About our teachers
Claudine Ascher has been a professional artist for more than 20 years. She has a Bachelor of Arts, a Diploma in Education from McGill University, a Bachelor of Fine Arts and a Master of Art Education from Concordia University. She has taught art technique and practiced at Arts Centers around Montreal and Banff.
Contact Claudine by email:
Kristy Boisvert holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts with a Specialization in Art Education from Concordia University. She has graduated from Professional Photography and Illustration and Design at Dawson College. Kristy is a freelance illustrator and graphic designer specializing in children’s illustration and small business branding.
Kevin Bourne is a Montreal based jazz guitarist and graduate of the Jazz Faculty Program at McGill University. Most recently, Kevin has been performing on board the NCL Norwegian Sun as the guitarist for the ship’s showband, playing with artists from all over the world.
As a freelance musician, he is accustomed to playing in various jazz ensembles, but has also been involved in various musical theatre productions since 2012, both as a guitarist and a band leader.
The most recent productions Kevin was involved in was with the West Island Student Theatre Association (WISTA), including their production of Bye Bye Birdie, in which he conducted the pit orchestra and served as band leader. His previous work has been in productions by McGill’s Arts Undergraduate Theatre Society, Beautiful City Theatre, Côte Saint-Luc Dramatic Society, as well as WISTA.
Megan Bradley is a graduate of the John Abbott College Professional Theatre Program and has been working at the Dollard Centre for the Arts for over five years, teaching Theatre during the school year and working at the Summer Camp. This is her fifth year as the co-supervisor of the Summer Fine Arts Camp. Outside of DDO, Megan is an actor and works with the Montreal Shakespeare Theatre Company doing their ‘Shakespeare for Kids’ School Tour.
Bernard Caron has been teaching since 2002 and became co-founder and co-director of the Tango Rico school in Chambly from 2003 to 2013. He is an associate professor at Air de Tango in Montreal and is the founder of www.tangoexpress.org, an event directory for the tango in North America.
Jelani Corbie studied Popular Music at Vanier College and Integrative Music Studies at Concordia University. He is a song and music composer who has performed with various groups and has taught in community music schools.
Caroline Di Nunzio has a DEC in Creative Arts and Culture from Dawson College and is completing her degree in Art Education at Concordia University. She has taught art in elementary schools and art centres in the area including our own Summer Fine Arts Camp.
Eva Ferenczy-Reichmann is an accomplished artist/ceramist; her career spanning over 30 years. Whether in clay or on paper, her love of her craft is infectious as she gladly shares it with skill and passion, drawing in her students into a world of creativity. “Teaching is a great privilege and joy!”
Janette Haggar has a DEC in ceramic technology from John Abbott College, a Bachelor and a Masters Degree in Art Education from Concordia University. She has experience teaching at the preschool through to university level.
Luc Herrmann is a Montreal based guitarist who has been performing regularly in Quebec and across Canada for the last 10 years. Either as the leader of his project the ‘‘Luc Herrmann Group’’ or as a sideman for musicians like Geneviève Racette, Isabelle Young or various jazz groups.
Holding a Bachelor’s in jazz performance from McGill university, his specialty lies in jazz but he has a great interest in a wide variety of music.
Luc’s guitar lessons are personalized to the needs of each individual student and the guitarist is passionate about teaching his students how to profoundly master the neck of their guitar and dissect their favorite songs.
Karen Ho has a BCA in Music (Jazz) and a Master of Musicology from Université de Montréal. She has taught at various music, elementary and preschools on the West Island.
Jacinta Ionno has a BA from McGill University, a degree in Commercial Art from the Art Academy and is completing a BFA at Concordia University. She has experience teaching both children and adults and has exhibited her artwork around the Montreal area.
Contact Jacinta by email:
Corinne Krikorian has studied dance from a young age and tango since 2003. After learning from experienced teachers in Montreal she moved to Buenos Aires to study with renowned tango Masters. She teaches in Montreal, Quebec City and internationally and operates a popular milonga (tango dance evening) at the Rialto Theatre.
Sherrie Marginean is a professional musician with over 20 years performing and teaching experience. Her classical training was at Vanier College with Jocelyne Fleury-Coutu.
She has travelled extensively with her musical group, co-written and recorded two albums, performed on other’s CDs and was the voice of several radio jingles.
While studying Fine Arts at Concordia University in the early 1980’s, Renée decided to look elsewhere for inspiration and discovered watercolour – she never looked back. Enthralled with this medium, Renée continued her studies in Montreal with Renata Heidersdorf and Ming Ma. She also took many workshops with American watercolorists, including Gerald Brommer, Chen Kee Chee and other masters in their field.
Her watercolours of nature-inspired subjects have won awards in Canada and the United States, and can be found in private and corporate collections in North America and parts of Europe.
Renée began sharing her passion for watercolour by teaching, first children, and then adults at her home studio in Dollard-des-Ormeaux. By the early 1990’s she was teaching primarily adults at her studio and also offering workshops for many artists’ groups and associations.
A member of the Lakeshore Artists’ Association, founding member of the Dollard Artists’ Association and long-time member of the Dorval Artists’ Association, Renée continues to teach and paint in her studio and also experiments with various papers and techniques not only to be more creative in her own work, but to inspire her students to improve in theirs. Her classes allow students to explore and develop their creativity as well as master the finer points of watercolour techniques. “Each person is an individual, and their work must reflect their individuality. One must come to class with an open mind ready to take risks, have fun and enjoy the journey”.
Jason Nocie is a recent addition to Canada after moving to DDO from Vermont. In university, he majored in drawing, painting, printmaking with a minor in art history. His master’s degree was in sculpture, working with both alabaster and marble. He also spent time in Carrara, Italy where he was taught by a master sculptor. For the past several years, Jason has focused on wood burning, primarily in recreations of historical maps.
Carl Ragonese has a Masters in music from Université de Montréal and a Bachelor of Arts (Music Theory /Composition) from Concordia University. Carl has been teaching piano and music theory in various public and private schools since 2001.
He also has many years experience in preparing students for piano exams including McGill conservatory, RCM and Vincent d’Indy. Carl is also very active as a composer/pianist performing with his ensemble throughout the city and abroad.
Linda Beck Sidel has a DEC in Creative Arts from Vanier College and is a graduate of the Interior Design Programme at Dawson College. She has experience teaching workshops in Acrylic Mediums privately and at various locations throughout Montreal.
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Geneviève Sideleau lives and works in Montreal, where she earned her MFA from Concordia University. She has exhibited in Montreal, Ottawa, Northwest Territories, Boston, South Korea, and Serbia with an interdisciplinary practice involving painting, drawing, object-based work and installation. Sideleau is an art instructor working in several art centers in Montreal and also volunteers her time to give creative classes to the elderly in the West Island. You can find her work in private and public collections across Canada, United States and abroad as well as at Seven Below Gallery in Ottawa.
Contact Geneviève by email:
