Fleming College

Melanie Matthews

Melanie Matthews followed her painting and drawing studies at Dawson College with the achievement of a BFA with distinction in Studio Art from Concordia University. She shares her time between her prolific personal art practice and an ever-expanding teaching schedule. Melanie is Golden Artist Colors Working Artist for Ontario and has been the Working Artist for Quebec since 2002. She is invited to lecture, offer workshops, and teach classes for many venues and art organizations, including the Visual Arts Centre, Dawson College, Concordia University, Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, and the Canadian Society of Artists. She instructs on a broad spectrum of topics, including methods and materials of acrylic painting, acrylic encaustic techniques, monoprinting, bigger is better (large scale image-making), painting on Plexi, essential acrylics, mixed media, digital mixed media, contemporary water media, creative colour mixing, image transfer, and more. www.melaniematthews.ca

Stephen Tulk

Stephen Tulk, MD, FCFP, B.Sc. (AAM), CMI is a family physician and medical illustrator who taught Anatomy for Artists and Life Drawing for over 20 years at the AGO and OCAD University. Both life drawing and practicing medicine has taught him how to observe. He believes that observing the figure is essential to understanding who we are as humans.

Susan Fisher

Susan Fisher earned her BFA in Visual Arts and an Art Education Diploma at Concordia University, majoring in Graphic Design and Sculpture. Her Master's in Cultural Anthropology through Trent University focused on Indigenous Art Expression. Susan taught in Northern Alberta as an elementary teacher in a Metis Colony and then as a French Immersion teacher in Peace River. Since the mid '80's she taught art in various media and is now completely devoted to teaching Encaustic techniques with beeswax with HSAD, privately, and in various commercial galleries. Susan has shown in many galleries in Quebec, Ontario, and Alberta and was chosen to exhibit at the prestigious annual group show in Sagamihara Japan. Her work is currently shown at Meta4 Gallery.

Albert Cote

Instructor for:

• Fibre Arts - Design

Albert Cote graduated from Brock University with BA degrees in Visual Arts and Education. His natural artistic abilities, imagination, visual arts background, and his experience in operating a quilt store for many years has served as a starting point for a very successful longarm and fibre arts career. He has many commissioned pieces in the Niagara area as well as throughout Canada and the US. His innovative classes and trunk shows are an attraction for many people in the quilting world. www.imaginationtextile.com

Ken Hussey

Ken Hussey, Ward World Champion in the Contemporary Antique Decoy category, has been carving duck decoys since 1982. Armed with a Mechanical Engineering diploma and further studies in graphic design, he enjoyed a varied career that culminated in many years as a graphic design instructor. He began carving decoys when, as an avid hunter, he noticed how much better wooden decoys performed than plastic ones. His efforts started with working decoys, progressed to decorative, and evolved into what would become the contemporary antique category of decoys. Ken has firmly established a reputation for excellence and is a sought-after instructor.

Sam Paonessa

Sam Paonessa is a professional artist with a creative career spanning over 35 years. Upon graduation from the Ontario College of Art, he worked as an illustrator for one of Canada's largest commercial art studios, TDF Artists, and subsequently joined Hallmark Cards Canada in roles of illustrator and later, art director. Widely exhibited and awarded, Sam has gained the attention of both corporate and private fine art collectors across North America and abroad. The Museo di Cultura in Pescara, Italy has one of his landscape paintings in its permanent collection. His coin design, Canadian Icons, was selected as a finalist for the Royal Canadian Mint 2017 150th Collection commemorating Canada's anniversary as a nation. Sam also has category awards for his paintings from a Plein Air magazine competition. His popularity for teaching workshops continues to grow across Ontario. www.sampaonessa.com

Todd Jeffrey Ellis

Instructor for:

• Design - Artist Blacksmith

Todd Jeffrey Ellis received an arts diploma from Niagara College in 1970 and completed his degree at OCADU, attaining his Bachelor of Design. He has worked extensively in various areas of the arts: teaching, directing, and set, prop, and furniture designing. His love of metalwork took hold when he discovered chasing, repousse, and the moving of metal in 1995. Since that time he has studied at OCAD U, George Brown College, the Haliburton School of Art + Design and through extensive studies with such renowned masters as Lois Etherington Betteridge, Brian Clarke, Charles Lewton Brain, and Don Stuart. In 2000 Jeffrey was awarded 'Best Holloware Award' in the Metal Arts Guild's 'Under Glass' Exhibition. In 2003 he participated in a group exhibition at Metalurge in Toronto, which showcased his expertise in the decorative form. He has taught at Niagara College, York University, Toronto Teacher's College, and the Haliburton School of Art + Design, and served on the executive of the Metal Arts Guild of Canada for seven years. In 2008 he was published in 500 Metal Vessels. In 2010 he had an exhibition with Susan Watson Ellis at the Ontario Craft Council Gallery, and Jeffrey and Susan created the window display for the Guild Show during the 2010 Film Festival. www.silversmith.ca/

Harriet Boon

Harriet Boon is a spinner, dyer, weaver, and retired shepherd. She earned her Master Spinner certification in 1976 and continues as an instructor in Spinning Certificate programs. Her involvement with fibres and natural dyes spans five decades, during which time her education was enriched through travels in Europe and Asia. Harriet teaches workshops in Canada and the US.

Debra Krakow

Debra Krakow is an artist and architect whose paintings express her deep connection to nature, as seen through the lens of a former urbanite. Her artistic practice has evolved through drawing, painting, printmaking, sculpture, fibre arts, and ceramics. She paints in layers to create an evocative surface. Debra's work has a quiet energy - a delicate balance between fluidity and structure, transparency and solidity, mystery and clarity. She loves sharing her knowledge and enthusiasm with her students. Galleries in Prince Edward County, and Ottawa represent her work. www.debrakrakow.com

Ramune Luminaire

Ramune Luminaire is a visual artist and writer, creating drawings, sculptures and instillations. Her work is process driven, with lots of energy and trust put into finding connections and ways of accessing creativity. Ramune's work has been shown in galleries and museums in Southern Ontario, Toronto, Montreal, England and Norway. In addition to being an artist and educator, Ramune is a walker, dancer, meditator, listener and traveler. Born in Montreal, Ramune lived in England for thirty years. Currently, she lives in Peterborough, Ontario, with her husband and their four-legged companion. www.ramuneluminaire.com

Toni Caldarone

Toni Caldarone has been a 'maker' throughout her life, inspired by natural found and recycled objects. Having had a career in the corporate world, she stayed in touch with art through classes at Toronto School of Art, AGO, HSAD and Learn4Life. Downsizing brought Toni back to the creative world where she describes herself as a self-taught, mixed-media expressive artist. Her life's journey, her enthusiasm and her artistic vision have provided the opportunity to translate her skills into hands-on experiences with her students for nearly twenty years. Toni has shown work through exhibitions as well as private and event sales. She loves to encourage creativity through positive experiences in a supportive atmosphere.