ArtHeart Core Staff
Bernadette Wycks Having first started constructing giant puppets for
activist street theatre while attending Emily Carr University of Art and Design
in Vancouver, Bernadette Wycks has been immersed in the world where
environmental and social justice meet art through education, festivals and
puppetry for over ten years.
Both in Vancouver and Toronto, Bernadette has worked with community art and
theatre festival companies, including Public Dreams, Secret Lantern Society,
Anandam Theatre. Currently, Bernadette is with Toronto's Clay & Paper Theatre.
She has performed with shadow, bun raku, hand, rod, string, and giant puppets.
As well, Bernadette has constructed props and costumes, and designed set
decorations and installations. Bernadette and Leanne Eisen performed their
puppet show "Bed Bugs on Bicycles' as part of Libby Hague's Free Radicals show
at Habourfront Centre in Dec 2010.
In her private practice, Bernadette also paints, works with clay and does
printmaking. An art educator by day, Bernadette has also passed on her love of
art, performance, storytelling and progressive social change to children for
over ten years. Also teaching at Toronto’s Harbourfront Centre, Bernadette has
been with ArtHeart since March 2010, first as the Children's Program
Coordinator, and now as the Program Manager.
Tim Svirklys is a self taught systems administrator. He has acted as an
IT consultant for both the corporate and private sector for over 12 years. For a
number of years he created and ran Iron Orchard Hemp Clothing Company importing
hemp cloth from Hungary. Tim founded ArtHeart’s Digital Arts Lab over ten years
ago to provide access to computers and training for people living in poverty. As
well he has created a Culinary Arts program to instruct youth how to prepare
large scale nutritious meals for ArtHeart’s Adult program Tim continues to work
with ArtHeart’s children’s program providing instruction in all aspects of
digital arts.
Board of Directors
Seanna Connel Co Chair
Sandy Wong Co Chair
Judy Fournier Treasurer
Kimberly Cudney
Sharon Weintraub
Charlotte Metivier
Abukar Hagi
Peggy Hornell
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