For this episode I interview Sheila Dantzer, a visual artist and resident at The Village of Riverside Glen. Today we get an inspiring glimpse into Sheila's path of teaching and painting. Her love of art dates back to childhood, first manifesting in the decorating of all of her school assignments, to later art classes when she was in grade 7 at the AGO (Art Gallery of Ontario) where her and her fellow students painted on the floors, shown films for inspiration, and led in instruction by members of the Group of Seven, to then attending the "Ontario College of Art". After this first stretch of college she attended teacher's college and she began her lifelong career of teaching. Her first teaching job was in a northern Canadian Cree community, where - she didn't know at the time - her Cree students could attend, and wouldn't be otherwise removed to be taken to Residential Schools. Sheila has always been drawn to the social aspects of new places and new experiences, and making connections with special students, some of her highlights being a focus on working in ESL and Special Education, and teaching at Durham Alternative Secondary school in Oshawa, and her and I discuss the intersection of art, and teaching/connecting, and how one helps the other. During the past twenty years of her living in Guelph, Sheila also became a member of the Guelph Arts Council. Sheila has shared her gifts in many different forms, and has aspirations to find opportunities to paint again at her home at Riverside Glen, and we are sending hopes and wishes for that to come true! Thank you so much to Sheila for connecting with us!
This interview was originally recorded on Feb. 23, 2022
