NAPP Cohort 4

Written By Toyin Oladele

Newcomer Arts Professional Program Cohort 4 Pairs

Edmonton Mentor & Mentee Pairs

 

Alira

Multidisciplinary Artist

  • Alira’s artistic journey began in Hong Kong, where immersion in a vibrant cultural landscape shaped their creative outlook. With an international background and natural sensitivity to the world, Alira has long turned to both visual and written art as a way to process and express complex emotions. Believing that art is inseparable from society, their practice positions creativity as a vital channel for healing, dialogue, and transformation.

    Primarily working in painting and writing, Alira often engages with social and political contexts, exploring themes such as love, hope, freedom, mental health, and human rights. Their works act as both visual expressions of resistance and therapeutic outlets.

    Over time, Alira has developed a strong interest in the intersection of art and mental health, viewing creative expression as a tool for healing trauma, regulating emotions, and fostering connection. Blending Eastern and Western influences, their hybrid style bridges traditions, cultures, and inner and outer worlds.

 

Saskia Aarts

Art consultant, Visual and Movement Artist

  • Saskia is a first generation Canadian who has been a part of the arts community in amiskwaciwâskahikan/Edmonton for over 20 years. Her diverse skillset includes curating, consultancy, arts administration, and choreography. She is deeply passionate about creating accessible pathways to all forms of art and culture, and elevating artistic and cultural voices through public programming, education and mentorship.

    She has worked for and with a number of not for profit, and commercial organizations, many individual artists, and has curated many visual art and fine craft exhibitions throughout her career. In addition to her visual art career, Saskia is a MENA (Middle Eastern and North African) and Modern Fusion dance instructor and artistic director. Her visual art practice is currently centred in stained glass and painting, and is a celebration of human expression, archetypes and femininity.

 

Enrique

Visual Artist

  • Originally from Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, México. Enrique studied Sociology at the University of Guadalajara and a Master’s degree in Cognitive Sciences from the Autonomous University of the State of Morelos. For several years, he worked as a university professor in the field of Social Sciences, exploring through teaching and research the multiple dimensions of human complexity. 

    His approach to art has been as an outsider, guided more by intuition and direct experience than by institutional frameworks. He began his sculptural practice in the workshop of the late sculptor Francisco Curiel Quintero, of whom he was the last apprentice. This mentorship deeply shaped his understanding of artistic work as a form of existential inquiry. In addition to sculpture, he also creates works in painting, essay writing, and screenwriting for short films. 

    Both in academia and in the arts, his work engages with the tensions between the individual and the collective, revolving around the central question: why are we the way we are? Curiosity, rather than certainty, is the driving force behind his work—always aimed at understanding the ways in which the human experience is manifested, transformed, expressed, and lived.

 

Christian Pérès Gibaut

Artist, Project Manager, and Arts and Culture Administrator

  • Christian Pérès Gibaut is an Argentinian‑Canadian artist, project manager, and arts and culture administrator. He is the Co‑Director of Red Knot Studio, where he collaborates with artist Erin Pankratz to create large‑scale mosaic and sculptural public artworks that bring joy and wonder to communities. His practice has taken him across Canada and Latin America, blending traditional craftsmanship with bold, contemporary design, and has been supported by numerous grants. Christian combines his artistic practice with strong project management expertise, holding a PMP designation and a background in Lean methodologies. Alongside his studio work, he serves as Art & Culture Program Specialist for the City of Spruce Grove, where he develops frameworks and processes to support public art and other cultural initiatives. He is passionate about sharing knowledge, fostering collaboration, and helping artists thrive in both the creative and practical dimensions of the arts.

 

BARI

Digital Expressionist 

  • Mohammed Osman is a Sudanese-born digital abstract expressionist whose work navigates themes of spirituality, identity, and activism. With a background in architecture, he merges structural precision with organic fluidity, crafting evocative compositions that invite introspection. His artistic practice is deeply influenced by his Sufi upbringing, fostering a connection between the seen and unseen.

    Osman’s work has been exhibited internationally, including in Cairo, Paris, Beijing, New York, Bali, and Edmonton. 

    His art serves as both personal exploration and a visual dialogue on resilience, migration, and the evolving Sudanese experience.

    Beyond creation, Osman is passionate about empowering artists through education and collaboration. He has led workshops on blockchain technology for artists, bridging traditional and digital art economies. Now based in Canada, he continues to push artistic boundaries, blending traditional techniques with digital media to tell stories that transcend borders while maintaining a deep cultural and spiritual connection.

 

Bushra Yousaf

Visual Artist

  • Bushra Yousaf is a contemporary artist, Director of the Women's Art Museum of Canada, and Founder of Easel Eye—a creative platform that promotes inclusive storytelling through art. Her work explores emotional healing, identity, and the power of visual expression to cultivate peace and spark social change. As a NAPP mentor, Bushra is committed to fostering creativity, community, and mentorship in spaces that uplift diverse voices and encourage transformative growth.

 

Sayeh

Visual Artist

  • Sayeh was born and raised in Iran and now resides in Edmonton, Canada. She holds a BFA in Painting from Accademia Albertina di Belle Arti di Torino (2015) in Italy and an Associate of Arts in Graphic Design from Alzahra Vocational College in Tabriz, Iran.

    Rooted in sociopolitical realities, her art reflects the human condition and collective experiences shaped by displacement, inequality, and resistance. Exploring themes of freedom, immigration, women’s rights, and justice, her work draws on her upbringing in a non-democratic country where she witnessed systemic oppression, especially against women. These lived experiences form the foundation of her artistic voice.

    Sayeh has exhibited widely across Iran, Italy, the United States, and Canada, where her emotionally charged figures evoke authenticity, sorrow, resilience, and the pain of marginalized communities. While she has explored multiple mediums, her strongest connection is with illustration, which she uses as a narrative tool to amplify real stories of activists and ordinary individuals who embody courage and endurance.

 

Paddy Lamb

Visual Artist

  • Paddy Lamb is an Irish-born Canadian artist. Born in the city of Armagh, Northern Ireland, he studied Modern History at Trinity College Dublin, followed by postgraduate studies in Physical Education, History, and Fine Arts at the University of Alberta.

    A long-time resident of Strathcona County, Lamb has maintained an active studio practice in the Edmonton region for over 25 years. His work—rooted in drawing, painting, and installation—explores the intersection of physical and social landscapes. Deeply influenced by history, memory, and cultural inheritance, his practice offers a personal narrative on migration, displacement, and human attachment to land.

    In 2009 and 2011 he received a fellowship and residency at the Ballinglen Arts Foundation in Ballycastle, Co. Mayo. Other residencies include the Thomas Gushul Studio in Blairmore, Alberta, The Ortona Armoury in Edmonton and Empire of Dirt, Creston, BC.

    Paddy served as National President and Spokesperson of CARFAC from 2019-2023. In 2023 he was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee Medal.

 

Macarena Osorio

Footwear and Textile Designer 

  • I’m Macarena Osorio, originally from Chile. I came to Canada a few years ago, around the time the pandemic began. I hold a bachelor's degree in Design, with a specialization in Footwear Design that I completed in Mexico.

    Life eventually led me into the field of marketing, where I have worked for several years. In Chile, I was the director of my own footwear brand, and also worked with the Chamber of Leather and Footwear Manufacturers, supporting women's entrepreneurship and education initiatives.

    Last year, I completed my master’s degree in Neuromarketing. After spending some time in Europe for my studies, I realized how much I missed design, creativity, and the emotional connection we rediscover through art, and how deeply this ties into cultural identity.

    That reflection inspired me to return to my roots in design and art after coming back to Canada.

 

Ugochi Okoli

Writer

  • Ugochi Okoli is a Nigerian-born writer and communications professional based in Canada. Her work (poetry, fiction and non-fiction) explores themes of identity, womanhood, and belonging. Her poem To the Broken Ones was nominated for the Sundress Best of the Net Prize, and her writing has appeared in literary magazines such as The Fiction Pool, Leopard Skins and Limes, Active Muse etc. She is also a contributor to the Women’s Power Vol. 2 anthology by the International Human Rights Art Festival (IHRF). 

    With years of experience at the intersection of storytelling, leadership, and community engagement, Ugochi now serves as a Communications Coordinator, where she blends creativity with purpose across both her professional work and literary practice. 

    She holds a Bachelor’s degree from Nnamdi Azikiwe University and a graduate certificate in Creative Writing from Humber College. She is a recipient of the 2025 Carol Shields Prize Foundation Writing Fellowship and she is also a 2024 Ujima Leadership Fellow with the African Centre. 

    Rooted in personal history and cultural memory, Ugochi’s writing centres African stories and lived experiences. She is committed to using stories to spark empathy, shift perspectives, and make space for diverse voices.

 
 

Nifemi Ashani

Multidisciplinary Fashion Brand Consultant

  • Nifemi Ashani is a multidisciplinary fashion brand consultant recognized for her innovative fusion of creativity, culture, and community. She is the founder of Styled by Nif, where she leads bold creative projects and collaborates with brands to deliver compelling visual storytelling and productions that amplify underrepresented voices in the fashion industry.

    Beyond her consultancy, Nifemi serves as Community Specialist at Lululemon Southgate Centre, where she drives community engagement strategy and supports product seeding initiatives.

    She recently earned her MBA in Arts Innovation from the Global Leaders Institute, expanding her expertise in cross-cultural collaboration and sustainable business models within the creative and cultural sectors.

    Nifemi’s journey—rooted in resilience and guided by faith—continues to empower and inspire a dynamic community of fashion professionals and enthusiasts alike

 

Taghreed Saadeh

Filmmaker, Journalist, Editor, and Author

  • Taghreed Saadeh is a filmmaker, journalist, editor, and author with more than 15 years of experience in storytelling across media. She holds degrees in Journalism and Filmmaking. Saadeh is an award-winning director and producer. Her documentary films focus on Arab and Palestine identity, culture, and contributions in Canada and abroad, and have been presented at international festivals, universities, and community platforms. Beyond filmmaking, Tagreed is the Editor-in-Chief of Zaytoun News, a bilingual publication connecting Canadian and Arab communities through in-depth reporting and cultural coverage. She has also worked with daily newspapers in Arab countries, writing in both Arabic and English. As a journalist, she has contributed to leading Canadian and Arab outlets, covering cinema, art, and social issues. She is the author of three books exploring history, resilience, and belonging. Through her work, Tagreed fosters education, advocacy, and cross-cultural dialogue.

Calgary Mentor & Mentee Pairs

 

Abib Haileab Misghina

Multidisciplinary Artist and Arts Admin

  • Abib Haileab Misghina is an Eritrean filmmaker, lyricist, and screenwriter born on February 20, 1980, in Asmara, Eritrea. With over 20 years of experience in the creative arts, Abib has directed and written lyrics for more than 180 music videos, establishing himself as a dynamic force in Eritrea’s music and film industry. His storytelling is deeply rooted in cultural authenticity, exemplified by his traditional Tigrinya film “Gual Msliene” (“The Daughter of the Administrator”), which reflects his commitment to preserving Eritrean heritage through cinema.

    Abib holds a Diploma in Theatrical Arts and an Advanced Diploma in Film Directing from SMAP Institute. He also completed a 10-month program in Eritrean Language Studies (ELS) and studied Management for one year at the same institute, equipping him with a well-rounded foundation in both creative and organizational disciplines.

    In 2024, Abib became a member of ICAl, further expanding his professional network and engagement with the global arts community. His dream is to become an internationally recognized screenwriter and film director, bringing compelling Eritrean stories to audiences around the world. Abib’s work is defined by passion, cultural depth, and a vision to elevate East African narratives on the global stage.

 

Lanre Ajayi

Artist, Arts Manager & Community Builder 

  • Lanre Ajayi is a Nigerian-born visual and new media content creator who uses his artistic skills to build forward-thinking communities and tell stories through lived experiences. He is responsible for creating platforms that share unique identities through art and cultural activities, thereby promoting equity and diversity in Canada and beyond. His creative leadership skills enable him to relate well with stakeholders at all levels and his enthusiastic spirit has led him to create community initiatives that have gained international recognition.

    As the founder, artistic and creative director of Ethnik Festivals Association, he dedicates his talents to building connections and opportunities within many communities. These initiatives include working with individual artists, community associations, corporate entities, persons with developmental disabilities, and members of BIPOC using his art and craft skills to teach, educate and entertain.

    He is the host, producer and lead writer of My City Speaks To Me, a show about People, Places, and Events, showcasing the rich and cultural tapestry of communities all over Alberta and beyond. Throughout the pandemic, Ajayi collected stories from cab drivers and worked with Calgary’s Checker Transportation Group to create the 48-minute film Yellow Legacy to showcase the work needed to keep Calgarian communities moving during the pandemic lockdown. These stories have been shared internationally, and the film was selected as a finalist entry in the Festival del Cinema Di Cefalu in Italy, as well as the SideReel Festival in the United States.

    He has been blessed and recognized for his many artistic contributions in Calgary as the Mayor’s Art Champions Legacy Award Winner in 2018, Winner of the Alberta Government Northern Lights Award, and nominated for the Community Leader of the Year Award 2020 by Diversity Magazine, named Top 25 Canadian Immigrant 2021 and Community Advocate, Individual, City of Calgary Awards 2022.

 

Anastasiia Plitina

Visual Artist

  • Anastasiia Plitina is a visual artist and art educator originally from Ukraine, now living in Calgary, Canada. She has over 10 years of experience teaching art to children and youth, both in Ukraine and abroad. Anastasiia works with various mediums including oil painting, watercolor, ink drawing, and silk painting. Her art is inspired by nature and everyday life, often focusing on small details like birds, flowers, and seasonal moods. She enjoys combining traditional techniques with modern approaches and believes in the power of art to connect people across cultures. Anastasiia has been a member of the National Union of Artists of Ukraine since 2015 and moved to Calgary three years ago. She is now continuing her artistic journey in Canada and exploring new ways to share her creative voice.

 

Tiffany Lynn Cuffley

Multidisciplinary Artist

  • Tiffany Lynn Cuffley is a multidisciplinary artist based in Mohkinstsis / Calgary, with a practice focused on installations and large scale murals. Her work draws inspiration from natural elements, architectural forms, and the geometry of movement, creating a distinctive style that blends abstract shapes, patterns, and colours.Tiffany’s creative journey began with a background in performance arts, including training at the Company of Rogues and a career as a professional figure skater with Disney On Ice. This unique foundation informs her artistic practice, which bridges the physicality of performance and the visual language of abstraction.

    Her portfolio includes installations and murals at venues such as Vertigo Theatre Gallery, Sammie Café, and Una Pizza + Wine, Telus Sky, as well as collaborations with organizations like Brookfield Properties, Deloitte Inc., Mount Royal University, Parks Foundation, VIVO and the City of Calgary. Tiffany has participated in prominent public art initiatives, including the BUMP Mural Festival, and the North East Public Art Initiative.

 

ashellheld

Literary Artist

  • Ashay Vaidya is a literary artist and peer supporter with an MA in Creative Writing from the UK and an MBA in International Business from India. He finds paradox and balance in the real, raw, deceptively commonplace, and uneasily imperceptible spaces between love, loss, empathy, and social responsibility. His works aim to offer emotionally intelligent perspectives on the everyday experiences of instinctive helpers.

 

Lisa Mackay

Storyteller, Marketing Strategist and Arts Manager

  • Lisa Mackay is the Director of Storytelling at the Rozsa Foundation, where she leads communications, research, and advocacy to strengthen Alberta’s arts sector. She manages sector-wide initiatives such as the multi-wave Spotlight on Arts Audiences study, coordinates advocacy campaigns at municipal, provincial, and national levels, and develops strategies to amplify the voices of artists and organizations. With a background in marketing leadership at the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra, Calgary Philharmonic, and Theatre Calgary, Lisa brings deep experience in connecting audiences with the arts. Passionate about the intersection of data, narrative, and strategy, she works to champion the value of the arts and build connections that help the sector thrive.

 

Kate

Visual Artist

  • Kate is a multidisciplinary artist originally from Ukraine, now based in Calgary. With a background in architecture and a lifelong passion for visual storytelling, she creates across a wide range of mediums — from large-scale murals and canvas paintings to textile design and hand-crafted miniatures. Kate’s work often explores themes of identity, belonging, and transformation, inspired by her journey as a newcomer and her deep connection to public spaces.

    Since moving to Canada, Kate has been actively involved in the local arts scene, contributing vibrant public art and participating in community-focused projects. Her artistic voice blends academic technique with emotional depth, aiming to spark reflection and connection through color and form.

 

Sydonne Warren

Visual Artist, Muralist and Entrepreneur

  • Sydonne Warren is a Jamaican Canadian visual artist, muralist, and entrepreneur whose work explores themes of Black identity, Caribbean heritage, and self-expression. With a background in Architectural Technologies and Graphic Design, she merges bold colors, abstract forms, and storytelling to create striking canvases and large-scale murals.

    Her art is deeply personal, reflecting her experiences and her evolving relationship with natural hair. She is passionate about community building and using art as a tool for representation, ensuring that the voices of the community are seen and celebrated in public spaces. Through her "Paint with Syd" workshops, her mural camp, and her mentorship program, she helps emerging artists develop their skills while fostering creative connections.

    Sydonne’s work has been featured in galleries, public spaces, and media outlets, gaining recognition for its vibrancy and cultural depth. She continues to inspire and uplift others by creating art that reflects and empowers her community.

 

Kseniia Koshmai

Visual Artist, Miniature Painter

  • Kseniia Koshmai is a visual artist of Ukrainian roots, now based in Calgary. She holds a classical fine art education and trained as a miniature painter, combining traditional precision with a personal, expressive approach.

    Her creative journey was profoundly shaped by living through the first year of war in Ukraine, where making art became both survival and a way to process fear, grief, and uncertainty. This experience gave her a purpose as an artist: to communicate through images when words are insufficient. She has exhibited in a group show in Tbilisi, Georgia in support of Ukraine, and continues to engage in projects reflecting her values and voice.

    Since moving to Canada, Kseniia has been rebuilding her artistic path, exploring memory, migration, identity, and emotional resilience. Working primarily in mixed media—including acrylic, tempera, watercolor, gouache, and ink—she enjoys miniature paintings on wood, paper, and canvas, experimenting with materials and textures. She is excited to join NAPP to gain guidance, experience, and connections in Calgary’s creative community.

 

Viviana Pacaheco

Visual Artist

  • Viviana Pacaheco is on a mission to create beautiful art every day and make the world more colourful through her work. A lifelong creative, she showed a passion for art and drawing from a very young age. After a 20-year break from painting, she reignited her artistic journey in October 2016 when she purchased her first set of acrylic paints and canvases—and has not looked back since.

    Her use of bright, expressive colours is deeply influenced by her Latin heritage. Viviana’s paintings are distinguished by bold, intense strokes, strong lines, and a defined, linear style. She has developed her own unique technique and form, while continuing to experiment and expand her repertoire by exploring new subjects and working across a variety of substrates.

 

Maria Artish

Mixed Media and Resin Artist

  • Mari Artish is a Ukrainian-born visual artist based in Calgary, Canada. She creates contemporary wall art using epoxy resin, pigments, neon colors, and textured materials. Inspired by pop art, childhood memories, and a love for the ocean, her work evokes joy, nostalgia, and playfulness.With bold colors and layered textures, each piece invites the viewer to connect with emotion through color and form.

 

Mao Kun Chen

Visual Artist, Ceramicist, and Young Entrepreneur

  • Mao Kun Chen is a visual artist, ceramicist, and young entrepreneur based in Calgary. With her partner Chris, she co-runs Mao Projects, a ceramics and design studio recognized for blending artistic creation with sustainable practice. The studio has cultivated a large international following and highlights the vitality and market potential of handmade art in today’s context. Mao’s individual work combines painting and ceramics, exploring cross-cultural narratives, female empowerment, and neurodiversity. She has received support from Calgary Arts Development and the Canada Council for the Arts, and has participated in residencies, public art projects, and international exhibitions. Through the ICAI Mentorship Program, she looks forward to sharing her experience in creative practice, grant writing, and arts career development, while supporting the growth and exploration of emerging artists.

 

Oleg Buyanov

Photographer and Videographer

  • Oleg Buyanov was born in 1993 in Krasnoyarsk (Siberia), Russia. In 2016 graduated faculty of Journalism and worked as a photographer and a media producer in St. Petersburg, Russia before 2022. His photography focuses on finding elusive beauty in the changing world.

    His works have been featured in All About Photo magazine, Hintology magazine issue #1 and #2, won Honorable Mention in Fine Art Abstract in the 2023 International Photography Award, were nominated in 10th Fine Art Photography Award 2024, were exposed in 2023 Art Of Photography exhibition at Art Square Gallery New York, 2023 Harmony exhibition at Pop Up Gallery in Jerusalem, Israel, 2023 The Alphabet of Modernity: Observations exhibition and 2022 The Alphabet of Modernity: Points of Strength exhibition in Krasnoyarsk, Russia, won 1st place in Photography nomination in the 2011 Tvori-Gora Festival.

 

Sam Obadero

Photographer and Stage Performer.

  • Sam Obadero is a lifestyle photographer and experienced stage performer. Sam loves to lend his voice to social issues. He received the New Canadian Artist Award in 2019 after migrating from Nigeria. Since then, he has curated 4 exhibitions in the city, the latest being the Project Red exhibition at the Central Library where he was also the Artist in Residence. Sam is also a Rozsa Arts Management Program (RAMP) graduate where he learnt about "Transformational Leadership in Arts." He believes he is a growing voice in the arts community in the city. He also contributes through other platforms such as Calgary Arts Development, Immigrant Council for Arts Innovation (ICAI), Action Dignity, and Woezo Africa Music and Dance Theatre.

 

Raha

Visual Artist

  • Born in 1980 in Tehran, Iran, and now based in Calgary, Canada, Raha Jazayeri has been captivated by painting since childhood. Although she initially pursued a career in pharmacy, art has always been a profound and essential part of her life. In 2007, she committed to painting professionally, embarking on a journey that led her to study at the Angel Academy of Art in Florence, Italy. There she refined her skills in classical realism, deepening her understanding of light, form, and composition.

    With over 20 years of painting experience, Raha primarily works with oil and pastel media to express the vast spectrum of human emotions from the depths of sadness to the heights of happiness, love, disappointment, doubt, fear, and beyond. Each brushstroke is an attempt to convey the depth and complexity of these feelings, inviting viewers to connect with their own experiences. Every painting tells a story, weaving together personal narratives and cultural threads across generations. Through her art she aims to celebrate our shared human achievements, reminding us of the beauty and resilience found within the collective journey of emotions.

    Now capturing the essence of Calgary's beauty has become Raha’s main focus. She intends to paint the landscapes of Calgary in a way that reflects the historical significance of its nature and tells the story of the land. Every part of Calgary’s nature carries decades of stories, resilient against the unforgiving cold winters yet blooming beautifully with renewed life in the spring.

 

Francis A. Willey

Multidisciplinary Artist

  • Francis A. Willey is a self-taught, multidisciplinary artist whose practice spans traditional film photography, piano composition, poetry, drawing, and songwriting. Known for their emotive and introspective work, Willey engages with themes of memory, identity, loss, and resilience through a multi-expressive lens, working under the artistic moniker manyeyescity.

    Born in the late 1960s, Willey came of age during a transformative era. Raised in a non-conventional and complex environment shaped by countercultural influences, they are the son of a rebellious father affiliated with the Hells Angels and other rebel bike gangs and a mother who was both an orphan, that later became a poet. Their early life was steeped in the raw authenticity of prairie life—surrounded by rodeo bronc riders, long-haul truckers, and vivid scenes of celebration, documented by their mother and grandmother using Polaroid cameras.

    Willey’s formative years were marked by adversity, including familial violence, loss, and unresolved trauma. A tragic family incident left a lasting impact and underscored the absence of a secure foundation. Amidst this instability, artistic expression became a vital refuge. Through poetry, collage, drawing, and photography, they began to create spaces of healing and self-definition.

    At age twelve, Willey was gifted a KODAK camera by their mother, June. The first image they captured was a portrait of her—an intimate beginning to a lifelong exploration of visual storytelling. This moment sparked an enduring relationship with the camera and the creative process.

    Willey's work is deeply influenced by nature, dreams, and the emotional richness of human connection. Their creative journey led them to travel extensively through the Himalayas and Southeast Asia, where immersive experiences in monasteries and local communities deeply shaped their worldview and artistic sensibilities. These travels during the 1990s brought a deeper complexity and diversity to their photographic work, blending cultural resonance with poetic vision.

    In 2011, Willey experienced profound personal loss when a house fire destroyed their home, studio, and a substantial portion of their creative archive—including photographic negatives, drawings, darkroom equipment, and film cameras. While much of the work was lost, fragments remain and serve as powerful testaments to both vulnerability and endurance.

    Today, Willey continues to work with analog processes, including 35mm film and traditional darkroom techniques, while also integrating ink, paint, sound, and digital media. Their practice is an ongoing dialogue between the internal and external worlds, capturing the beauty, sorrow, and joy that define human experience.

    Willey acknowledges with respect that they live and create on the traditional territories of the Treaty 7 region in southern Alberta, including the Niitsitapi (Blackfoot Confederacy)—the Siksika, Piikani, and Kainai Nations—the Tsuut'ina Nation, and the Îyârhe Nakoda (Stoney Nakoda) Nations of Chiniki, Bearspaw, and Wesley. Calgary is also home to Métis Nation of Alberta, Region III.

    With ancestral roots that are Scottish, French Canadian, Cree, and Cheyenne, Willey honours their maternal Cree heritage and the oral histories passed down through generations. They remain committed to recognizing and uplifting the languages, cultures, and continuing creative presence of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples across Canada.

    Willey is deeply engaged with the local arts community through mentorship, collaboration, and artistic documentation. They are guided by the belief that art has the power to cultivate empathy and contribute to a more compassionate and inclusive culture.


 

Razieh

Visual Artist

  • Razi Pourhassan is a visual artist and graphic designer who recently relocated to Calgary from Iran. With a strong foundation in fine arts, she holds a certification in traditional drawing and painting techniques—including oil painting, colored pencil, and charcoal—from the Art Institute under Iran’s Technical and Vocational University.

    Her journey began with a deep passion for art, encouraged by family and friends, which led to her work being selected and recognized in several national visual art festivals. She also holds a Kids Art Coach certification and has led illustration workshops for children.

    In recent years, Razi expanded into graphic design, earning a certificate from the California Art Institute and gaining experience both in design agencies and as a freelance designer. She is eager to grow within Calgary’s creative community, connect with fellow artists, and use visual storytelling to inspire and engage.

 

Brian ‘Bunny’ Batista

Media Artist & Animator

  • Brian “Bunny” Batista is a man of many skills and interests. He found his bliss when he began to follow his passion as an arts educator and opened his own art school - Atelier Artista at cSPACE King Edward. Brian "Bunny" Batista got his BFA with distinction in 2001 from the Alberta College of Art and Design he went on to work in media arts and animation, and co-founded the Calgary Underground Film Festival. Since 2011, He taught in the Continuing Education department at the Alberta College of Art and Design, at Mount Royal and he also continues to teach animation to teens at the Quickdraw Animation Society and introductory sampler classes every few Sundays at Swinton’s Art Supply. He is the President of the Calgary Allied Arts foundation. He is active and consistent in his artistic practice and studies abroad and hone his skills through workshops and residencies in order that he can bring knowledge and experience back to Calgary and offer it to participants at Atelier Artista.

 

Zeal

Videographer and Photographer

  • Victor Olayiwola is an award-winning wedding and portrait photographer and videographer with over 10 years of experience. He has documented more than 200 weddings, events, and portrait sessions, earning a reputation for creating emotionally rich and visually captivating work.

    Known for his creative eye and attention to detail, Victor brings a heartfelt storytelling approach to every project. Based in Calgary and available for travel, he is passionate about preserving life's most meaningful moments with elegance and authenticity.

 

Vicki Van Chau (周倩瑜)

Filmmaker, Curator and Cultural Worker

  • Vicki Van Chau (周倩瑜) is a filmmaker, curator and cultural worker based in Calgary, Alberta on Treaty 7 territory. She is currently the Executive Director for the Alberta Media Arts Alliance Society (AMAAS) where she serves media artists and media art organizations across the province through advocacy work, development opportunities and bridging connections. She was formerly the Programming Director at EMMEDIA Gallery & Production Society, where she co-founded the PARTICLE + WAVE Media Arts Festival.

    As a freelance arts administrator, she has worked with many non-profit organizations in various capacities including producer and consultant roles, with national organizations and initiatives like the Independent Media Arts Alliance and the CanAsian Arts Network.

    As a filmmaker, she has directed and produced several award-winning short films that have screened across Canada and internationally. As a second generation Chinese-Vietnamese Canadian, her short films mainly focus on the Asian diaspora experience. Her family and cultural identity has been a core inspiration in her artistic practice and helps her to promote the appreciation of both Chinese and Vietnamese culture through a uniquely Canadian perspective. For more information on her films, go to vickichau.com.

    She is an active arts community member and volunteer and has sat on the Board of Directors for the Untitled Art Society (now known as The Bows), EXPOSURE Photography Festival, Alberta Media Arts Alliance Society, and the Calgary Underground Film Festival. She also co-founded the Calgary Chinatown Pop-Up Movie Club, an event series that shares knowledge about Chinese culture and the Chinese diaspora experience through film.

    She has received the Spirit of Helen Award (2014, AMAAS), the Horizon Alumni Award (2018, AUArts) and the Echo Award (2021, EMMEDIA) for her contributions to the media arts community. In 2022, she received the Lieutenant Governor of Alberta Emerging Artist Award and was inducted into Avenue Magazine's Top 40 Under 40. In 2023, she received the Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee Medal for her contribution to the arts & culture in Alberta.

 

Yevheniia Vasylkova

Visual Artist

  • Yevheniia Vasylkova is a visual artist who works primarily with watercolors, using her art to explore themes of mental health, the healing power of nature, and various aspects of her identity. Originally from Ukraine, Yevheniia moved to Airdrie with her wife and their dog in response to the Russian invasion. Her current work centers on the experience of trauma and the therapeutic potential of the artistic process.

 

Katie Green

Visual Artist

  • Katie Green (she/they) is a visual artist creating intimate watercolour personas that are eerie and ethereal. These emotionally visceral reflections provide Katie with a healing process that manifests as visual characters and scenes that explore internal emotional landscapes. For Katie, the process of painting is one of searching as they wait for something or someone to emerge. Inside this in-between presence is where surprises come forward and characters from unseen places take shape in visual ways. Being in relationship with the beings that appear becomes a form of therapeutic release, helping to both guide and nurture something within. Using these watercolours as the inspirational foundation for their practice, Katie creates murals that abstract feelings and forms into immersive scenes where fantastical beings morph and melt together within imagined worlds. Increasingly, their mural projects involve communities in a process of mask making that result in large-scale public expressions of hidden identities, emotional realities, and internal experiences. 

    Katie resides in Mohkínstsis in Treaty 7 Territory (Calgary, Alberta). Their work has been supported by grants from the Canada Arts Council, Alberta Foundation for the Arts, and Calgary Arts Development and by various international residencies including the Santa Fe Art Institute and the Vermont Studio Centre. Their murals have been executed in Canada, the United States, Taiwan, Belgium and Germany. Working in a number of different contexts, from puppet builder to muralist to workshop facilitator, their collaborators include The Old Trout Puppet Workshop, cSPACE King Edward, The Esker Foundation, Calgary Municipal Land Corporation, Pink Flamingo, The Calgary Drop-In and Rehabilitation Centre, Nelson and District Arts Council, and the Beltline Urban Mural Project.

 
Toyin Oladele
Previous

NAPP 2025 Cohort 4 Kickoff Recap
Next

Introducing the New MiR Mentors in Residence Cohort 6