Tasneem Dairywala

Why did you choose to attend OCAD U?

In highschool, my teachers highly recommended OCAD U as it’s only university in Toronto that’s primary focus was on art. I loved the environment when I visited - it was messy and colourful and I felt like I would fit right in.

Please briefly describe your current job / practice.

I am the Founder and Executive Director of Art Ignite, a non-profit community arts organization. We do free visual arts workshops and exhibitions for Flemingdon Park residents, focusing mainly on seniors and youth. I have lived in Flemingdon Park for most of my life, I love the neighbourhood and I love art and teaching. My work allows me to fuse all of my passions together while giving back to my neighbourhood and creating work opportunities for other artists.

Focusing on my own art is integral to my role as an Art Educator. I make sure to schedule weekly studio hours during which I focus only on painting, and I try to have regular exhibitions to show and sell my work.

How did you get started in your career?

I worked as an art instructor at Dennis R. Timbrell Resource Centre throughout highschool and university. It was there that I discovered my passion for teaching.

After graduation, I started volunteering at community arts organizations. During this time, I connected with some amazing individuals like Owais Lightwala from Why Not Theatre and Melissa Foster from North York Arts. With their mentorship and support I acquired the skills and patience needed to start my own arts organization.

What were your policies regarding internships, volunteering, and paid work?

I didn’t want to go back to school to learn more how to be an Arts Manager so I treated volunteering like internships. I spent the most amount of time volunteering at North York Arts (15-20 hours/ week for 3 months). I told them I wanted to learn as much as I could and they were very generous about answering all of my questions and giving me opportunities to work on projects that advanced my knowledge.

Because I was working for free, I was fairly picky about who I worked with. I had to be careful with my time, so if I felt like an organization wasn’t interested in teaching, I wasn’t interested in staying with them.

What do you enjoy most about your work? What is the most challenging aspect of your work?

I love the participants at Art Ignite so very much. I love how easy it is to make people happy. Give them some paint, the basics of painting skills, and see them transform blank canvases into masterpieces that fill them with pride and joy. The spaces I’m able to transform into studios, galleries and social areas are places that I basically grew up in, which brings me great joy.

Being in charge of every single aspect of the organization and not having a consistent income is the most challenging aspect of this work. Another aspect I find challenging is that I unfortunately spend way too much time behind a computer screen. Recently, I hired Cecilia Garcia, our amazing Program and Outreach Manager, and this has really helped. I’m slowly learning how to delegate responsibilities so I can spend more time teaching and painting.

What skills or relationships developed at OCAD U helped you participate in your field? Is there anything you would have done differently?

I learned how to work hard and think fast at OCAD. As difficult as running Art Ignite can be, it’s nothing compared to the pressure of constant deadlines and sleepless nights that were part of the university experience. In addition, learning to write well has helped immensely with getting funding for projects.

I spent a lot of time in OCAD U’s studios and every single painting had to fit my high standards before going into a critique. Looking back, I wish I had been a little less intense about my assignments and spent more time volunteering and networking. I caught up eventually, but after graduation, I felt a little bit like a fish out of water with no idea about which direction to go in.

What are the key responsibilities you maintain for your practice?

I try my best to keep regular studio hours. It’s easy to forget to focus on my own artwork while creating opportunities for so many others. I apply to and attend as many exhibitions I can and keep in touch with my peers. At some point, I want to try volunteering at galleries to learn how I can further advance my career as a professional artist.

What are your personal and professional goals for the coming years?

I want to paint and teach more often. This means growing my team so I can share more of the directorial and administrative responsibilities and do what more of what I’m truly passionate about.