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<<RETURN TO COLOURWHEELS
PURCHASE YOUR TICKETS ONLINE  Art Jonker - Mouth Painter
Art’s big break into visual arts began when a friend challenged him to try drawing with a pencil in his mouth. He was instantly hooked - progressing from drawing to painting with acrylic and oil paints. He has studied the techniques of the Masters, taking a particular interest in the Impressionist period, the Fauves, the Group of Seven, Emily Carr and the old Dutch Masters. As is reflected in his work, he has studied life drawing, and continues to take an interest in the human form. Injured in an off-road motorcycle accident in 1997, Art is a quadriplegic without the use of his legs or his hands. Painting has allowed Art to dream and travel far beyond his disability. He hopes that you find inspiration and joy in his work. Kevin Priebe - Special FX Artist 
Apprentice mechanic turned make-up special FX artist = Leo winner, and two time nominee. An unlikely combination for some, but it fits Kevin Priebe like a, er, zombie costume? Studying make-up and special effects eventually took him from the classroom onto the set of one of Hollywood North’s creepiest movies. Soon after he won the Leo award for his special effects work on Remembrance: A Soldier’s Story in 2006, Kevin was nominated for a second time in 2008. Not one to sit back and enjoy success, Kevin continues expanding his skills by creating his newest work a "Bronze Statue". Injured in a motorcycle accident in 1993, Kevin became a paraplegic at age 18 and since then has continued to push the envelope, challenging himself and others to recognize the abilities in people with disabilities.  Teri Thorson - Designer
A funky, bright, articulate and positive woman, Teri Thorson’s energy is infectious. Now in her mid-30’s, Teri was injured 12 years ago, in a motor vehicle accident while on holiday in a remote area of Australia. Teri’s high school dream was to be a fashion designer, but the lure of a lucrative career in the software industry got the better of her. A woman of many talents, she also worked as professional go-go dancer before her injury. Now, Teri has taken the opportunity to work on her original dream—to become a designer—and is hard at work on a line of contemporary day, evening and casual wear of clothing for seated people. Focusing initially on designing casual clothes for women, Teri will eventually expand her innovative line to include evening wear and men’s clothes.
Robb Dunfield - Mouth Painter 
When you meet Robb Dunfield for the first time, you might not guess that this adoring husband and father of two lovely daughters is also an inspiring public speaker, not to mention one of the country’s most accomplished artists. A ventilator-dependent quadriplegic since the age of 19, Robb was initially introduced to the art of mouth painting at 21. Influenced by the works of Emily Carr and Tom Thompson, Robb uses oil painting as his creative medium, which allows him to express the emotions and creativity he feels, permanently, on canvass. Today, his artwork graces wine labels and has been shown in galleries across Canada. He has collaborated on a best-selling book, "If Sarah Will Take Me", and his most recent accomplishment - a stunning 6 X 8 foot oil painting of his two daughters showcased at the Blusson Spinal Cord Centre in Vancouver BC - is now the world’s largest painting created by a mouth painter. Kyla Harris - Multi Media Artist
Kyla Harris, the great-granddaughter of Group of Seven artist Lawren Harris, is passionate about the arts in any form and she has successfully turned her hobby into a livelihood. Injured in a diving  accident at the age of 15 that resulted in quadriplegia, Kyla studied art and design at the Vancouver Film School before heading to the Los Angeles Academy of Figurative Art to study oil painting and later to UBC to begin her degree in Art History. From 2007 to early 2009 Kyla’s love of the arts and her interest in challenging the status quo lead her to co-found the Main Artery Gallery. The debut exhibit at the Gallery, ‘Access Sex’ was a joint project with photographer Sarah Murray; a bold collection of photos that challenged peoples perceptions of sexuality and disability. She also recently made her writing and acting debut in the theatre production, ‘The Glass Box’. Her aspirations includes writing for theatre, acting, research in the arts and always, always painting. Steve Grout - Musician 
Not only is Steve Grout just about one of the nicest guys you’ll ever meet, he is also a talented musician, public speaker, well-loved father and high school teacher. Injured during his last few days of RCMP training in 1986, Steve maintained his inherent passion for making a difference and turned his career aspirations towards teaching. Currently teaching film production at a Vancouver high school, Steve also spends countless hours volunteering as an Ambassador with the Rick Hansen Foundation. His funny, high-energy delivery and positive message about the importance of persevering in the face of adversity always gets high marks from students and teachers alike. In 2006, Steve released Way to the Ground, an original album filled with songs inspired by his experiences with spinal cord injury. Steve and his band Monkeybar can be found playing live shows in and around Vancouver twice a week. Cody Tresierra - Painter
 Cody Tresierra’s colourful depictions of moss covered totem poles and illusive wildlife illustrate the deep appreciation and understanding of the beauty and connection he feels towards his native province of British Columbia. Paralyzed in a motor vehicle accident, Cody took up mouth painting as a form of therapy several years ago. Today, as an active member of the Mouth and Foot Painting Artists of Canada, Cody continues to paint, creating oil paintings sold as cards, prints, and showed in exhibitions across the country. Recently, Cody presented the City of Vancouver with one of his paintings to symbolize Vancouver's Olympic-sized spirit and celebrate the returning Paralympic athletes. Murray Siple - Photographer, Filmmaker 
Murray Siple spent more of his young life behind the lens than most. Before he was injured in a car accident, he was a typical kid who loved snowboarding. As a student at Emily Carr, Murray pulled all-nighters editing skate and heli-boarding footage shot on weekends and creating shorts with footage from the NFB cutting room floor. While his resume is filled with extreme skate and snowboarding videos, Murray is also a skilled and artistic photographer, documenting everything from fearless backyard bears to classic shots of international destinations. Most recently, Murray has taken his passion for the extreme to explore a seldom seen side of the homeless community. His film “Carts of Darkness” follows several of North Vancouver’s homeless men, documenting their sport and capturing the risk and intensity of life lived on the very edge. Guy Coates - Marble Sculptor
 Guy Coates grew up in England where he studied typography at the London College of Printing and at the Manchester School of Art. After several years working as a book designer he completed a degree in Librarianship and continued his career with books, as a school librarian, an editor and, after immigrating to Canada, as a children's book store proprietor. Guy has been sculpting since the 1960s, even though a tumour discovered on his spine in 1964 caused Brown-Secord Syndrome, resulting in paralysis on one side of his body and lack of sensation on the other. His work covers a range of media from Perspex and metal construction to wood and stone carving. In 1994 he abandoned abstract form in favour of figurative work, inspired initially by the human hand and its evocation of mood. When Guy is not creating beautiful sculptures, he is working as the librarian at the Maple Ridge Public Library. <<RETURN TO COLOURWHEELS
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