Arts Committee

Arts Committee

Leanne Cadden

Leanne Cadden is a BC-based artist that was born in 1977 in Vernon BC and spent her younger years painting under the guidance of her Great Grandmother, Di Varley. She continued her education at the University of Victoria, entering the Bachelor of Commerce program and majoring in Entrepreneurship. She successfully launched her Debut Solo Art Show in June 2002 at the Crystal Gardens and began running her own 3,000 sq ft Downtown Studio and Gallery in Victoria BC. She was chosen as a finalist for “Young Entrepreneur of the Year” at the Downtown Victoria Chamber of Commerce Business Awards. Her recent 2004 career highlights include producing exclusive print runs for the Academy of Country Music Awards in Las Vegas, The Courtnall Celebrity Classic and the 56th Annual Emmy Awards hosted on ABC television network. Alongside her passion for painting, Leanne spends many hours with her mini lop-eared bunny Mopsey at her cottage and riding her motorcycle at any moment she can.

Laura Chapman

Laura Chapman is the President of Isuma Consulting Inc. The company's mission is to develop strategies for effective governance, policies and programs through its five business lines - knowledge transfer, community engagement, planning and development, communications and marketing, and organizational change. Laura has thirty years of experience in policy and research in the Government of Canada, much of it as a senior official. As Executive Director, Policy Research Initiative (PRI) at the Privy Coucil Office, she created and led a unique organization to strenghthen Canada's policy research capacity. Under her leadership, the PRI examined emerging issues related to Sustainable Development, North American Linkages, and Social Cohesion and created a network of almost 10,000 people in Canada and internationally. Laura also conceived and published both a series of books on emerging policy trends edited by outstanding academics, and Canada's first policy research journal which included issues on, Sustainable Development, Social Capital, the New Economy, and North American Integration. She also created Canada's first policy research awards, involving leading Canadian journalists, researchers and community representatives.

Ela Kinowska

Ela Kinowska was born and raised in Poland Ela immigrated to Canada in 1990. Since her arrival in Canada, she has focused her career on two paths: civil service and photography. As a civil servant she has dedicated her work to the environment and international development, Ela’s assignments included Environment Canada, Foreign Affairs Canada and currently Natural Resources Canada. Ela speaks seven languages and has lived in four countries; she traveled extensively across Europe, Latin America and Africa. As a photographer she has participated in 22 shows in Canada and Europe, her photography has a human focus aiming at documenting the challenges of the present, reflecting on the past and bringing hope for the future; a sample of her images can be viewed at www.elaphoto.com. Ela lives in Ottawa with her husband Ryszard and two children, Sonia and Alexander.

Avalon Fotheringham

Avalon Fotheringham is a graduate of Concordia University's Studio Arts program. She is currently living and working in Montreal as a textile artist and designer. Her work involves embroidery, shibori, silkscreen and batik, and uses environmentally-friendly natural dyes and fibres.

Chandler Swain (Potter)