2012) and is a graduate with a bachelor’s degree.

Born and raised in Greater Vancouver, Vivian began piano and violin lessons at the age of four. She quickly excelled, and in 2007 won first place in piano and third place in violin at the Canadian Music Competition in her age category. She made her orchestral debut with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra (VSO) in March 2010, performing Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto under Maestro Bramwell Tovey at the Orpheum. She went on to appear again with the VSO in their Symphony in the Park at Deer Lake (2010) and the Orpheum’s School Concert Series (2013).Vivian’s accomplishments include the RCM Grade 10 Violin BC & Yukon Regional Gold Medal (2012) and the prestigious RCM ARCT Violin National Gold Medal (2013), awarded to her for achieving the highest mark in Canada. That same year, her chamber music group also won the Friends of Chamber Music Competition.

Passionate about fostering both skill and joy, Vivian believes the most important part of music education is helping students stay engaged, inspired and motivated. Her goal is to nurture not only strong musicians but also a lifelong love and appreciation for music. In her teaching, Vivian combines technique, ear training, and repertoire development to create a well-rounded learning experience. Drawing on her own journey as a young musician, she explains concepts in clear, relatable ways that match each student’s stage of growth. She takes pride in seeing her students gain confidence, reach their goals and carry music with them as a lifelong companion.
 

Music

A highly passionate and dedicated teacher of piano, accordion, music theory and history with over 20 years of experience teaching students of all ages and abilities from beginning to advanced levels. From her nursing background, Andrea draws from her knowledge of human growth and development and learning theory to engage and motivate students to strive for and achieve their personal best.

A kind and inspiring teacher where all students feel valued and their strengths are nurtured within a fun and stimulating learning environment that captures interest, promotes exploration, critical thinking, and fosters creativity and imagination. She tailors her teaching style to meet diverse learning abilities of students by incorporating singing games & movement activities in lessons. Especially patient with young children and adults. Sensitive, supportive, and encouraging of students with learning challenges, mental health issues, and psychological trauma histories. Finds tremendous joy in seeing students grow musically and personally.

Students regularly earn medals in local music festivals such as Kiwanis and British Columbia Conservatory of Music & earn high marks in practical and theory examinations from notable examining boards as The Royal Conservatory of Music, Conservatory Canada, British Columbia Conservatory of Music, and London College of Music (University of West London). Several students have pursued music studies professionally, attending prestigious post-secondary institutions such as the Vancouver Academy of Music, the University of British Columbia, and the University of Toronto.

When not teaching or playing music, Andrea enjoys pursuing other passions like cooking, reading, watching old movies, nature walks, adult ballet, & spending time with her 10-year-old Maine Coon Cross cat Abby.

Guitar, voice, ukulele, drums and piano

Vocalist, multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and educator Marc Rivest has dedicated his life to music. He possesses a Bachelor of Arts in Music from the University of Guelph and a Diploma in Jazz Studies from Capilano University and has studied under Bill Coon, Ron Samworth, Ralf Buschmeyer, Geordie Roberts, and Steve Maddock. As an entertainer, Marc performs as a solo act under the name "ReeVay." Recent highlights include winning a Fraser Valley Music Award in the Jazz Artist of the Year category and a residency with the Arts Council of New Westminster.

Lessons with Marc balance the development of technique and repertoire with elements of theory and ear training to give students a well-rounded approach to their musical development. Marc's teaching style incorporates humor and a friendly personality to make learning music an enjoyable experience for all ages. Under Marc's instruction, students have gone on to receive awards for their musicianship, perform at the professional level, and be accepted into postsecondary music training programs. He is thrilled to bring his skills and experience to Bonsor Complex music programs.

Piano

Brianna is a recent North Surrey Secondary School Graduate. She will be continuing her studies at UBC this fall in Pharmaceutical Sciences. Her plan is to pursue a career in the medical field with aspirations of becoming a pharmacist or pediatrician.

Brianna began classical piano lessons when she was 4 years old and started exploring other genres of music, jazz in particular, upon entering high school. Her love of music continued through high school as the Tenor saxophone player in the concert and jazz bands. On her own time, Brianna was also involved in a student inspired jazz combo called, “Everyone But You”, as the principal pianist. Brianna achieved her ARCT Solo Performers Diploma with the Royal Conservatory of Music in February 2022. She is a member of The Donna Fishwick Piano Ensemble where she has given many performances. She has also participated in numerous recitals (Shadbolt Centre for the Performing Arts, Vancouver’s Circle Craft Christmas Market at the Vancouver Trade and Convention Centre, Burnaby’s Festival on the Lake, Vancouver’s Student Performer’s Guild, and the North Shore Music Festival).

Aside from piano and saxophone, Brianna also plays the clarinet and is learning the ukulele. Outside of the band and music program, she is a dedicated badminton player for her school’s team and the manager of the senior boys’ volleyball team as well. She is an enthusiastic volunteer (Envision Financial Reading Buddies Program, Vancouver Jazz Festival, other local festivals), and in her free time, she loves baking, watching a good movie or show, and folding origami.

Using the knowledge she has garnered, Brianna hopes to foster an appreciation for music in young children with the anticipation they will carry what they learn with them into the future; as a hobby or professionally. She looks forward to making a positive impact in her community for many years to come.

Music

Janice Wong is a passionate and experienced music instructor with over a decade of experience teaching students of all ages and levels. Originally from Hong Kong, she holds a Diploma in Piano Performance and Grade 8 Theory from the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM). With a strong classical foundation and years of performance experience, Janice combines technical precision with a deep love of music in her teaching.

Janice began piano studies at age 11 and continued under the mentorship of Sylvia Shum during her university years, where she refined her artistry and developed a keen interest in piano pedagogy. Alongside her piano studies, she also pursued music theory, history, aural training and ensemble performance, which shaped her into a versatile and well-rounded musician.

In addition to piano, Janice is also an accomplished flautist. She began flute training in secondary school with the Hong Kong Music Office and later studied with Carson Yu, gaining advanced technical and expressive skills. As an active member of her school’s wind band, she frequently performed in music festivals and earned recognition in solo, duet and ensemble competitions.

Her teaching career has included private lessons, music centres and school programs, where she has successfully taught both piano and flute. Known for her warm and encouraging approach, Janice adapts her lessons to suit each student’s needs, balancing creativity with technical development. She believes in making lessons engaging and inspiring while nurturing musical confidence and self-expression.

Now based in Vancouver, Janice is excited to share her expertise with the local community. She is currently pursuing Royal Conservatory of Music (RCM) teacher certification, furthering her commitment to excellence in music education. Through her teaching, Janice strives to create a joyful, inclusive and supportive learning environment where students can develop strong skills and a lifelong love of music.

Piano

A dedicated and experienced piano teacher, Pearl, has been inspiring students of all ages and skill levels to love and appreciate the beauty and intricacies of music for 25+ years. With a passion for teaching and a wealth of knowledge about piano technique and artistry, Pearl creates a positive and supportive learning environment for each and every student. Whether students are just starting out or looking to take their skills to the next RCM level, Pearl will engage each student and help them reach their musical goals through theory, practice, and performance.

Violin

Ms. Yeung has performed across Asia, Europe, and North America. As an orchestral musician, she has performed with members of the Cleveland Orchestra, National Symphony Orchestra in Washington DC, and the Hong Kong Philharmonic. She has worked under the baton of Sir Simon Rattle, Maestro Christoph Eschenbach, Robert Spano, Vasily Petrenko, and Hugh Wolff. In addition, she also collaborated with renowned soloists such as Stefan Jackiw, Alisa Weilerstein, Yefim Bronfman, Daniil Trifonov, Gil Shaham, Zlatomir Fung, James Ehnes, and Augustin Hadelich. In 2021 she was invited to attend the Aspen Music Festival as a fellowship recipient and has worked closely with world renowned violin pedagogue Paul Kantor, faculty of The Royal Conservatory of Music and Rice University. In 2020, she also received honorable mentions in the Young Artist Audition of Musicus Society. Ms. Yeung graduated from Manhattan School of Music where she studied with Peter Winograd, the first violinist of the American String Quartet, and Sheryl Staples, Principal Associate Concertmaster of the New York Philharmonic. In addition, she also studied jazz violin with Grammy award winner Regina Carter. She was a recipient of the Kraeuter Violin Scholarship, Janey Fund Charitable Trust Scholarship, MSM Scholarship, and the Hong Kong Scholarship for Excellence Scheme.

As an experienced teacher, her students have achieved excellent results in ABRSM exams and have won positions in youth orchestras and competitions. She has also taught in local and international schools in Hong Kong and is experienced with the IGCSE and IB exams. Previously, Ms. Yeung was the concertmaster of the Asian Youth Orchestra- Hong Kong Music Summer Orchestra as well as soloist and concertmaster of the ESF Orchestra. She was also a music scholarship recipient at Renaissance College, Hong Kong Academy of Performing Arts, and was awarded the ESF Chairman’s Award for Excellence. Born and raised in Hong Kong, Ms. Yeung is fond of various genres of music, including classical, pop, jazz, R&B, and world music. In her spare time, she loves traveling around the world and being surrounded by nature.

Karen is a professional mixed-media artist. She has participated in workshops for school children, including teaching preschool art classes in Zambia, Africa through the IVHQ Volunteer Project. She has an art studio at Parker Street Studios in East Vancouver. Karen is also an instructor at Edmonds Community Centre where she enjoys sharing her passion for art and teaching children.

Jonathan Guhl has been teaching and inspiring youth for over a decade. With a passion for performance and a belief in the fundamental life skills that theatre and play can nurture, Jonathan creates high-energy classes where learning feels both engaging and full of discovery.

A multi-disciplinary performer, Jonathan has worked on stage, in front of the camera and behind the scenes in technical and support roles for both theatre and film. His personal passions include Musical Theatre, Improv and Photography.

Currently, Jonathan is a Drama Instructor at Bonsor Recreation Centre, Edmonds Community Centre and other locations across Burnaby through Shadbolt’s outreach programs. He is a graduate of Capilano University’s Acting for Stage and Screen program.
 

Vanessa holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the School for the Contemporary Arts at SFU. She has enjoyed teaching for over 5 years. Her continuing studies include visual culture studies, philosophy, sociology, pedagogy and publishing. Vanessa has experience with a variety of cartooning and art techniques, including Manga and Eastern storytelling. Vanessa teaches our after-school Drawing and Cartooning Programs at a variety of Burnaby elementary schools and at Edmonds Community Centre and Shadbolt Centre for The Arts Outreach Programs.

Chris has been working as a Fine Arts Instructor for 7 years with the City of Burnaby. He typically teach Cartooning, Traditional Animation, Fantasy Art and Dungeons and Dragons Classes. He graduated from Simon Fraser University, with a Bachelor's Degree in Developmental Psychology. He is obsessed with anything related to medieval fantasy; especially Lord of the Rings, Guild Wars and Dungeons & Dragons. He fostered this passion to start a freelance art business where he designs characters, logos, cartoons, caricatures, and designs for prints and t-shirts (He even re-designed the Mascot for Eileen Dailly Pool's 30th Anniversary!). He enjoys creating his own collectibles, 3D printing and sculpting Action Figures and Funko Pops.

Chris is a passionate teacher; there is nothing more satisfying than seeing that "Aha!" moment, and having a student pursue art on their own with gentle guidance towards finding their own passion. There are so many interesting ways to approach art that it can never be boring! Making progress and seeing personal growth in art is always so rewarding as well. Chris has been drawing since he was 2 years old, “I used to sit on my Grandma's lap for hours drawing Super Mario characters; correcting her whenever she got a detail wrong. I still have those drawings in a folder.” Chris also works as a Lifeguard and Swimming Instructor, for 13 years and counting, with the City of Burnaby.

Irina Samarukava is a multidisciplinary artist with a passion for sharing the process of creating hand-crafted projects with others. Irina loves exploring new mediums and art forms and experimenting with projects both big and small. She is versatile in teaching different arts and crafts such as drawing, watercolor and acrylic painting, knitting, felting, batique and origami folding.

Irina was born in Belarus, East Europe, where she obtained her Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Arts. Irina has been teaching art at an elementary school for over 12 years, and since moving to Canada in 2003, she has been teaching students of different ages in her private studio. Recently Irina has joined the Fine Arts teams at Edmonds Community Centre, Shadbolt Centre for the Arts and Bonsor Recreation Centre in Burnaby.

MacKenzie Sewell is a writer and creative writing teacher living in Surrey, BC. She has a total of 13 years of teaching & coaching experience, including experience supporting individuals with autism & other diverse needs. MacKenzie joined City of Burnaby's team of Fine Arts Instructors in 2022. MacKenzie has a Masters degree in creative writing from the University of British Columbia, where she specialized in children’s literature, novel writing and poetry.

When she's not working on her next project, MacKenzie teaches creative writing to children & adults at Burnaby community centers, watches Doctor Who reruns with her wife Hannah (and their cat, Wallie) and waters her ever-growing collection of plants.

Tammi Vilchis (Thea) is a Mexican ceramic artist and industrial designer. Although she began her professional ceramic training in 2014 at the Fine Arts National Institute (INBA) in Mexico City, it was a few years earlier, at “El Alfar” (Otumba, Mexico), where she began documenting and experimenting with clay and alternative firings with mentor and artist Don Alfonso Lopez. She has received diplomas in Sculpture (Academia de San Carlos), Innovation and Design Thinking (CEDIM), and Women and Gender Studies (UNWoman), among others. These teachings have a clear and strong influence on her approach to art.

Her body of work shows the many philosophies and techniques she has learned over the years. Her most recent pieces hold a deep symbolism, especially in the Mexica and Zapotec cultures, her ancestors. Thea’s work brings together contemporary ceramics and Mesoamerica pottery motifs. Public shows include Premio Nacional de la Cerámica (Tlaquepaque, Mexico), Bienal Internacional de Cerámica Artística Contemporánea, (Tijuana, México), Museo de Arte Popular (Mexico City) and many more.

In addition to maintaining a home studio, Thea is part of Burnaby’s Pottery Guild at Shadbolt Center for the Arts. She teaches ceramic classes to people of all ages at The ACT Maple Ridge, Bonsor Recreation Complex, and HED Ceramics in Vancouver.