Board & Executive Members:
Melanie Fernandez - Programs
Megan Gariepy - Development
Alison Lam - Communications
Nancy Moniz - Communications, Resident Groups & Stakeholders
Lindsay Schoutsen - Treasurer
Brenda Shewchuk - President
Carol Walmsley - Secretary
Staff Members:
Petra Nyendick, Executive Director
Originally from Toronto, Petra Nyendick moved to Indiana in 2001, living in Indianapolis and Terre Haute. After realizing the need for a commercial art gallery in Terre Haute, Petra became founding director of 333 Visual Art Gallery. The success of that gallery and attached working studio morphed into the launch of Halcyon Contemporary Art Gallery at the Sheldon Swope Art Museum. Petra’s success as owner/operator of Halcyon and director of the Swope Art Museum’s Summer Youth Art Program led to her opportunity to become Executive Director of Indiana State University’s Community School of the Arts.
While in Indiana, she was a member of Arts Indiana’s Regional Advisory Council, and a member of the board of directors of various arts organizations: The Terre Haute Children’s Choir, Blues at the Crossroads Festival, and Wabash Valley Art Space. At Art Spaces, Petra also served as Chair of the Site Selection and Acquisition Committee.
Most recently, Petra served as the Executive Director of Silence: Guelph’s Portal For Adventurous New Sound Events, an innovative arts centre dedicated to presenting diverse, challenging, sustainable and accessible art and musical practices. While in Guelph, Petra served on the Guelph Arts Council board, chairing the Communications Committee.
These positions are the most recent facet in a life’s work in art; a long, strong involvement in the arts as a successful artist, agent and arts organizer. She brings to the NPCC her committed vision of the guild of the creative community and its importance to society as a whole.
Petra received a Bachelor of Fine Arts with honors at York University in Toronto and a Master of Fine Arts with distinction at Indiana State University.
Andrew Cox, Customer Service Representative
From a very young age, Andrew has been resolute in his participation in and creation of music and art. After suffering a severe eye injury as a child, he started turning to music as a form of therapy.
Discovering his love for playing, and music in general, set Andrew on the path of creating his own; with and without others. From early secondary school to the present time, he has collaborated and performed with numerous musicians and artists across North America.
From backyard parties to famous venues such as The MOD club, The Painted Lady, The Reverb and Revival, Andrew has performed with and without other artists. Using extended technique, looping, effects on extended range bass, and his voice, he attempts to dig into every corner of his musical imagination.
Andrew most recently worked for Silence: Guelph’s portal for adventurous new sound events; a local arts and performance hub in Guelph that is dedicated to fostering and incubating new and old creative talents. During his time there, he started as a volunteer- putting up posters and setting up chairs for events- to eventually becoming Silence’s Manager of Operations. He regularly worked as booker and sound technician for performing bands and artists, and gained a firm grip on what it takes to plan and execute a successful live music show.
Finding himself back in Toronto, he plans on bringing his knowledge in that field to NPCC- and help create even more magical, music filled nights of inspiring, energetic and ethereal bewilderment; simultaneously fostering local and non-local talents across the GTA, Ontario, and Canada.
Andrew is currently performing under his solo moniker “Thumper”, as well as spear-heading an experimental art ska project called “What now? We Wait.”
Pauline De Four, Administrative Assistant
Pauline De Four is passionate about the Creative Arts. She enjoys opportunities where contributing her practical skills in administration and in visual art expression are celebrated. She recognizes the service that NPCC offers to the art community and brings to NPCC her desire and skills in furthering this service.
Educational highlights include a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Toronto, Diploma in Visual and Digital Arts at Humber College and Certificate in the Fundamentals of Illustration from Sheridan College.
In her working history as a service provider, within a variety of organizations, customer service and administration processing have played key roles.
As a practicing, visual/mixed media artist, Pauline has created a narrative through group exhibitions, volunteered in art related community events, created and run an art workshop and has memberships in art communities.
Keeping an open mind about new roles and challenges, Pauline welcomes opportunities to promote the creative process and to engage the public.
Claudia Di Nucci, Programs Coordinator
Claudia Di Nucci has been engaging in community arts through programming and meaningful participation for over 5 years. She holds an honours BA in Art History from the University of Toronto and an Arts Administration & Cultural Management certificate from Humber College.
As President of the charitable arts organization, Franklin Carmichael Art Group, she volunteers to provide instruction and exhibition space for artists and residents of North Etobicoke. Claudia has worked with a variety of community-centred organizations (Arts Etobicoke, Club Della Valle Del Sangro, Islington Albion Square BIA, The Milkweed Collective, Toronto Public Library and Rexdale Women’s Centre) animating spaces through arts-focused programming.
Recently, she led projects with Culture Days and Cultural Hotspot (an initiative of the City of Toronto). As a long time resident of Etobicoke, Claudia values NPCC’s vision of providing a home for artists and arts supporters on the western edge of Toronto.
Kal Honey, Customer Service Representative and Instructor
Kal Honey was creative and obsessively detail-oriented from an early age: drawing, building models, embroidery, photography. After attending Northern Secondary School’s specialized art program in Toronto, Kal went on to become an award-winning graduate of the Ontario College of Art. After a 2009 travel sabbatical from his 20-year graphic design career, Kal re-focussed his career on art and art instruction.
Often bold (but sometimes subtle), Kal's work in painting, graphics and collage is informed by his design sensitivity and training, his love of contrasts, and his penchant for text, wit and wordplay.
Recent exhibitions include: Toronto Outdoor Art Fair, Queen West Art Crawl and Otto Art, Toronto and In Situ Multi Arts Festival and ArtWorkX, Mississauga.
As an instructor, Kal teaches artist-to-artist: inspiration, challenge, structure, support, artistic freedom, lively discussion — and laughter. In addition to being a regular instructor here at Neilson Park, he also teaches at Visual Arts Mississauga and Haliburton School of the Arts, as well as leading workshops, giving lectures and jurying exhibitions throughout Southern Ontario.
When not in the studio or classroom, Kal can often be found in the gym or out riding one of his beloved bicycles…
Lovepreet Kaur, Customer Service Representative
Matthew Summers, Customer Service Representative
Cory Therrien, Arts Administrator
"An evening art class led me to Neilson Park Creative Centre.. After taking many art workshops and classes across the GTA, I took a class offered by the Calligraphic Arts Guild of Toronto-based at Neilson Park. I am now a member of the Toronto and Hamilton calligraphy guilds.
I graduated with a degree in Office Administration and a certificate in Marketing from Ryerson University. My past work experience included different roles in marketing. Some of my responsibilities included purchasing and supervising the distribution of marketing materials, reporting on brand and product line pricing and margins, co-op fund administrator, budget planning and coordinating the company’s trade show participation throughout Canada.
