Please consider me in your search for an Arts Studio Coordinator.

Making art has been a part of my entire adult life. After studying Commercial Art in high school, I enrolled in a BFA program at the U of A and then opted to complete an Art Education degree. Here’s a gallery of some of my early work and you’ll note that Bombus Terestris (1970), is adapted as the banner on my website. The annotation on the painting reads, “A colorful play on words emphasizing that the “bee” at the centre of our lives is, Being”, which references the spiritual nature of much of my work.

I continued to explore my interest in art while teaching internationally. Working in six different countries outside Canada, I taught art using the Irish Leaving Certificate, IGCSE and International Baccalaureate PYP, MYP and Baccalaureate curricula primarily to middle school and high school students. Here’s an acrylic on paper, Nadia and Friend, (2004), of two of my students in Libya. 

I’ve always worked at creating educational experiences based on the needs and interests of my students and the resources at hand. For example, while teaching Vocational Mathematics in the UAE and developing and awaiting teaching resources for a new school in Al Ain, I developed my students’ English skills and cooperative abilities through making a short movie, God is Love.

Returning to Canada in 2012, I worked with a web designer to launch my WordPress website highlighting my creative abilities in writing, photography, art, music and video production. One of my major works on my return was a quilt, Death from A to Z by Adam Lanza, Dec. 14, 2012 (2013), which raises the issue of gun control. For this project, I needed to learn to run a sewing machine, which demonstrates my lifelong interest in learning new skills. I am familiar with Microsoft Office, Illustrator, Photoshop and various video editing programs.

Moving to Prince George, I completed a major outdoor installation, The Spirit of Prince George, 2015, (2014) for Timberspan Wood Products. This project involved working with a variety of power tools. I have had an avid interest in working with wood, since junior high school. An example of my ingenuity would be the design of a large, plexiglass sheet attached to my small router (laminate trimmer) allowing me to carve larger areas of wood.

I’ve gone on at some length to demonstrate the energy, ingenuity and enthusiasm I bring to bear in everything I do, whether it’s making art or creating smoothies for 400. I believe this is a vital ingredient in filling the motivational aspect of this role, whether it’s with clients, co-workers, the public or, in short, anyone.

My years spent working in group homes for the Prince George Association for Community Living (AiMHi) directly apply to this position. My clients were young adults to adults (many of Indigenous ancestry) dealing with a variety of motor skill or cognitive challenges, including degrees of autism, depression, schizophrenia and thoughts of self-harm. As a Residential Care Aide, I provided counselling and support, client recreation activities, medication administration, grocery shopping, meal preparation and light maintenance in group homes. Training included St. John’s First Aid, CPI Nonviolent Crisis Intervention, Foodsafe Level 1 and WHMIS.  

Other relevant experience includes my editorial and public relations work with The University of Calgary, Nanaimo Free Press, Nanaimo Business Examiner and Canadian Forest Industries Magazine, to name only a few. My varied duties as Marketing Manager for T-MAR Industries included advertising our inventory and services, creating brochures, surveying customers and designing and overseeing the installation of the company’s annual show booth at the Truck Logger’s Convention in Vancouver. A major highlight was the project management for a “live forestry” demo in the BC interior.

In all of these positions, my skills as a writer, photographer and designer were utilized and, during my time as a Journalism Instructor at Grant MacEwan Community College, one of my photographs was added to the college’s collection.

Since moving to Edmonton in April 2021, I have worked in the custodial field, beginning in homeless shelters for the Mustard Seed Organization. For my current employer, Horizon North (a division of Dexterra Group), I’ve worked as a custodian in Alberta’s fire base camps and the company owned Iosegun Lake Lodge. Most recently, I’ve served as an Industrial Janitor, and now Second Cook, at the Cenovus Energy site near Fort MacMurray.

Safety and other training have been a vital component of my recent work. In addition to completing WHMIS for the Mustard Seed, I have completed courses in Health, Safety, Environment and Quality (HSEQ), Food Safe as well as a Workplace Violence course which dealt with various forms of harassment, for Horizon North.

I am active participant in Edmonton’s Interfaith Society for Education and Action and a member of the Alberta Crafts Council. I have had discussions with Harcourt House Artist Run Centre regarding studio space and the use of its pottery facilities; volunteered with the Latitude 53 Gallery by helping paint the new gallery and participated in its workshops and had my photograph, Spool on the Water, accepted for the EPL juried show, FLOW.

The philosophy that I bring to my life, and to this position should I be selected, is one of overarching positivity and the belief in Love without opposite. I maintain that, through our power of decision, we can choose to forgive and live in the now and not be overshadowed by the past.

As an artist, I’ve created a number of works along this line and my Happy Face Series, is one example. Instead of a Death Star, I created a Life Star. Teach Only Love, and Believe Be Love, continue that theme.

My music video, Brand New Song, showcases my art while raising awareness of the need to help people with drug dependency issues.

I believe I am an excellent candidate to fill the position of Art Studio Coordinator. Accordingly, let me suggest we mee to discuss the possibility of me joining iHuman in that position.