Ian MacNeil

An experienced woodworker, Ian MacNeil knew it was just a matter of time until he began experimenting with metal. In 2009, Ian registered for his first Extended Studies Course, Introductory Jewellery Making, taught by the talented artist Ann Pocket. It was here that Ian discovered a love for working with metal and precious stones.

He describes his experience at NSCAD saying, “it really opened my mind.” Drawing inspiration from traditional Chinese icons, his work is often made to fit the fingers of his daughter and wife. Now an advanced level jewellery student under the guidance of senior instructor Lillian Yuen, Ian has exhibited numerous artworks in the Annual Night Shift Exhibition.

He continues to work full time for a property management company and has recently added jewellery equipment to his in-home woodworking studio. It is safe to say that Ian has found a home at NSCAD and has developed deep connections with his peers, instructors and the Extended Studies staff.

Jane MacDougald

An artist at heart, it took Jane MacDougald a few short weeks to find her place at NSCAD. Jane is a strong, smart, outgoing and open-minded person who nurtured her interest in art and registered for an audit course in Film History and Criticism. Jane also thrived while discovering the unlimited power of creativity in the course Printmaking: Image Transfer, taught by artist and Extended Studies staff member, Charley Young.

Often commenting on how quickly time really does fly when you get captivated in your material, her classes seemed to whip by in the blink of an eye. Leaving the studio, her hands would be full with a bursting portfolio and her head full of creative juice. Jane exhibited her printed artworks for the first time in the Annual Night Shift Exhibition where they were received with great enthusiasm, leaving viewers impressed with her innovation and skill.

Jaimie Quigley

Jaimie Quigley loves colour. That’s evident from her baby-blue hoodie and her pretty pink Reeboks. So, thinking in black and white is a whole new experience. The Dartmouth teenager has been exploring different artistic media at NSCAD University throughout the summer – dabbling in ceramics, then screen printing, and now black-and-white photography, her favorite.

“It makes you look at the world in a new way,” says Jaimie, who’s going into Grade 9 at Ellenvale Junior High in Dartmouth. She’s been getting familiar with an “old school” 35-mm Pentax camera over the past week. “To take a picture and then develop the negatives in a pitch black room is really creative.”

This isn't Jaimie's first experience at NSCAD. She's an avid artist who continues to take year round drawing and painting courses for teenagers on Saturdays.

To learn more about our Youth Programs click here

Fern Nickerson

Fern is a mother, grandmother and artist who is a current resident at Arbourstone Enhanced Care Facility in Halifax. As the primary caregiver to her husband who suffers from Alzheimer's disease, Fern decided that it was important to do something for herself and with the assistance of her granddaughter, asked NSCAD's School of Extended Studies to set up tutoring sessions to mentor her in watercolour painting.

Fern had been an oil painter but was unable to use these materials in her current residence and therefore, changed her focus to watercolour. At the age of 92 Fern is a vibrant and active painter who has expanded her repertoire under the guidance of  instructor Sydney Smith, a local artist with a focus on illustration. Through this experience Fern has found the perfect outlet for herself, stating, “When you concentrate so much on getting the petals of a rose just right, it makes your other problems go away.”

To learn more about the Lifelong Learners Program and tutoring opportunities click here