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Evan DeRushie

President

Evan DeRushie, is a stop-motion specialist living in Toronto. He has worked on multiple TV series, commercials and short films, and both his first independent short film The Fox and the Chickadee, and his second, Birdlime, have played in festivals around the world. More info on Evan’s work is available at www.evanderushie.com

Eli Schwanz

Vice-President

Eli Schwanz is an artist, animator, director and designer living in Toronto. He received his BFA from Ryerson University and his MFA from OCAD University’s Interdisciplinary Arts, Media and Design program. Eli continues to work as a director for MTV in Canada. His practice, working through media theory and animation methodologies, explores short, looped, experimental animation, installation, sculpture and patterning. His work seeks to open up conceptual spaces for viewer engagement with media through subtle and often passive interactivity. Eli’s portfolio is available at www.elischwanz.com.

Tobias Williams

Board Member

Tobias Williams is an artist and educator based in Toronto, Canada. He holds an MFA from York University and currently works as an instructor at OCAD U, Humber College and Toronto School of the Arts. His work has been shown both locally and internationally including exhibitions at Material Art fair in Mexico City, The Brandscape In Toronto, the AGM in Mississauga and an upcoming exhibition with Transmediale in Berlin.

Tobias’s art and research practice uses 3d rendering and animation to explore the relationship between art, society and technology. Recent projects of his have focused on topics such as the history of Blockchain, the influence of platform based algorithms on contemporary visual culture and the ontology of virtual art spaces.

Veronica Ladico

Board Member

Veronica Ladico is a filmmaker, editor, and artist based in Tkaronto. After receiving their BFA in Film Production from York University, Veronica worked primarily on independent films and network series and is interested in experimental animation as it intersects with live action film and performance art.

Aisha Ghali

Board Member
Aisha Ghali is a cartoonist and filmmaker based in so-called Toronto. They have worked as a director and storyboard artist for television and feature film since graduating from Sheridan College in 2016. They also teach, occasionally. They can be found elsewhere online at www.aishaghali.com

Isaac King

Board Member

Isaac King is an award-winning animation artist, filmmaker, commercial director, and teacher. Using various handmade techniques, his films focus on ecology and society with humour and warmth. Isaac’s recent MFA thesis work incorporates outdoor animation and installation.

Niki Sehmbi

Secretary

Niki Sehmbi graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts and a Minor in Expanded Animation from the OCAD University. Her work can be found online at vimeo.com/nikisehmbi and nikisehmbi.blogspot.ca.

Gustavo Cerquera Benjumea

Board Member

Gustavo Cerquera Benjumea is a Toronto-based animator, digital media artist, and teacher. He specializes in computer animation, installation, and drawing. His work has been exhibited across Canada and internationally. He currently teaches at OCAD and Brock University.

Kathryn Wehrle

Board Member

Kathryn Wehrle is an artist and animation educator living in Toronto. She received her BFA from Queen’s University, a post-graduate degree in Computer Animation from Sheridan College, and her MA in 3D Animation from The Institute of Art, Design and Technology in Dublin, Ireland. Before teaching at Sheridan College in both the Classical and Computer Animation programs, Kathryn worked as a compositor and rendering Technical Director at Nelvana Studios. Kathryn is interested in experimental multi-media animation, and how 3D rendering mimics the natural world. More on Kathryn is available here.

Staff

 

Myfanwy Ashmore

Managing Director

Contact for all general operations, strategic directions, programming, and co-presentations, TAIS memberships, and all community-based projects.

Email: Myfanwy@tais.ca
Phone: 416-533-7889

Caroline O’Neill

Contact for studio bookings, equipment bookings, as well as in studio workshops through TAIS Studio Skills program.

Email: Studio@tais.ca
Phone: 416-533-7889

 

 

 

Placements @ TAIS

Offered through OCAD University, Sheridan College, Seneca College, and/or the University of Toronto

Each year, TAIS partners with local post-secondary and secondary schools to provide opportunities for students.

2022/23 TAIS Fall & Winter Students
Animation Programs Assistant: Kriti Madhukar
Animation Programs Assistant: Estefani Tito

2019/20 TAIS Fall & Winter Students
Animation Programs Assistant: Nikola Boiadjiev
Animation Studio & Workshop Assistant: Jay Clarke

2018 TAIS Spring & Summer Student
Animation Studio & Workshop Assistant: Leo Levine
Animation Programs Assistant: Fahmina Israt
Outreach Assistant: Tristen Parodi

2017/18 TAIS Fall & Winter Students
Program Coordination Assistant: Annalissa McConville
Program Coordination Assistant: Simone Northey
Production/Technical Assistant: Dorsa Bidhendi

2016/17 TAIS Fall & Winter Students
Program Coordination Assistant: Kiyoe Tamashiro
Animation Events Assistant: Stephanie Reynolds
Studio & Communications Assistant: Cheryl Ann-Aiken
Production/Technical Assistant: Jawa El Khash

2016/17 TAIS Summer Students
Production/Technical Assistant: Adso Almeida Papandrea
Design Studio Assistant: Thais Leiros Costa
Studio & Communications Assistant: Martin Roger Nkpwang Ze

2015/16 TAIS Fall & Winter Students
Production Assistant: Raphael Sanchez
Outreach Assistant: Niya Vaillancourt
Workshops Assistant: Brian Kouhi