The Art Starts Crew is comprised of professional and emerging artists and highly skilled program coordinators and assistants. Here you can read about and get to know some members of the Art Starts Crew

Karen Darricades

Karen Darricades has lead workshops for Theatre Direct Canada, Sketch, ARCfest, WARC gallery and many other community arts organizations. She was recently rewarded the Ontario Arts CouncilÇs Artists in Education grant for 2007/2008.

Her work ranges from photomontage to zine-making to mixed-media sculpture. Karen is currently making spirit animal-themed lanterns with ScarboroughÇs Chester Le community for a special Canada Day event and will soon be working with other Art Starts artists on the Demolition Art House Project.

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Liliana DeIrisarri

Art Medium(s): dance (Flamenco), visual art, teaching, drumming

Artistic Idol or Mentor: Plainair artist, Chagall, Mexican Muralist, Frido Kholo

Other interests: Flamenco teacher, Art therapy

Personal Statement:  I am a human being, woman immigrant for Colombia, I love people and children.  My philosophy is to transform pain and the joy into art

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Katherine Earl

Katherine is a graduate of The Ontario College of Art and Design and York University's B.Ed Arts Specialist Program. She currently works as Program Director of Art Starts Neighbourhood Cultural Centre. Her artistic mediums include collage, painting, jewelry and papermaking. Katherine's work explores the themes of community, the notion of "home" and place vs. identity. Besides coordinating a variety of community arts programs, her artistic repertoire includes everything from painting large-scale backdrops for Harbourfront's Omiala Festival to creating an entire line of jewelry out of recycled packaging and newspaper. Her desire to share the artistic process with others greatly fuels her own passion for the arts.

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Alexandra Iglesias

Art Medium(s): dance, visual art teacher

Artistic Idol or Mentor: my mother – she is a painter

Other interests: I love  to work with clay

If you were to describe yourself as a colour, what would it be and why?: Orange –because I like to see the sunset at the beach

Personal Statement: I have worked with harbourfront Centre for 5 years.  I create two programs for school visits – Dance Movement for kindergarten to grade 5 and Dance and Choreography for grade 5-8.  I teach visual arts and also ballet (dance, modern, neoclassic).  I have done some work at libraries, schools, and community centres.

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Art Medium(s): community animator

Artistic Idol or Mentor: Maya Angelou

Other interests: all mediums and disciplines of creative facilitation and civic encouragement

If you were to describe yourself as a colour, what would it be and why?:  Rainbow swirls on Chocolate is what I am plus what I do

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Taira Liceaga Visual Arts: Painting, Mixed-media and Fiber Sculpture Design: Web design and Animation Taira Liceaga is a Puerto Rican painter, sculptor and digital artist living in Toronto. Her work portrays women of color in uplifting ways and celebrates the mestizaje (racial and cultural mixture) of her Latin American roots. She has had 6 solo exhibitions and participated in more than 20 group shows in Toronto, Montreal, Halifax, Chicago and San Juan. She has taught art and design workshops at Centennial College in Toronto, the Mexican Fine Arts Center Museum in Chicago, and the University of Delaware. Her portfolio can be seen online at: www.mestizas.com

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Tonya Parriag

Art Medium(s): poetry, writing, plaster and metal castings, clay, acrylic painting

Artistic Idol or Mentor: too many to mention

Other interests: dance, yoga, martial arts

If you were to describe yourself as a colour, what would it be and why?: Deep red – intense, powerful, soothing

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