Gertrude Létourneau
Flutist, Singer, Workshop Leader
Engaging audiences in music is a major influence for Gertrude Létourneau. Fluently bilingual, she has been presenting music-theatre performances across Canada, has taught children of all ages — including those with learning disabilities — and leads Artswell workshops on music-making for the elderly as well as a unique painting and music. She also runs a music program she designed for residents of the Perley and Rideau Veterans’ Health Centre. Gertrude, who has a music BA from the University of Ottawa and a Masters in performance at the University of Montreal, has been involved in innovative musical communication programs in Toronto and London, England, focusing on community music-making.
Beth Ross
Visual Artist, Textile Designer, and Performance Artist
Beth Ross has a broad reputation as artist and educator. A fine arts graduate from Sheridan School of Design, she has exhibited across Ontario and Quebec in artistic areas from tapestry to printmaking to performance art. Beth, who leads painting and music workshops and special projects for Artswell, also works with seniors at the Perley and Rideau Veterans’ Health Centre. Experienced with Alzheimer patients, she is responsible for resident painting and horticulture programs. She has run several projects for enriching the art experience for children in schools under the Artsmarts grant program and was intimately involved in the Art With Heart, Paper Prayers project in conjunction with the Museum of Civilization.
Jennifer Ryder-Jones
Multi Media Artist and Mask Maker
Jennifer Ryder-Jones has a passion for innovation, for teaching and for promoting an understanding the power of the arts in healing and well being. She carries a reputation for innovative ways, including the mold-making technique she developed for replication of native masks for the Museum of Civilization. She is a widely experienced educator, having taught in a variety of settings including the Ottawa School of Art, the Nepean Visual Arts Centre, for the Alzheimer's Society, Algonquin College and the Ottawa Board of Education. She also co-ordinates workshops and sculpture, clay and paper classes at the Perley and Rideau Veterans' Health Care Centre in Ottawa.
Kristine May
Art Therapist H.B.A., D.A.T.I.
Dedicated to the links between the arts and well being, Kristine May brings experience in a wide variety of areas. She has worked with children with learning difficulties, with the elderly suffering from various degrees of depression and dementia and with parents and children in creativity workshops. Artswell is delighted to have her as the instructor for the newly developed Magic of Masks program for children and caregivers. Kris carries strong qualifications. She has an honours degree in Visual Arts, has a master’s level course in counselling and has completed her course work and internships at The Toronto Art Therapy Institute's graduate level program.
Amelda Brand
Drama Therapist
Amelda Brand is originally from South Africa, where she completed a BFA in Theatre Performance. She obtained a Masters in Community Based Theatre and worked for several years as a community based theatre practitioner in South Africa. In 2006 Amelda started her studies in Drama Therapy at Concordia University in Montreal, and after graduating in 2009 she works as drama therapist, clown and puppet-maker-from-recycled-materials. She strongly believes in the therapeutic power of the creative process.
Lorrie Beaton
Expressive Arts Practitioner, Visual Artist
Lorrie Beaton believe in the power of the arts. From an early age, she used art and art making as a way to find balance in her ever changing world. The arts are a powerful tool for self discovery, personal growth, communication, self-exploration, and stimulating creativity. By combining arts and wellness the result is even more powerful, aiding in the healing process, coping with stress and teaching self-expression in more positive ways. Pleased to be a part of Artswell, she believes that more and more people are beginning to understand the benefits of combining arts and wellness. She holds an honours degree in Theatre from the University of Ottawa, a postgraduate certificate in Expressive Arts from Sir Sandford Fleming College at the Haliburton School of Art, and is a practising Visual Artist.
Cheryl Jones
Associate Artist
Cheryl Jones, MMT, NMT-F, holds her Bachelor of Arts in Music from Crandall University and her Masters of Music Therapy from Wilfrid Laurier University with a focus on Music-Centered Psycho-therapy. She has further training in Neurologic Music Therapy from Colorado State University. Cheryl is a Fellow of the Robert F. Unkefer Academy of Neurologic Music Therapy and is a member of the International Society of Clinical Neuromusicology. She has been an invited speaker at various music therapy conferences, both national and international, and at workshops. She is also a researcher for Laurier's Center for Music Therapy Research. Cheryl currently resides in Ottawa, Ontario, where she teaches part-time and maintains a private music therapy practice, Con Brio Music Therapy Services.