Find out more about our visual arts teachers below.
Cara Bain
Catherine Dumaine
Clarissa Banos
Clive Tucker
Cyd Eva
Dan Severance
Emily Sheppard
Fredi Rahn
Kathleen Gros
Kenten Bowick
Kristen Conboy
Laura Vanderlinde
Lena Savic
Mariana Frochtengarten
Matin Komeili
Noelle Horrocks
Rebecca Blair
Riley O’Neill
Rosie Kerschbaumer
Ruth Griffiths
Stan Hunc
Suze Mercado
Cara Bain
Visual Arts for Children and Adults
Cara Bain has a passion for capturing the faces and places that surround her. Her work explores the ways people search for meaning and find a connection with themselves, with others and with their surroundings. She is also devoted to landscape painting, both indoors (working from images) and ‘en plein air’ (painting in the great outdoors from life). She’s known for her unique combination of oil paint with copper leaf patina, unexpected colours, and expressiveness.
Cara has been an art instructor since 2016 and joined the Place des Arts team in 2018, teaching and inspiring children, teens and adults to build a solid foundation of technique to express their creative ideas. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Visual Communication from Capilano University and over 15 years of experience in fine arts including participation in numerous exhibitions in greater Vancouver.
Catherine Dumaine
Fibre Arts for Children & Youth
Catherine Dumaine graduated from Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising (FIDM) in 1982 with an advanced certificate in Fashion Design and worked in the local garment industry for over a decade.
She has had a passionate interest in all textile arts for over 40 years.
While her formal introduction to weaving was through Place des Arts in the 1990s, her connection to handmade cloth began much earlier in high school. Catherine built upon those early lessons by participating in numerous workshops and exploring on her own to this day.
She now is a fibre artist living and working in Port Coquitlam while teaching in art centres, schools and institutions around the Lower Mainland since 2007.
While Catherine’s classes for children are among Place des Arts’ most popular programs, she is also a regular camp teacher where she offers a variety of fibre arts classes to both children and youth.
Catherine’s work has been exhibited in local shows including at Place des Arts, the Port Moody Festival of the Arts and at Leigh Square Community Arts Village. She also served as the curator for the Craft Year 2007 exhibit entitled Au Naturel.
Catherine has led community engagement workshops for Place des Arts, both at the centre and as our representative at external community events. In 2013, she helped our organization celebrate our 40th Anniversary with her community engagement Social Fabric Project, and in 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 as an Artist in Residence (AiR) where she engaged thousands of school students to create lantern installations that were unveiled during our annual winter season event.
Catherine is an active member of the Coquitlam Weavers Guild acting as their Exhibit Coordinator.
Clarissa Banos
Drawing & Painting for Children and Youth
Clarissa Banos is a visual artist whose subject matter focuses on traditional Latin American culture and folklore. Her ancestral heritage inspires her colourful acrylic paintings: 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.
She holds a BFA in Graphic Design from Universidad Dr. Jose Matias Delgado, El Salvador, and an MFA in Graphic Design and Illustration from the University of Illinois, Chicago, where she graduated as a Fulbright LASPAU Scholarship grantee.
Clarissa’s artwork has been exhibited in solo and group exhibitions in various cities globally including Vancouver, Chicago, New York, Milan, Canary Islands and Barcelona. Her paintings can be found in private art collections in Central and South America, the United States, Canada and Europe. She has been a visual arts instructor at Place des Arts since 2019.
Clive Tucker
Ceramic Arts for Adults
Almost 20 years ago in a dim corner of industrial Yorkshire, Clive Tucker strayed from his appointed path. After years of study completing two science degrees, Tucker found himself slaving in one of England’s “dark satanic mills.” Disillusioned, he cast his job aside and fled to the exotic east.
In 1993, he landed in Durness, Scotland to apprentice with Lotte Glob at The Far North Pottery. There, he learned the art of throwing and dreamed of becoming an artist. Immigrating to Ontario in 1994, it was not long before he became a self-sufficient potter.
In 1998, restlessness struck once more, and he moved to Vancouver to attend Emily Carr University of Art and Design. Upon graduating he was invited to be artist in residence at the Port Moody Art Centre. Late in 2008, Clive and fellow potter Jacqueline Sheridan opened their own studio, Straight Up Studios in Port Moody.
Clive believes in a playful, yet poignant approach to art. He is very focused on keeping elements of play and whimsy in his work with a light sprinkling of irony. For more information about Clive and his work, visit his website here.
Cyd Eva
Visual Arts
I am an emerging interdisciplinary visual artist and fashion designer from Coquitlam, BC. I love patterns and colours and create art in a variety of mediums including painting, murals, clothing design, upcycling vintage, collage, textile sculpture, dance, film and photography through the brand I run called Pattern Nation.
I have a BFA in visual art from Simon Fraser University (2016) and a degree in fashion design from Cape Town College of Fashion Design (2021). I have taught youth art workshops at ArtStarts in Vancouver, painted a mural with youth through “Painting with a Purpose” in Durban South Africa and shared Blobs, interactive play sculptures with youth in Durban (South Africa), London (United Kingdom), and Vancouver at the Museum of Vancouver, ArtStarts, Art in the Park (North Van), Poco Community Centre, Circles Festival and The Granville Promenade.
I have shown my art and fashion designs at galleries and on runways locally and internationally since graduating from Riverside High School in Port Coquitlam (2011). I believe in encouraging creative expression and individuality in my students. I have been told by the parent of a past student that “The creativity and initiative that you inspire and encourage have far-reaching effects while providing a welcoming, inclusive, fun and supportive environment.” I strive to create that type of experience for all my students while sharing with them tools with which to realize results and open doors to their imagination. As a former student of Place des Arts Summer Fun! program, I am overjoyed to be teaching at the very summer camp which inspired me as a young artist.
Dan Severance
Ceramics Technician, Ceramic Arts for Adults
Dan Severance first did wheel throwing in high school in Burnaby and was lucky to have potters as teachers who encouraged him to take classes at the Shadbolt Centre in Burnaby. But like most youth, it was adventure time and clay work was put aside.
27 years later in 2004, Dan decided to try wheel throwing again. He took a beginners course with Gillian McMillan at the Port Moody Arts Centre, followed by more courses taught by Clive Tucker.
Dan Severance’s work has shifted to handbuilding functional wares decorated with brightly coloured underglazes. Dan is a member of the BC Potters Guild and the Tri-City Potters’ Group. In addition to the Artisan Shop at Place des Arts, his work can be seen at the Kizmit gift gallery in Fort Langley.
Emily Sheppard
Emily Sheppard is an interdisciplinary artist heavily focused in ceramics both on and off the wheel. She has been a studio artist and art teacher for over 10 years and holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) from Emily Carr University and a Fine Arts Diploma from North Island College.
Her work is rooted in tradition with a contemporary twist. Through vibrant painterly marks on functional pottery or realistic sculpted works in clay, Sheppard’s versatile skills and passion for ceramics is both obvious and contagious. Whether you are new or seasoned in working with clay, you will enjoy connecting with her in the studio for an exceptional learning environment.
Fredi Rahn
Ceramic Arts
Friederike (Fredi) Rahn was born in 1966 in Harlow, England. She studied ceramics at Sheridan College, ON, and the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design. Since 1990, she has maintained an active studio practice in Vancouver.
Fredi has participated in artists’ residencies at Watershed, Maine, the Archie Bray Foundation, Montana, and participated in the Mexico/Canada ceramics exchange in Puebla, Mexico and the Banff Centre.
She teaches at the Shadbolt Centre for the Arts and the Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design. Fredi makes utilitarian tableware with strong decorative elements. Her work is exhibited across Canada and the United States.
Kathleen Gros
Adult and Children Comics
Kathleen Gros is a cartoonist living in Vancouver. Her graphic novels include: Carousel Summer, I Hated You in High School, Anne: An Adaptation of Anne of Green Gables (Sort Of), Jo: An Adaptation of Little Women (Sort Of), and Last Night at Wyrmwood High. She is currently working on her sixth graphic novel. She loves encouraging people of all ages to learn about the magic of comic-making!
Kenten Bowick
Cartooning & Animation
Kenten is an animator and cartoonist, working at a Vancouver animation studio, making cartoons such as the Emmy-winning Rick and Morty. Having made and sold comic books since he was young, Kenten also makes his own animations on YouTube.
Kristen Conboy
Basketry for Adults
It is the tactile nature of basketry that inspires Kristen to continue learning and teaching basketry – and the practical side of her loves to create functional art that can be used and admired. Basket weaving is about creating something with your hands; there is a sense of satisfaction gained from looking at the finished product and saying, “I made that.”
Kristen has over 20 years of experience working with fibre, whether it be knitting, weaving or basketry. Kristen’s professional career is outside of the studio; to the classroom she brings with her years of experience teaching adults, a passion for learning and a love of creating.
Laura Vanderlinde
Ceramics
Laura Vanderlinde is a full-time ceramic artist living in Vancouver. She has worked in clay for over 35 years. She has a studio creating functional and garden wares.
Laura teaches at Trout Lake and Douglas Park Community Centres. She has taught at Port Moody, FalseCreek, West Point Grey and Kerrisdale Community Centres in Vancouver. She has given clay-related workshops and demonstrations to guilds and clubs in British Columbia and Alberta. Laura has taught at MISSA, the Northern Clay Symposium in Prince George and children at Nootka and Chief Maquinna Elementary Schools.
Laura has received Artist Recognition Awards twice for excellence in clay medium at Edmonds Art Festival in Washington, USA. She received the best booth award at Out of Hand Craft Show in Victoria. She has been awarded grants from Circle Craft Co-op and Metchosin International Summer School for tuition.
Laura has been commissioned by Thomas Hass Chocolatier, Vij’s Curry Gallery, Wild Rice Fusion and Bojangles to design restaurant tableware. She produced 200 mugs for Swiss Water’s recognition program.
Laura takes part in summer craft shows such as the Filberg Festival in Comox and the Harmony Arts Festival in West Vancouver. Winter shows are Circle Craft in Vancouver, the Eastside Culture Crawl and Out of Hand Modern Market. Exhibitions include “Three” at the Gallery of BC Ceramics and a group show “Black and White 100”.
Laura is constantly updating and upgrading her creative skills by taking workshops. This challenges her abilities and diversity of artistic practices and keeps her inquisitive.
Her hobbies are felting and gardening.
Lena Savic
Visual Arts
Lena’s fields of exploration include mixed media, installation, photography and poetry. She is drawn to the interplay of light, line, space and texture.
Lena studied Art History in her home country at Belgrade University as well as Fine Arts at Langara College and Emily Carr University of Art + Design (ECUAD). After completing a graduate program in Expressive Arts Therapy, Lena further developed an interest in intermodal expression. This model of psychotherapy uses the flow of the creative process in different art forms (movement, drama, visual arts, poetry), promoting personal and community healing, connection and growth.
Lena has participated in various artist residencies, community art projects, open studios and city art events and shows. She has over 15 years of experience in running art programs and workshops for children and adults and currently teaches at both Place des Arts and Arbutus Club.
She’s grateful to be a part of Place des Arts’ rich and diverse creative community while supporting the organization in fulfilling an important mission to foster talent, support inclusivity and reflecting the vibrant local culture. Lena’s students, and the Place des Arts events that she experiences here, continue to inspire her as an instructor, artist and therapist.
Mariana Frochtengarten
Fabric Printing, Stamping and Dyeing
I am a textile artist and art teacher, with an almost thirty-year career dedicated to the resist dyeing methods of Batik and Shibori and the universe of fibres. I have practised Batik on fabric and on paper for 17 consecutive years and Shibori for the other years. In the past few years, I have also been fascinated by the world of stamping and printing, which I love to combine with dyed surfaces. I have a Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Arts and Education, a Master’s Degree in Fine Arts/Textiles and a Certificate in Expressive Arts Therapy. I combine all my studies and work experiences in my teachings, transferring my knowledge while fostering students’ creativity, imagination and their search for their artistic languages. I have worked with people of all ages and backgrounds as a mixed-media art teacher and as a textile art teacher, offering short and long programs in a variety of settings and class formats. I love leading community projects and facilitating collective artwork, helping people to connect through art and the unique qualities of textiles.
Matin Komeili
Visual Arts
I am Matin Komeili, an art teacher with over 9 years of experience teaching a variety of mediums including mixed media, painting (oils, acrylics and watercolors), coloured pencils, pastels and drawing. Throughout my career, I’ve had the pleasure of teaching both children and adults, helping them discover the joy of creating art while learning new techniques and expressing their emotions.
When it comes to working with kids, I love fostering an environment where creativity and imagination can flourish. I believe in giving kids the freedom to experiment with different materials, helping them build confidence in their abilities and encouraging them to develop their own artistic style. In my classes, students are always excited to explore new ways of expressing themselves, and I’m there every step of the way to guide them and make learning fun.
For adults, I strive to create a relaxing and inspiring atmosphere where students can connect with their emotions through art. I believe that creating art is not only about technique—it’s a form of self-expression. My goal is to help students tap into their creative energy, whether they are beginners or more experienced artists. Together, we create a space where every student can enjoy the process of painting, drawing and discovering new creative outlets.
My teaching approach is about making art accessible and enjoyable for everyone. I truly believe that anyone can create beautiful art and my classes are designed to support and inspire every student to reach their full potential while having fun along the way.
Noelle Horrocks
Ceramic Arts for Children and Youth
Noelle is a ceramic artist and instructor who is passionate about sharing her love of clay with students of all ages. She has a BFA in Ceramics from Emily Carr and 18 years of teaching experience throughout the Lower Mainland at organizations such as Arts Umbrella, The Anvil Centre and The Surrey Art Gallery. Her studio practice focusses on whimsy, storytelling and colour as it relates to sculptural forms.
She believes that clay is a unique and magical material that allows unlimited possibilities in creative expression and finds great joy in supporting her students in finding their own unique art voice and vision.
Rebecca Blair
Harp | Music Theory/Harmony | Adult Visual Arts
Ages: 8+ | Level: Any | Exam Prep: No
Music Bio
Rebecca’s career as a musician and teacher has been both rich and varied. Her musical studies began in the classical realm with the clarinet, culminating in 1996 when she graduated with a master’s degree in performance and musicology from the University of Victoria.
Since then, she has focused her interest on Celtic music and improvisation on the harp, attending many Celtic harp workshops all over North America and Ireland, where she studied with such notables as Kim Robertson and Sharlene Wallace.
Rebecca’s approach to playing and teaching the harp draws on her classical background and combines it with her passion for Celtic music. Her teaching philosophy focuses on balancing disciplined technique with improvisation and creativity.
Rebecca regularly gives harp workshops at Place des Arts, which attract students from all over the province. She is active in the Vancouver folk music scene, performing around the Lower Mainland as both a soloist and with groups such as the Maenads and Triskellion.
Rebecca works as a freelance musician, playing at many special events; her audiences have included the President of Ireland and the International Bar Association. She has also applied her skills as a studio musician and has been featured on CD’s such as the Maenads and Orra Chan by Teresa Doyle. Rebecca keeps a busy schedule of teaching and performing, as well as studying Irish dance. Visit her website at www.dancingharp.com.
Visual Arts Bio
Rebecca Blair has been an active member of the arts community in Vancouver, which includes a decade of teaching at Place des Arts. She received a Bachelor of Fine Arts from University of Lethbridge and a Master’s of Arts from the University of Victoria. For nine years Rebecca taught drawing courses at Whatcom Community College in Washington State.
Rebecca’s art experiences have also taken her to Italy where she taught for a semester in Florence and attended a fresco restoration workshop in Altamura, Puglia. She has participated in several local art events such as the East Vancouver Cultural Crawl and art shows at Place des Arts. She attends the life drawing sessions at Vancouver’s Basic Inquiry studio.
Rebecca’s body of work focuses on watercolour landscapes and portraits in various media which is inspired by her travels both local and abroad. She is presently writing a book on the 17th-century Dutch artist, Jan Vermeer.
Riley O’Neill
Animation and Manga
I am a filmmaker, animator and visual artist currently residing in Coquitlam. Through my little creations, I strive to invent techniques that liberate our materials from rigidity towards new and unusual forms. I have a bachelor’s degree in filmmaking from Simon Fraser University and am currently working on two film projects funded by the Canada Council for the Arts and the National Film Board of Canada. I have taught in South Korea and Japan and currently instruct classes with various art organizations in the Lower Mainland. With each class, I endeavour to create opportunities for each student to incorporate their unique ideas into the project at hand.
Rosie Kerschbaumer
Fibre Arts for Adults
Rosie Kerschbaumer has a BA from the University of Alberta and a Fashion Arts and Technology Diploma from Kwantlen Polytechnic. She also worked in the garment industry for several years. She is a member of the Coquitlam and the Greater Vancouver Weavers’ and Spinners’ Guilds. Rosie is captivated by the way weaving blends different fibres, techniques and structures to create endless unique results.
Ruth Griffiths
Fibre Arts for Adults
Born and raised locally, fibre art skills including knitting, sewing and weaving were first passed on to me by family members. A self-taught spinner, to begin with, I have pursued a greater depth of knowledge through workshops and have won awards for my work. Dyeing with natural dye sources has become a great passion as well. I have taught “beginning spinning” at a local yarn store. Sharing my fibre passion with others is always a deeply satisfying process.
Stan Hunc
Visual Arts for Adult, Children & Youth
Stan is an art practitioner with ten years of formal art training (MFA and MEd) and lifelong practice. Currently, he works as a semiretired art instructor at Emily Carr University of Art and Design in Vancouver and at Place des Arts in Coquitlam. Throughout the years, Stan’s work has been presented at individual and group art shows in Poland, Austria, Germany, Belgium, Switzerland, Hungary, South Korea, China and Canada.
More info: www.stanhunc.com
Suze Mercado
Suze Mercado is a client-focused art instructor and art therapist dedicated to providing anti-oppressive care. Suze uses her therapeutic understanding of play therapy and attachment theory and focuses on regulating the nervous system to ensure her students feel safe and supported. Suze is driven by a passion for the arts and a desire to share these powerful practices with her community.
Suze is originally from San Jose, California. She received a Bachelor of Arts in Fine Arts at Colorado College, a Degree in Art Therapy at the Kutenai Art Therapy Institute and a Degree in Digital Art from Selkirk College in Nelson, BC. She moved to Vancouver in September 2023 to expand her creative network and build her art career.
Suze’s philosophy as an artist centres around the idea of absurdism and making meaning out of coincidence. Her creative practice is multidisciplinary in traditional and digital mediums, such as figure drawing, painting, collage, tattoo art, video editing and animation. She is experimental and collaborative in her approach and explores surrealist practices such as free association and blind contour drawing.
Suze’s fine art is primarily portraiture and figurative art with an abstract, expressionist twist. She is inspired by artists such as Egon Schiele, Alice Neel, Ralph Steadman and Jenny Saville. Her art is a vehicle to explore underlying themes of Jungian psychoanalysis, contemporary pop culture, ancient mythology and feminist, queer advocacy. Lately, she is especially drawn to the ineffable magic of a single line and the evocative quality of simple, abstract mark-making.
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