Meet the Castle Arts Crew!
At Castle Arts we hold strongly to the belief that all our teachers must have a passion in both teaching and in the arts. Our team of teachers have a University and or College degree in the arts with extensive experience teaching children of all ages. All our teachers are either current teachers in the Ontario School Board and/or current practicing artists in their field. We are proud to have to have a team of teachers that can inspire our students' growth and love towards the arts!
Connie Y.
Teacher
Ms. Connie has taught many students ranging from SK to grade eight in the Toronto District School Board. In Ms. Connie’s classroom the students are always excited and ready to learn because she builds a sense of community and encourages student communication in her art classes. She helps students develop confidence to share their own artistic ideas and to help one another through their artistic challenges. Ms. Connie always has many resourceful arts and craft projects for the students and strategies to guide students to create art out of their own comfort zone. We are very glad to have Ms. Connie as an artistic role model to students of all ages at Castle Arts!
Qualifications:
· Bachelor of Education (Primary/Junior); Bachelor of Fine Arts Specialized Honours (Visual Arts)
· Current Occasional Teacher / Long Term Occasional Teacher for Toronto District School Board
· YCDSB International Language Program: Taught primary students in speaking, reading, writing Chinese
“Art can mean many different things to different people during different stages of life. It could range from the feeling of being in love, to reminding you of something that you watched on TV. No matter what form or medium art comes in, we use it to express ourselves and to provoke thoughts and feelings onto others. Through my teaching, I hope that I will be able to guide my students express themselves in a creative manner, be unafraid to take risks, and to foster their love and joy for art!” – Ms. Connie
Valerie G.
Teacher
Qualifications:
· Bachelor of Education (Primary/Junior); Bachelor of Fine Arts Specialized Honours (Visual Arts)
· Current Occasional Teacher / Long Term Occasional Teacher for Toronto District School Board
· Royal Crest Academy Private School – Taught Grade 1-8 Visual arts and curated a venue for a number of students’ art pieces displayed for the Arts and Music Festival
Ms. Valerie has numerous experiences teaching in the Toronto District School Board ranging from primary to junior level students. She has taught visual arts and various subjects at Royal Crest Academy private school in Maple, Ontario. Within Ms. Valerie’s art class, her friendly and welcoming personality very much encourages all students’ artistic endeavours. She makes sure all student’s artistic vision are met by encouraging student creativity and exploration. Ms. Valerie’s extensive experiences in teaching and her passion for the arts makes her an excellent teacher here at Castle Arts!
“Art is an expression of everyone's unique and creative imagination. As an art teacher, I hope to foster my students' creativity and guide them in creating works of art that reflect their individual creative minds. I hope to inspire students to produce art they are proud of sharing and calling their own.” – Ms. Valerie
Denise C.
Teacher
Ms. Denise has extensive experience teaching the Ontario curriculum’s Visual Arts program within the Toronto District School Board in Ontario. Ms. Denise graduated with a master’s degree in art history and Curatorial Studies from York University. As a current teacher in the school board and Castle Arts her extensive experience in teaching engages our senior and portfolio level students to effectively critique their artwork and develop better concepts and meaning as well. Our students are often drawn into her vast knowledge of art history accompanied by her enthusiastic approach to creating art. We are truly delighted she can bring her talents and experiences here to Castle Arts.
Qualitfications:
· Bachelor of Education (Secondary Education); Bachelor of Fine Arts Specialized Honours (Visual Arts)
· Masters of Arts – Art History and Curatorial Studies from York University
· Varley Art Gallery of Markham – Education and Research Administrator (2020 - 2021)
“The creative process is, in other words, very much a learning process. As an art teacher, I aim to inspire deeper critical thought in combination with the development of more complex technical skills in the students I teach.” – Ms. Denise
Victoria N.
Teacher
Ms. Victoria is currently a full-time graphic designer and freelance digital artist. She graduated with a master’s degree in Arts Management and Heritage Studies from Leeds University. Ms. Victoria is well established in teaching art; she has taught at various afterschool art programs and summer camps since 2017. In Ms. Victoria’s classroom she always teaches students to not only create art but to value and have their own unique voice and expression in their works. Her own practice as a graphic designer and digital artist is a great inspiration to many of our students who are interested in pursuing a career in design and/or digital art. We are thrilled to have Ms. Victoria share her passion and knowledge in the art field to our students at Castle Arts!
Qualifications:
· Bachelor of Fine Arts Specialized Honours (Visual Arts)
· Masters of Arts – Arts Management and Heritage Studies from Leeds University
· Taught in various of afterschool art programs and summer camps
"Art is a way of expression with the power to stimulate emotions and to inspire others. I create art with the hope that it would bring joy into the lives of those who see it. As an art teacher, I hope to inspire my students to value art as much as I do.
I want to help them find their own voice to express through their art and to create their own unique style." - Ms. Victoria
Jane C.
Teacher
Ms. Jane is currently working as a full-time illustrator while teaching art to students of all ages. Her professional illustrations can actually be found in various establishments across Markham, chances are you may have seen them! Ms. Jane graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts and completed the Illustration Program at Seneca College. Students are often inspired by her art projects that focus on students’ development in their drawing skills while exploring mixed-media and collaging techniques in class. Ms. Jane strives to create a positive learning space to foster not only drawing skills to our students but to also help them develop problem solving skills through artistry and imagination. We are extremely grateful to have Ms. Jane inspire and teach our students!
Qualifications:
· Bachelor of Fine Arts Specialized Honours (Visual Arts)
· Completion Illustration Program at Seneca College
“As important as it is to foster and nurture talent, I believe it is equally true that anyone, regardless of age or level of artistic ability, can learn and appreciate art in its myriad of forms. As an instructor, it is always exciting to see the creative potential in every student.” - Ms. Jane
Daniela F.
Teacher
Ms. Daniela is a passionate artist and educator dedicated to nurturing creativity in students of all ages! She comes from an impressive blend of formal education and many hands-on teaching art experiences catering to both children and adults. Ms. Daniela graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree and during her academic journey she has also served as a Sculpture Representative for VASA (Visual Arts Students’ Association) at York University. With a wealth of experience in guiding both children and adults through various art programs, including her time as a dedicated volunteer student art teacher at a high school, Daniela possesses a remarkable ability to connect with students across the age spectrum. Her mission is to guide children to value their time and make space for their own creative pursuits. We are grateful to have Daniela inspire and guide our students on their artistic journeys!
Qualifications:
· Bachelor of Fine Arts Honours (Visual Arts)
· Latcham Art Centre – Art Instructor (2021 – 2022)
· Student Art Teacher at St. Brother Andrew Catholic Highschool
· Taught in various art classes and camps for children and adults
"For me, art has become a spiritual, emotional and healing practice that has helped me feel grounded in times of stress and uncertainty. I believe that art making and creation is something that humans long for, yet the modern world has become so fast paced and technology-oriented that quiet moments of creation are hard to come by. Passions and hobbies have been replaced by hustle culture which has silenced our inner desires to create. My goal as an educator is to show children how to slow down; to remind them to make time for their creative endeavours. I want my students to break the boundaries of society’s perception of art and creation. I encourage young artists to think out of the box and to remember that my creative process is merely a guideline for them to discover their own." - Ms. Daniela
Queenie Chu
Director and Teacher
"In my role as the director of Castle Arts and a fellow educator, my personal mission is to empower Castle Arts to serve as a catalyst for students' artistic development. My goal is to assist students in charting their own unique artistic journeys, whether it leads them to pursue a career in the arts or simply to fuel their personal creative growth.
I take immense pride in our cohesive and supportive team of educators and staff who contribute their teaching to nurture our students' creative abilities. On behalf of the entire Castle Arts Crew, we eagerly anticipate witnessing our students' ongoing growth in the years ahead!"
- Ms. Queenie Chu
Queenie Chu is a teacher and director of Castle Arts who believes in using visual arts as a means of tapping into one's creativity and strengthening this creativity through practice. Queenie has built Castle Arts in mind to provide children and youth a space that can help inspire artistic growth and learning.
Queenie currently holds two bachelor's degrees in Education and Fine Arts from York University. She found her passion in teaching when she taught and conducted at a church choir at a young age. During her teaching career she taught in the York Region District School Board and started teaching private art lessons, music lessons, and day school subjects in her home studio.
During her university years she gained leadership experiences in afterschool programs that have set up her skills as a director. She picked up management, organizational, and collaboration skills from her role as a co-president of the Visual Art Student Association and as curator of the Eleanor Winters Art Gallery at her alma mater. Her extensive list of organizing student events and art workshops inspired her current thoughts and beliefs in the importance of creating a strong community of teachers, students, and parents at Castle Arts.
Queenie believes Castle Arts will not only be a place for students to learn the creative and technical art skills but as a place for everyone to be inspired and to pursue their artistic growth and learning in their own personal lives for many years to come.