Meet Maggie!

What’s your educational and life experience background?
I have a degree in Fine Arts and Human Learning from the University of Toronto as well as graduate studies in Art Therapy at The Vancouver Art Therapy Institute.  After years of working with kids at summer camps, community centres and cruise ships I am so excited to be sharing my love of art with kids at 4Cats!

How did you first hear about 4Cats?
A client brought in an amazing painting that her 4 year old little girl created at 4Cats. We decorated the little girl’s room based on her painting!

Why 4Cats?
Getting to go to work every day surrounded by excited kids in a beautiful studio with amazing materials and the 4Cats program; I think it is a dream come true!

What is your favourite colour?
Alizarin Crimson

Favourite art quote?
“I’d rather risk an ugly surprise than rely on something I know I can do.”
- Helen Frankenthaler

Who is your favourite artist and why?
Do I have to pick just one?! Today I’m going to say Georgia O’Keeffe. I love her paintings and admire her independent spirit.

What is your favourite art medium, and why?
I love painting because I love the feeling of paint gliding across the canvas. I love to use lots and lots of thick paint or thin washes of colour. Oh yeah, I love lots and lots of colour!

So…any other interesting facts we should know about you?
I lived on a boat for three years!

Meet Dino!

Educational background?
Bachelor of Fine Arts in Illustration – Parsons the New School for Design, New York.

How did you first hear about 4Cats?
I found the ad on Craigslist and visited 4Cats Kits for an interview back in 2009.

Why 4Cats?
I am an aspiring artist who enjoys working with kids. I also am a fan of the 4Cats curriculum. I wish I could’ve had these lessons when I was a kid.

What is your favourite colour and why?
Blue. I’m a boy, what can I say?

Who is your favourite artist and why?
It’s a tough call but I’m going to say Walt Disney. He is into science, culture, art, music, and history; he is an educator, an artist, and an entertainer. AND, on top of all that he managed to spend a lot of time with his family. What more can you ask for?

What is your favourite art medium, and why?
A tough call again but it would be pen & ink. I like the immediacy and spontaneity. There’s nothing like pressing a dipped pen against a fresh sheet of paper.

So…any other interesting facts we should know about you?
I love making balloon animals – you should see my awesome balloon puppy!

Meet Neela!

Educational background?
Fine Arts Diploma in sculpture and installation from UBC – Okanagan
BFA in Integrated Media from OCAD University

How did you first hear about 4Cats?
I had noticed a couple studios around BC this summer, and was curious about them. Then I saw an ad online and applied to it immediately!

Why 4Cats?
4Cats understands that artistic expression is a vital component for an individual to develop critical thinking, life skills and a sense of self, and that these skills are best implement when young!

What is your favourite colour and why?
Electric blue, because although it’s a cool colour it’s also very energetic at the same time!

Who is your favourite artist and why?
I have many favourite artists who inspire me in different ways, but one that I have been revisiting a lot lately is Sol LeWitt, and in particular his large scale wall drawings. He created over 1200 large scale wall drawings and each came with specific instructions so they could be recreated anywhere and by anyone! LeWitt understood art as an idea before it was anything physical and he knew this idea was greater than each created work or even himself.

What is your favourite art medium, and why?
My favorite medium is Installation! This is kind of a trick answer because with an installation you can pretty much use any medium you want within it! But to be more specific, I like to work on videos to put in my installations. I like the medium of video because it is linear, it stretches out a picture and makes a story, and I feel it lends more control over what the entire work says by arranging what is shown within that linear timeline.

So…any other interesting facts we should know about you?
I love collecting rocks and have done so since I was pretty young. I currently have a very large rock collection and my friends often give me rocks that they’ve found to keep adding to my collection!