Congratulations to the 2023-2024 graduates!
Hailey Beitz
Madiha Bhatti
Caitlin Black
Rhys Castro
Allison Clayton
Natasha Cooze
Devin Dos Santos
Christina Droumtsekas
Nafiseh Emadmostofi
Christine Griffiths
Mariya Gruntovskaya
Rebecca Harper
Janet Ho
Emily Hostland
Aisha Husseini
Saba Iqbal
Neeru Jindal
Amelia Jones
Sarah Kraftchuk
Amy Lister
Ofelia Liu
Allison Long
Jennifer Morin-Reynolds
Stephanie Myles
Leora Newman
Man Yi Veronica Ng
Alexander Nicholls
Gabrielle Ondrade
Cristina Palermo
Erica Palmer
Samantha Paterson
Nicole Perkins
Leanna Scheitrowsky
Shae Seqaqkind
Andrea Steinwand
Mollia May Weidman
Awards for Major Project and Thesis
Gilda Grossman Award for Major Project
Rhys Castro
Exploring the Impacts of a Mobile Art Studio in a Hospital Setting on Nurses’ and Hospital Workers’ Well-being
Presented by Susan Beniston, OATA Director of Education
Dr. Martin Fischer Award for Thesis
Caitlin Black
A Visual Memoir of Motherhood and “Nurturing the Nurturer: A Graphic Memoir”
Presented by Rakshanda Khan, CATA Director of Research and Publications
Guest Speaker: Suzanne Thomson
Suzanne shared with the graduates and guests her journey of over 3 decades of experience in practicing and teaching art therapy, as well as her learning from working with clay and as a Zen Buddhist practitioner. She led an embodied practice of resonant breath, as part of a message about cultivating beloved community as a central task in our world today, recognizing and living into the interconnectedness between each other and the earth, grief and joy, suffering and hope — “a pinch pot holds the universe.”
As executive director Patricia Ki shared, “as educators we are so grateful for the contributions of the graduates — carving out spaces for self-expressions and truth-telling and dignity and choice and freedom and belonging, often for people who lack access, often persisting through countless challenges, always grounded in the belief that art heals… everyday you reaffirm my belief that the arts can change the world.”
Much gratitude to everyone who made this event possible:
MC: Dave Cho
Photography: Jesse Pajuäär
Award Adjudication: Mary Norton
Event organizing: Kristina Borg, Susan Beniston, Christel Bodenbender, David Boudreau, Dave Cho, Jacquie Compton, Olena Darewych, Sharlene Friedman, Anand Jaggernauth, Rakshanda Khan, Patricia Ki, Erin Kuri, Liviya Hara, Jordan Nusbaum, Jesse Pajuäär, April Penny, Michael Young
Special thanks to the TATI Board of Directors, and Debbie Anderson (chair of the board) and Donna Betts (vice-chair) for joining us in celebration!
Much appreciation for Women’s Art Association of Canada for the artful venue, support and accommodations.
So excited to connect with special visitor Nicole Le Bihan (far left), joining us on our special day all the way from the Kutenai Art Therapy Institute in Nelson, BC!
More photos from the celebration:
