2021 Our Community Stories

May 14, Jessie Au: Jessie Au (she/her) Sr. Fine & Performing Arts Programmer for Place des Arts for over 10 years Jessie’s love for the arts began when her mom enrolled her at the wee age of three to study at Jean M. Wong School of Ballet in Hong Kong. Upon moving to BC, her arts education expanded to include tap, jazz, lyrical, hip hop and contemporary dance, as well as piano and musical theatre. A graduate of UBC with a Bachelor of Science in Food Nutrition and Health, Jessie works full-time at Place des Arts as the Sr. Fine & Performing Arts Programmer and teaches dance and fitness classes throughout Greater Vancouver. What does Belonging mean to you? “Being in a place (whether that is a physical space or a state of mind) that makes me feel accepted, celebrated and connected.” If you want to sign up for a dance and fitness class with Jessie, visit her website at www.jessieau.ca to find out more!

May 28, Dayton Chan: Dayton Chan (He/Him) Born and raised in Vancouver, Dayton has been immersed in music at the young age of six and is presently studying with Marjory Purdy at Place des Arts. His interest in music started way back when he would fall asleep to his sister practicing piano. His parents helped him grow his passion into a means of expression which is one of the greatest gifts he could ever ask for. Aside from piano, Dayton is a hockey enthusiast, aspiring cook and is working to become a lifeguard. What does Belonging mean to you? “To me, belonging is when changing yourself feels unnecessary.” If you want to sign up for private piano lessons with Novice Teacher-in-Training Dayton, call Place des Arts at 604.664.1636!

June 11, Shreyasi Das (she/her) Shreyasi Das is a Digital Lighting and Look Development Artist working on feature animated films. In her free time, she “moonlights” as a contemporary visual artist specializing in textiles and mixed media. Das loves working with her hands and exploring the texture of various materials. Her main areas of focus are weaving and hand embroidery, consciously made with as little waste and as much respect for the environment as possible. Most of her work is made with thrifted or recycled materials. When Das is not working on abstract pieces, she embroiders detailed pet portraits for her clients! What does Belonging mean to you? “When I hear the word “belonging” I think of a safe space or community in which individuals can grow, thrive, and be loved for who they are. Belonging is being ourselves in front of others, unabashedly. It has been difficult to connect with other kindred spirits during the pandemic which has led to a lack of belonging and as a result, a lack of wellbeing. I look forward to the day we can reunite and rejoice with the people who lift us up.” Want to learn more about Shreyasi and what she’s up to? Visit her website www.ezdeestudio.com and subscribe to her monthly newsletter to get updated!

June 18, Amanda Lau (she/her) Amanda is a performing artist, choreographer, dance educator and vocalist with over 15 years of training in jazz, lyrical, contemporary, musical theatre, stage, tap, street jazz and ballet. She performed across BC with Vancouver Tap Dance Society’s touring ensemble, TAPCO. Amanda is a dancer on the NLL Vancouver Warriors Dance Crew and a Captain of the SFU Athletics Dance Team. She adjudicated at the Performing Arts BC Regional Festivals and Tri-Cities Got Talent for many years. Amanda studied with Arts Club Theatre and The Gateway Conservatory for musical theatre and acting. Past nominations include “Best Supporting Actress” (CTC Awards) and “Outstanding Supporting Performance” (Ovation Awards). Amanda is at SFU studying Communication and Education, a peer mentor and a Board Director for a non-profit society. What does Belonging mean to you? “Belonging is building a community of support where people empower each other to learn and grow.” Amanda will be teaching Jazz and Lyrical this summer and in the 2021-2022 season! She will also be available for private, semi-private and trio dance lessons!

June 25, Maria Carinha (she/her) Maria Carinha was a dressmaker in the country that she grew up in, Portugal. When she came to Canada, she worked in sewing factories until she opened her own dry cleaning and alterations business, which she ran until 1998. After retiring, Maria continued creating various styles of scarves, bags, jewelry bags and totes sold at galleries, craft fairs and more! She also crochets scarves and capes. Maria loves creating, sewing and crocheting. Maria volunteers at Burnaby Hospital two days a week and donates the proceeds of her sales to them. Next time you are in our centre, make sure to stop by our Artisan Shop and explore the accessories that Maria has created. You can also browse our Artisan Shop online here: https://go.placedesarts.ca/artisanshop

July 12, Jared Batac Co. (he/him) Jared is a 15-year-old teen who loves the arts – especially the performing arts such as music and theatre – and to entertain! He has been a part of Place des Arts’ Coquitlam Youth Theatre (CYT) for three years. Alongside those in his troupe, Jared, has performed in Place des Arts’ productions of the Jungle Book, Dear Edwina and most recently in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. A Midsummer Night’s Dream is available for you to watch on Place des Arts’ YouTube channel here. Place des Arts holds a special place in his heart. If you want to see more of Jared and the Coquitlam Youth Theatre students, stay tuned for when they come back next year! Also, check out The Honey Files, a series of monologues created by our CYT students and directed by Seamus Fera that explore issues relating to emotional and physical well-being facing young people today. We also would like to congratulate Jared on his Place des Arts Scholarship! Keep doing what you love.

July 30, Subyn Cho (she/her) Subyn has been attending dance and music classes as well as Summer Fun Camps at Place des Arts since she was in elementary school. Her love for performing arts directed her to volunteer at Place des Arts during high school and is now working as the Summer Fun Day Camp Coordinator for this year. With an interest in human movement and dance, she recently graduated with a Bachelor of Kinesiology from the University of British Columbia and hopes to pursue a career working with performing artists and pediatric populations through a clinical lens. Experience Subyn’s love for the performing arts, by registering for a Dance & Movement class at Place des Arts. Hey, you might even bump into her in one of our classes and make a lifelong friend.

August 20, Luana Magno (she/ her) Luana Magno came from Brazil and chose Canada as her new home. She is a trained lawyer who expresses herself through art, especially photography. She is delighted with the opportunity to serve on the board of directors at Place des Arts, as she believes art stimulates personal growth and is one of the best tools to create community connections. Her solid corporate and legal experience of 8 years working in the international department of a well-known global consulting firm, enables her to support the Board in various matters. However, she believes she brings more than her professional background…she brings fresh eyes, caring ears, her willingness to learn and passion to help. What does Belonging mean to you? “In my point of view, belonging is feeling as an important part of a group. To be accepted and valued by who you are with all the differences and similarities. It is a deep connection. It is the feeling of holding hands and looking in the same direction. To me, it is simply what every human being needs… to be loved and to belong. It is exactly what I aimed to promote with the Nice to meet you Project.” Support Luana and her artwork by exploring her current exhibition, “Nice to meet you Project” that is on display at the Port Moody Station Museum now until October 2021. For more information about the “Nice to meet you Project” visit, http://portmoodymuseum.org/index.php/exhibition/nice-to-meet-you-project-stories-of-migration/ Photographer – Silmara Emde

September 17, Kiranjot Kaur (she/her/hers) Kiranjot Kaur is a self-taught multidisciplinary artist, illustrator, and writer. Her work involves many artistic adventures, and she enjoys painting vibrant, exploratory pieces and drawing high-contrast and bold ink designs. Her current work aims to celebrate her artistic influences including a background in engineering, Sikh philosophy, her Panjabi and Canadian heritage and growing up in a family fabric store. Kiranjot is the creator of Little Sahibs, a series of colouring and activity books for children, and the upcoming book Sangeet and the Missing Beat. Share a memory that has transformed you into the person you are today? “When my younger daughter was born, I felt like I met my mother and my grandmother for the first time. It was tremendous. I have since felt a profound shift in my personality to mirror theirs. I remember memories from a different perspective, and I feel what I think they felt. I can easily side with my mom on almost every argument. I’m in awe. I see how her motherhood continues as we, her children, age. I look back at photos and videos and feel a presence of a person who existed at a time when I couldn’t see them. Years later, I see them. This shift has fueled me to create art that truly celebrates what makes me who I am and see the value in my little piece of history. I am proud of my lineage and heritage, which I am happy and excited to share through my art.” Mark your calendars for the debut of Kiranjot’s authored and illustrated children’s picture book, Sangeet and the Missing Beat, published by Rebel Mountain Press, releasing early 2022. To follow her artistic journey, follow Kiranjot on Instagram @kiranjotart or check out her website at kiranjotart.com.

October 1, Justin Anthony Justin has trained extensively in film and theatre from a very young age and continues to do so. When in his class, you’ll find that Justin strives to cultivate creative confidence with empathy of an actor’s individual process. Justin is a big proponent of creating one’s own work, developing several films as his own producer and writer with accolades. He is thrilled to be at Place des Arts and helping young artists unleash their creative potential. What small or big transformation has been a milestone? “Together with my co-producer and good friend, we sold a film I wrote and acted in, to a syndication in Canada. It is very rewarding to have my work not only be recognized but be given a platform to be shared to others.” Enroll in Fall, Winter and Spring On-Camera Acting classes with Justin. You will gain confidence and become comfortable performing on camera while honing your skills and . Already enrolled in the Fall? Enroll for Winter. Returning students will be given new challenges. Get to know more about Justin on his website, www.Justin-Anthony.com

October 29, Marley Jordan (she/her/hers) Marley has lived in Coquitlam her whole life. Her childhood consisted of many theatre and dance performances, where she then found a love for the Arts and her community. Performing arts provided her with countless memories and experiences that shaped her into the person she is. She recently graduated from Douglas College with a Certificate in Office Administration. What small or big transformation has been a milestone? “When the world shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and my Douglas program was about to end, I searched for a way that I could expand my creativity and apply it to an administrative role. This was a transformative time as I began growing a vision for my career. I am now working to complete an associate’s certification at BCIT for Marketing Management & Event Planning. I always hoped to find a job where I could express my passion for the arts in a community-driven environment. I am looking forward to being a part of the impact Place des Arts has on the Coquitlam Arts Community.” As both a registration desk clerk and events assistant at Place des Arts, Marley, is excited to welcome art enthusiasts from all over to future Place des Arts events and wants to encourage youth to join this year’s Youth Arts Council (YAC). When you see Marley at our Place des Arts events make sure to say hello.

November 19, Gloria Jue-Youn Han, she/her Gloria Han studied ceramics at Emily Carr University of Art + Design (BFA) and received her Master of Fine Arts from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 2019 as a New Artists’ Society Fellow. She continues her education by training under Master Clay Jung-Hong Kim in traditional Korean ceramics. She uses Korean ceramics as a case study to understand how traditions are adapted, adopted or created anew. She sees craft as a mode to express extreme care, commitment, intimacy and love. How have you changed over the past two years? “The past two years have given me the clarity that I’ve needed to pause and re-evaluate my priorities. I feel much more comfortable saying no to things that do not serve my practice so that I can say yes to things that are more important to me. It’s a huge privilege to be able to be selective and intentional with my work.” What small or big transformation has been a milestone? “I am the recipient of a BC Arts Council Early Career Development grant which will allow me to study traditional Korean ceramics much more intensely with Master Clay Jung-Hong Kim for a full year. I am so excited to come out of these studies and share my knowledge with the BC ceramics community. I didn’t have any mentors who looked like me while in university, so I am beyond excited to become the representation that I never had.” We are delighted to be a part of Gloria’s story and can’t wait to see her pass on her knowledge of ceramics at Place des Arts and in the BC ceramics community. WELCOME TO THE TEAM!

December 3, Clarissa Banos, she/her/hers Clarissa Banos is a visual artist originally from El Salvador, whose artwork focuses on traditional Latin American culture and folklore. She is passionate about the magnificence of indigenous civilizations of the Ancient Americas and particularly intrigued by the Pre- Hispanic iconography found in ancient textiles of Mexico, Central America and South America. Banos holds a BFA in Graphic Design from Universidad Dr. Jose Matias Delgado, El Salvador, and an MFA in Graphic Design and Illustration from University of Illinois at Chicago, where she graduated as a Fulbright LASPAU Scholarship grantee. Her professional background combines over 25 years of experience as a graphic designer, visual artist and visual arts instructor. She moved to BC in 2001, where she now lives and works. How have you changed over the past two years? “The past two years have been very transformative for me greatly due to the unforeseen outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic at the beginning of 2020 and the many challenges it has brought upon all of us around the world. Personally, it has challenged me to re-consider and to re-establish my priorities, goals and dreams as an individual and as an artist and to acquire a much greater appreciation for the simplest, yet most fulfilling things in life. Some of those simple things include: Enjoying quality time with and taking good care of yourself, your loved ones, your community & the planet. Dedicating non-negotiable time to do & to enjoy your creative work. Learning to pause, to be mindful and to live in the present moment with gratitude & appreciation. Join Clarissa on her artistic journey by engaging with her on her website & social platforms! www.clarissabanos.com

December 17, Gabrielle (Gabe) Unser, she/her/hers Growing up in the Tri-Cities, Gabrielle fell in love with music at a young age. She began her musical journey with the piano at the age of six. After the birth of her daughter, Gabrielle applied and was accepted into Capilano University’s Music Therapy program and graduated in September 2021. Prior to her graduation, Gabrielle did a thousand-hour internship within the Delta School District where she learned how to best provide music therapy for both neurodiverse and neurotypical children and youth. Gabrielle believes that children have the capability of developing and learning best when they are having fun. Her music therapy is heavily influenced by client-led and play-based forms of therapy. There is no right or wrong in Gabrielle’s music therapy sessions. How have you changed over the past two years? Over the past two years, Gabrielle has grown from a student into a Music therapist running her very own private practice. As a mom and a community member of the Tri-Cities area, Gabrielle noticed how inaccessible music therapy was for families. During her music therapy education, Gabrielle made it a goal of hers to create music therapy programs for the Tri-Cities that would be accessible to all types of families. She is beyond ecstatic to see this dream come into fruition. Follow Gabrielle on Facebook or Instagram @gabeunsermt to learn more about her music therapy services.

2021 Our Community Stories

Click through our gallery to explore the wide breadth of stories from different members of our Place des Arts community!