A few things about us...
Meet our Team
Artist / Director
erica@artventure.ca
Owning, running, and instructing Visual Arts in a private setting is a privilege and a pleasure. I graduated from Teacher's College with Visual Arts as my major followed by a B.Ed. degree from University of Alberta and have spent 40 years in the classroom teaching all grades - from Senior Kindergarten through to High School. When not in the classroom, I spent my time painting, sculpting, working on commissioned art, and raising our family. As retirement approached, so did my desire to begin a new and exciting chapter in life, and in 2007 ArtVenture became a reality. With each passing term at the studio, I continue to enjoy watching our students approach the process of art as an adventure. It is a journey I enjoy taking alongside my students and am very proud of the inclusive environment we were able to build at ArtVenture.
Manager / Director / Human Resources
ayala@artventure.ca
Creating ArtVenture from ground-up has been a family dream and a personal highlight of my career in the field of Education. Focusing on the Visual Arts has compiled all the best that education has to offer in one inspiring location with talented students, whose desire to learn is both invigorating and remarkable. Bringing forth 20 years of classroom experience with a B.Ed. degree that has enabled me to teach in Edmonton, Vancouver, Stratford, London (UK) and London (Ontario), I feel fortunate to be working alongside my family as we pay homage to art history and help pave the path towards a creative outlet for our current students. ArtVenture’s focus on the Visual Arts has enabled me as a passionate photographer, to bring forth my love for composition, balance, and repetition as means to imbue knowledge and inspire young artists in their journey towards a life of creativity.
Finance & Administration
hugo@artventure.ca
Shortly before retiring from an engineering career that took me from the University of Alberta in Edmonton to the National Research Council in London, I joined Erica and Ayala to co-found ArtVenture which was Erica's dream as an artist and art teacher. My interest, and later passion for finances, started when I joined H&R Block as a tax preparer in 1988. After completing the requirements and receiving a certificate from the Canadian Institute of Financial Planners I started my own business in personal and business taxation which I continue to practise to date. I'm proud to be part of this fine and unique institution and to be able to apply over three decades of experience in the field of finances to its success.
Instructor
My name is Ava and I am a second year student at Western University in Fine Arts with a specialization in Studio Arts. I have always had a passion for anything art related, from illustration to painting and everything in between. As a child I attended classes at ArtVenture and I am so grateful for the opportunity to be the teacher I once looked up to. I am very excited to be able pass on my love of art to others and can't wait to see what the school year brings!
Instructor
Art has always been a guiding force in everything I do in life. From ceramics to textile art to printmaking, I love trying new artistic mediums and learning about the histories that surround them. I found my love of ceramics from my time in the specialists program at Beal Art and am currently studying Fine Arts with a major in Museum and Curatorial studies at Western University. As a past student of ArtVenture, I am excited to be back as an instructor and help guide young artists through their artistic journey in an encouraging and supportive classroom environment.
Instructor
While I grew up with a love for art, it wasn’t until the first few months of H.B. Beal’s art program that I knew creating art would become my life goal. I went on to specialize in ceramics and lithographic printmaking and continued my studies in OCAD University’s illustration program, earning my bachelor’s in 2024. There isn’t an art medium I am unwilling to try, though I prefer to spend my free time painting, drawing, and crocheting. I have volunteered and worked with school-age children for nearly three years and am overjoyed to continue this journey at ArtVenture and grow alongside these young artists.
Instructor
Art has always held a spot in my heart. I studied with a major in Visual Arts and a minor in Set Design at York University then completed a diploma in Interior Design. All pathways in my life have allowed me to be creative and express myself through a given discipline. Over the past 8 years, I have been fortunate to share my ideas and skills in the visual arts through many venues and organizations in the city. Now, here I am at ArtVenture adding to my community of art loving people.
For me, art is about play. Play for children comes naturally, but for adults this can be difficult. We are taught to narrow our vision and live in boundaries. Art has allowed me freedom to connect to our world and search for tools and techniques that make me feel comfortable and soulful. My greatest dream for any artist, beginner or experienced, is make time to play and enjoy the process that comes with it. ArtVenture is the perfect setting for you to soar; I look forward to soaring too.
