Our Instructors
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Owner, Director, Instructor and Artist
Emily Grav Emily Grav graduated from UVIC with an Honours BFA in Visual Arts in 2005. She gained extensive experience teaching Art and ESL while living in Taiwan from 2007 to 2008 and also directing children’s Art Camps here in Victoria. In September 2008, Emily was inspired by the children she’d been teaching at a local art camp and decided to open The Paint Box School of Art so she could teach art to kids, teens and adults, all year long! Emily enjoys teaching all styles of art, especially drawing and painting. Through an open and engaging teaching style, she encourages students to express themselves creatively through many mediums. Since opening The Paint Box, Emily has exhibited her paintings in numerous art shows around Victoria. Having explored watercolour, acrylic and mixed media for many years she's now engrossed herself "En Plein Air" Paining (the art of painting out doors) using oil paint. She's now also taking the occasional mural commission. Along with painting, Emily enjoys other hobbies, such as, photography, swimming, fastball, tennis, gingerbread house baking, telephone pole painting, apple cider brewing, canning, gardening, and playing with her sons Jasper, born in 2013. and Quinn born in 2017. |
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About Artist & Instructor Chelsea Lewicki Chelsea is currently working on her Bachelor’s Degree in Visual Arts with minors in Psychology and Technology and Society at the University of Victoria. She just recently moved to Victoria because of its artistic culture and all UVIC has to offer! During her previous studies in Chilliwack, BC, she taught children’s art classes for the Chilliwack Community Art Council and instantly fell in love with teaching. She especially loves working with painting and drawing. She not only enjoys working with the students, but watching them discover their own inner artists. Chelsea has been teaching at The Paint Box since January 2016 and instructs our Saturday classes, workshops, parties & more! Chelsea’s other interests include video art, photography, and sculpture. |
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About Artist & Instructor
Laura Bonnie Laura Bonnie graduated with a BFA in illustration from Emily Carr University in 2014. Since then she has enjoyed the adventure of working as a freelance artist on a variety of projects, and is still energized and inspired by the ways that art can enrich people’s lives. Laura’s current media of choice in her own work are acrylic paint, layered collage, and oil paint- though she also works frequently in watercolour, polymer clay and 3D media, as well as embroidery and digital painting. Since moving back to Victoria in 2017, she has enjoyed becoming involved with the local arts community, through such things as membership to the Island Illustrators Society, Participation in the Moss Street Paint-In, exhibiting her work in numerous local shows, and competing in local live-painting competitions at the Victoria Event Centre. Interests and hobbies include photography, reading, biking around the islands, and spoiling her ragdoll cat, Annabelle. Through her artistic education Laura has delved into many mediums, and has found that each one inform her work in exciting and important ways. Working previously as a Children’s Art Activity Coordinator, and a childcare provider for numerous years, Laura has been thrilled to see how the tools of art, (including the teaching of technical skill) can help a child blossom and find their voice. She is excited to provide and facilitate that opportunity for adventure and discovery now to young students at the Paintbox. |
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