THE WINTER LIGHT TEAM

The people making the magic... not for use as official trading cards...

Pamela Anthony (Director)

Memi is a visual artist, festival worker and educator with an extensive experience in celebratory and activist art. She has worked and played in the Edmonton Arts scene for most of her adult life. Memi's love of narrative, particularly folk and myth, informs much of her work whether it’s for Edmonton’s First Night Festival, the Muttart Conservatory, The Cultural Capital Project, or countless special events. She is inspired by ancient traditions and myth, local and exotic, urban and rural. Her creations run the gamut from very large inflatables to very tiny sculptures, and her materials range from earth, straw and clay to plastic and led lights and everything in between.  Her Baba Yaga Adventure Trail set in one of Edmonton’s most beautiful ravines charmed and delighted the many families who undertook the hero’s journey into the woods to bring back the light from Baba Yaga’s House. Last year she created a magical forest project for Big Winter, and this year she is co-director of Raven's Nest - The Mill Creek Adventure Walk, which explores the search for light and dark along the trail.

Joel Higham is a filmmaker, motion graphics animator and multi-disciplinary artist - and also the Winter Light marketing director. Although he never thought he'd get quite so nerdy, he now has several degrees in media, and he is rapidly becoming well known for his media and web-development projects. He has created websites for many individuals and organizations, notably for FAVA, and has his own consulting company, pocobrio.com. In addition to his art and web projects, Joel is also a designer, and will be producing almost all of the Winter Light campaign. Joel is excited to be lured outside again this winter, and is looking forward to the snow and merriment to be had. 

Sherrilyn Jahrig has been presenting billions of stars to thousands of Observatory visitors at TELUS World of Science, Edmonton since 1996. Sherrilyn coordinates Star Parties and astronomical events that connect science, environment, arts and culture in out-of-this-world ways. Inspired by the fresh perspective and renewed sense of curiosity astronomy creates in people of all ages, Sherrilyn led a team of Royal Astronomical Society of Canada astronomers to the 2006 declaration of the 300km2 Beaver Hills Dark Sky Preserve with Parks Canada,Alberta Parks, and (2008) Strathcona County. This initiative to create and maintain a pristine nocturnal environment just east of Edmonton is a giant step toward bringing back more natural light to the urban environment. Originally from Vancouver, Sherrilyn brought a strong musical background and a love of writing with her to Edmonton. In the absence of mountains, she fell in love with the big sky and northern lights, broadening her focus to include astronomy. Living at a latitude that requires more waking hours to be spent in darkness and freezing temperatures, writing poetry – especially about light and space, became an obsession and a solace. Sherrilyn produced the inaugural 2006Edmonton Poetry Festival and has created and directed many multidisciplinary events for children and adults. Sherrilyn has received many awards for performance, public education and team leadership. Sherrilyn’s best ‘Summer Light’ experience was spent observing deep-sky objects with a gigantic telescope from a B.C. mountain-top for eight consecutive nights. After the first three nights she no longer had ‘land-legs’ and literally felt more ‘connected with the dots’. She plans to bring the stars a little closer to Edmonton through the vision of the Winter Light Festival.

Based in Edmonton, Kevin has been a performing arts publicist for over 30 years; working primarily in music, theatre and festivals across Canada. In 1996, Kevin was a founding member of Edmonton’s multi-disciplinary emerging artist festivalNextfest, where he continues to work as their publicist. He co-founded the award winning Canadian ‘Drag Juggernaut’ Guys in Disguise with partner Darrin Hagen in 1987, and continues to produce their works at theatres and festivals across Canada and Internationally. In 2008, Kevin was honoured with an Elizabeth Sterling Haynes award, for outstanding contribution to Edmonton’s theatre scene.

Mari Sasano has lived in Edmonton for most of her life, moving here from Richmond, B.C. via Japan and Toronto. The first few years were difficult, mostly because no one told her family that there is a difference between RAIN boots and SNOW boots. This is important. Once that was cleared up, she became very interested in finding the funnest things in town, which eventually became her profession as the 8 1/2 Things To Do columnist in the Edmonton Journal and a general arts freelancer. Now she is very happy handling the communications for Winter Light, as well as freelancing for The Journal, Vue Weekly and anyone else that seems interesting. Working for Winter Light is a treat, since the festival itself is an excuse to wear snowpants and hang around with friends!

Aaron Macri

Aaron Macri is a composer and sound designer. He became involved in theatre through the Grant MacEwan theatre arts program as an actor, but has been a musician since high school. In around 2000, Aaron co-founded The Machine Isle, a live improvised ambient project with Gary Joynes, AKA Clinker

Aaron has created sound design for Ribbit Productions and for the Azimuth Theatre's 2001/2002 season. He has also composed songs and music for the Dora Award winning Musical Comedy BoyGroove and Bash’d, the gay rap opera that won a GLAAD media award in 2008.

In 2009, Aaron began working in television composing for the sketch TV show CAUTION: May Contain Nuts, broadcast nationally on APTN. He was nominated for a Rosie award for his work on the first season, and is currently working on new music for the third consecutive season.

Aaron has also recorded and mixed tracks EP’s and albums for the ukelele cover band, The Be Arthurs. 

Ian Jackson (Photographer)

Ian Jackson is an award-winning photojournalist and theatre artist. Ian runs EPIC photography which works with many corporate and community groups, including Winter Light. This year, Ian is excited to be coordinating Flashpoint, which he sees growing into a major event. 

Shirley Combden

Betty Grudnizki

Betty joins the Winter Light team as project coordinator for the new event, Common Ground. Betty has been involved in the arts and culture scene as a volunteer and patron since choosing Edmonton as her home in 1985. She is a past President of the Fringe Festival and has been a volunteer team leader for 25 years. She has organized events at the local, national and international level for agriculture conferences, addictions agencies and fundraisers. In 2008 she was recognized by the Premier’s Award for Excellence and the Canadian Awards for Excellence for her management and team leadership skills. She shares her home with Skipper the dog and Buddy and Phantom the cats. And this year, she is looking forward to a winter filled with lights and happiness.

Jaret Sinclair-Gibson

Jaret Sinclair-Gibson is a Métis artist from Slave Lake, Alberta who now makes Edmonton his home. In 1999,  he opened Sun & Moon Visionaries Aboriginal Artisan Gallery & Studio with the assistance of two other Aboriginal artists. As a founding member of this Aboriginal-owned and operated business, Jaret has worked hard to build a staff base of 10 administrators, artist instructors, and Elders, offering art and traditional cultural programming to Edmonton’s Aboriginal youth, families, schools and community agencies, as well as hosting numerous art receptions, shows and exhibits in support of Alberta’s Aboriginal artists and artisans.

Jaret has served two terms as the Youth Representative on the Board of the Canadian Native Friendship Centre, three years on the Alberta Friendship Centre Association Youth Council and one year as the National Association of Friendship Centre - Alberta Representative. Jaret’s service to his community has earned him many accolades including the Aboriginal Role Models of Alberta Art Award in 2008.

Jaret is proud to have been asked to take part in special provincial and national projects such as helping to host the National Aboriginal Network for Art Administrators 2009 “Art is Medicine” Gathering held in Edmonton, and as curator of the “Traditional Alberta” art exhibit at the Vancouver 2010 Olympics, on behalf of the Government of Alberta.

Angus Sagan (Freestyle Coordinator)

Angus is pleased to be working with the Winter Light Team for a third year. He is from Edmonton and is currently a student at the University of Alberta. Angus grew up skiing on the hills around Edmonton and the slopes of Jasper's Marmot Basin. He has been on skis since he was three and has competed in Freestyle mogul skiing competitions across North America. Angus will be coordinating Flashpoint and hopes to showcase some of the best riders in western Canada. 

Marian Brant (Illuminations Stage Manager)

Marian Brant's professional career in the performing arts spans the past 35 years. She has worked as a stage manager, production manager, general manager, and technician.  In 1999 Marian joined MacEwan’s Theatre Production faculty. Marian’s extensive stage management credits include small to large scale productions for companies such as: Catalyst Theatre, Citadel Theatre, Concrete Theatre, Edmonton Opera, Green Thumb Theatre (Vancouver), The International Street Performers Festival, The Second City, University of Alberta – Timms Centre for the Arts, and Workshop West Theatre.  National and international touring credits include: The House of Pootsie Plunket (Catalyst Theatre’s UK tour), The Danish Flying Superkids (Nova Scotia International Tattoo’s Maritime tour), All My Relations (Catalyst Theatre’s Western Canadian tour), No’Xya - Our Footprints (Vancouver’s Headlines Theatre Canadian tour), and the Second City Expo ‘86 (Western Canada tour). Marian’s production management credits include: Sunshine Theatre (Kelowna) and River City Shakespeare Festival (Edmonton) and the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra. From 2001 to 2007, Marian administered Edmonton’s award-winning Theatre for Young Audiences company, Concrete Theatre. Marian has served on the Board of Directors of Catalyst Theatre, L’UniThéâtre, Performing Arts Coalition of Edmonton (PACE) and Artists Urban Village and has participated on committees for the Canada Council for the Arts and the Edmonton Arts Council. She is a member of both the Canadian Actors’ Equity Association and the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees. Currently, Marian Edmonton’s Cantilon Choirs General Manager.

Bob Rasko

Bob is an actor and musician who has worked for years within Edmonton’s performing arts scene, from street performing to the Winspear stage. He is a man of multiple talents, as a graduate of both the Theatre Arts and Music programs at Grant MacEwan College. Edmonton’s unique and vibrant scene has allowed him opportunities to write, compose, perform and produce, in a number of different capacities and events.

Bob is one of the founding members of Ribbit Productions and the Ribbit RePublic with whom he has co-created and performed in a number of shows that have toured to Fringe festivals all across Canada.  He also continues to play festivals and events all over North America as one third of Edmonton’s official ukulele cover band, The Be Arthurs.

Winter Light has also provided a number of different opportunities including demolition and construction in the office, serving hot chocolate in the Welcome Tent, playing music with The Be Arthurs, and coordinating this year's Family Day activities.

Shauna Murphy

Shauna is a semi-retired Stage Manager-I.A.T.S.E. 210 member who really enjoys winter. This is her third year with Winter Light helping in the set-up of this wonderful festival. Bring on the snow.