Board of Directors
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IXCHEL SUAREZ Founder / Director
Ixchel has been a textile and fibre artist for almost 40 years. Dedicated weaver and Visual Artist that explores different materials into tapestry techniques in non-conventional ways. Throughout her career, she has been recognized on several occasions. 2009 Finalist in Stars Among Us, Oakville and 2010 Winner of Visual Arts Award, Oakville Arts Council and Government of Ontario; “Best in Show” in several occasions, recognized as an outstanding University Professor in the School of Design at Anahuac University, Lecturer and workshop Leader. She holds a Master Degree in Museum Studies, BA in Graphic Design, History of Art diploma, a Post-Graduate course in Contemporary Textiles among many courses in Natural dyes, Fashion Design and Pattern transformations, Batik and diverse reserve techniques as well as many other fibre and textile related courses. Founder of the Textil Creativo, Textile school in 1989 in Mexico City and the Oakville Arts Studio in 2007. She has collaborated and written in specialized publications for major textile and design magazines as well as online resources and has been featured in Art related publications. Ixchel has been a recipient of Visual Arts Grants from the Canada Council for the Arts and the Ontario Arts Council. She has presented innumerable solo and group shows and her work is shown in private and public collections in Europe, Central, and North America.
JOHN GAIDATSIS Board Member
John Gaidatsis (Oakville, Ontario), is an up and coming tapestry weaver with the Canadian Tapestry and Texture Centre. He is most definitely a dedicated textile artist who enjoys collaborating with other Canadian Illustrators to take a tapestry from Cartoon to a fully completed textile work of art. He is a business owner, clothing designer and a huge fan of art and grecian textile design. His work is the amalgamation of the beautiful images he has seen in his life. His goal is to master different techniques weaving all different genres of artistic styles until eventually he figures which ones he loves the most.
John is the 2nd generation in his family business that learned his craft as a child at the side of his father while growing up in TORONTO; he learned his art from Ixchel Suarez, Artistic Director with the Canadian Tapestry Centre and also sits on the board of directors of the centre as an honorary member.
While he lives in Oakville and works in the Greater TORONTO Area and, his work is deeply imbedded with the legends and mythology of his Greek heritage and with his own very complicated life experiences from which he takes solace while he weaves.
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RENATA CHUBB Board Member
Renata is an Expressive Arts Therapist in Training: she believes that art, sound, movement, words, and play offer great potential for healing and reconnection with self. Her role is to gently guide, work with, and empower individuals in their release of old programs and traumas. Often we do not have all of the words for our experiences. Renata works to create brave spaces - spaces where people can authentically share who they are and bravely step into the unknown. Without a doubt working with colour, or sounds, tiny movements, our breath, written words we can express and move through our challenges and embrace our strengths. There are many ways to heal our emotional wounds.
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MYRIAM SUAREZ Board Member
Myriam Suarez, Oak Heights Art Studios, formerly Oakville Arts Studio’s ECE art instructor, program coordinator and a member of the Oakville Arts Council will take your kid’s hand in hand to experience a fun and creative time. Miss Myriam has developed specialized art and early childhood education programs in several schools both in Mexico and Canada and has participated with Art House, Queen Elizabeth Park Community and Cultural Centre and the Mexican Consulate in Toronto. She studied Belle-Canto at the National Conservatory of Music in Mexico City and teaches Spanish.
She brings to our studio more than 15 years of experience in the field. Her involvement with the CTTC has been essential, especially with our Special Needs programmes.
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CINDY MOORE Secretary
Cindy is a student of the CTTC and the Oak Heights Art Studios along with her daughter. She has experience in many mediums along with a background of crafts, needle works, and sewing starting when she was a little girl. She considers OAS her second home and can often be found volunteering on projects and events for the studio. Cindy says, “ I find the studio and the various classes have been very healing for me, both emotionally and physically and has made my life a happy one. The energy here is creative and welcoming.”