Experience

Blank Canvases

• Canada
• Artists and Writers
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Founder & Artistic Director

  • Jan 2013 - Present

  • Inaugurated the in-school arts education program that presented contemporary Toronto artists to primary children • Supervise an Education Coordinator and 5 Artist Educators in generating curricula and applying teaching pedagogy • Plan large-scale events, source new sponsorships, and work with parents councils to drive community outreach Key Achievements: ✔ Conceived the program framework and spearheaded the initial pilot project that was so successful that the program eventually grew to over 50 schools across multiple Toronto school boards and reached 5,000+ students each year ✔ Contributed to the creation of 16 new programs and recruited to train teaching staff on studio-based pedagogy Show less



Feminist Art Collective

• Canada
• Civic and Social Organizations

• Founder & Artistic Director

  • Nov 2012 - Present

  • Founded the Feminist Art Collective and bi-annual conference dedicated to showcasing multi-disciplinary artists from across the world while creating a space that is celebratory, trans-inclusive, anti-racist, and intersectional • Chair the 25-member committee and institute the vision, mission, and philosophical direction of the organization • Deploy marketing, communication, and public relations strategies across multiple digital and traditional channels • Plan all external events and coordinate over 30 volunteers throughout the full cycle delivery of the conference Key Achievements: ✔ Achieved a sold event for the inaugural conference in 2012 and grew attendance and participation to over 500 guests and 150+ artists by successfully attracting renowned talent through effective networking and recruitment ✔ Commenced partnerships with prominent organizations such as Muskrat Magazine, Ryerson University, Canadian Stage, Reel Asian Film Festival, Canadian Women’s Foundation, Native Women in the Arts, and York University ✔ Initiated the 2-week residency program with Artscape Gibraltar Point that attracted 22 international artists per year ✔ Formed the entire FAC committee comprised of academics, writers, students, artists, parents, and performers Show less



Ilene Sova Studio Classes

• Walnut Studios

• Artist Educator

  • Dec 2007 - Present

  • Design and execute curriculum for step-by-step art classes to adults and young people in painting and drawing; with a programme designed to build confidence and independence in ones artistic practice • Offer studio classes are based in academic painting processes and classical techniques of representation with a variety of courses including Beginner Painting, Beginner Drawing, Portrait Painting, Charcoal Drawing, Landscape Painting, Life Drawing, Portfolio Preparation, Family Classes, and individual private lessons catering to individual needs Show less



OCAD University

• Canada
• Higher Education
• 500 - 600 Employee

• • Jul 2018 - Jul 2023

  • Direct 53 faculty in the day-to-day operations of the largest program in the Faculty of Art with over 600 students • Define strategies to advance academic programs, build community partnerships, and optimize student experiences• Devise and deliver training programs to educate faculty on university policies, processes, and best practices• Served on Senate Executive, Teaching and Learning Committee, University Senate, and Academic Leadership • Lead up to 6 student monitors and interns in the planning and execution of multiple concurrent strategic projects• Administer the Ada Slaight endowment worth over $5 million and ensure funds are properly allocated • Foster interdisciplinary research among faculty members and implement contemporary approaches to education• Chair and serve on several committees including Decolonizing Studio Art Education, Drawing & Painting Curriculum, Quality Assurance Policy, Slaight Family Foundation Programming, and Hiring CommitteesKey Achievements:✔ Originated the Decolonizing Studio Art Education Committee at OCADU with Colleague Indigenous Community Advocate Nadia McLaren and leveraged outcomes to revamp 42-course descriptions✔ Awarded Tri-Council SSHRC Connections funding for Decolonizing Art Practices Project with the University of the Bahamas✔ Played a key role in establishing and expanding partnerships with the Art Gallery of Ontario, Inspirations Studios, Beaux Xi Gallery, the Canadian Women’s Foundations, and Cultural Pluralism in the Arts Movement Ontario✔ Oversaw the $1.5 million project to modernize all of the art studios and develop the new student hub and gallery ✔ Instigated partnerships with local print shops and architectural firms to secure donated materials and created a re-use depot and eco-brush washing stations to minimize waste Show less

• • Sep 2013 - Nov 2019

  • Taught several courses and workshops including 3rd Year Painting Studio & Seminar, 3rd Year Drawing, 3rd Year Painting Portraiture, Painting I & II, Feminist Art Workshop, Oil Painting Techniques, and Landscape Painting• Crafted lesson plans, presented lectures, mediated discussions, evaluated performance, and offered feedbackKey Achievements:✔ Always earned at least a 4/5 on student evaluations and won the Teaching Award in Continuing Studies in 2018✔ Molded the course syllabus and curricula for several courses that became popular among the student population Show less

• • Jun 2012 - Aug 2013



Independent

• Speaker & Media Interactions

  • 2013 - 2021

  Speaker | University of Toronto | 2022 • Invited Lecturer, Art the Museums and the Gallery, Unknown Relative Exhibition Panellist | Invited Panelist | Horasis Summit| •. The Arts – Shaping Equality, Charting the Future Panellist | Art Gallery of Ontario | 2021 • Picasso, Women and Feminism Speaker | Colour Society of Canada | 2021 • Presented the national research talk on Covid 19 Collages & the Impacts of Colour Invited Lecturer | Art Gallery of Ontario – Toronto, ON | 2021 • Delivered a lecture on Engaging Students in Online Learning Invited Lecturer | Queens University Teachers College – Kingston ON | 2019 • Delivered a lecture on The Studio as a Site of Community Impact Keynote Speaker | Law Society of Ontario – Toronto, ON | 2018 • Presented the Equity Initiatives Artist Talk Keynote for the Missing Women Project Keynote Speaker | American Society for Aesthetics (ASA) – Toronto, ON | 2018 • Invited to give the Arthur C. Danto Memorial Lecture at the 76th annual meeting of the Missing Women Project Lecturer | State University New York – Geneseo, NY | 2015 • Delivered an all-university lecture on Art and Social Change Speaker | TEDx Women – Toronto, ON | 2013 • Selected to speak at the first TEDx Women event in Toronto on the Missing Women Project exhibition Media Coverage & Feature Stories: Global Television | University Affairs Canada | Globe and Mail | CBC Radio | the Toronto Star | Canada AM | The Metro | National Post | Canadian Art | MSN News Show less



Walnut Studios

• Canada
• Retail Art Supplies
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Artistic Director at Walnut Studios

  • Sep 2011 - May 2018

  • Tasked with transforming a sizeable empty studio space into an art collective that ultimately grew to over 55 artists • Accountable for vetting artists, controlling facilities, negotiating agreements, and sustaining group relationships • Outlined studio programming, acquired corporate sponsors, and produced and marketed open house exhibitions Key Achievements: ✔ Collaborated on the development of the Career Launcher program that awarded free year-long placements to OCAD students ✔ Created a community cultural engagement model for the studio with other institutions and corporate bodies including the City of Toronto, Capital One, TDSB, TCDSB, Queens University, Humber College, HOK and Schools Without Borders Show less



3MW Artist Collective

• Toronto, Ontario, Canada

• Founding Member

  • 2011 - 2015

  • Co-founded the artist collective devoted to exploring social constructions of race, colonialism, and shadeism • Curated exhibitions with community organizations and participated in panels, symposiums, and discussions Key Achievements: ✔ Mentored the creation of a mixed-race art international conference in 2015 with over 150 attendees and 30+ artists ✔ Earned coverage regarding mixed-race identity from major media outlets and publications such as CBC Radio • Co-founded the artist collective devoted to exploring social constructions of race, colonialism, and shadeism • Curated exhibitions with community organizations and participated in panels, symposiums, and discussions Key Achievements: ✔ Mentored the creation of a mixed-race art international conference in 2015 with over 150 attendees and 30+ artists ✔ Earned coverage regarding mixed-race identity from major media outlets and publications such as CBC Radio



ILAC

• Canada
• Higher Education
• 400 - 500 Employee

• Pre Degree Teacher

  • Aug 2007 - Jun 2012

  • Prepared international students for post graduate and undergraduate academic studies • Trained students in advanced research skills, critical and logical thinking, optimal presentation skills, university level essay writing, MLA writing rules, TOEFL preparation, and post secondary exam preparation • Worked to develop advanced studies curriculum in academic speaking, listening, writing, and grammar • Designed a teacher handbook, writing rubrics and teacher curriculum aids for the department of Academic Studies Show less



Walnut Studios

• Canada
• Retail Art Supplies
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Artist

  • May 2007 - Dec 2007

  Ilene Sova is a conceptual portrait painter who creates paintings which reference anti-oppression feminist themes. She has an MFA in painting from the University of Windsor. Her work has been shown in extensive solo and group exhibitions in Canada and abroad. Most notably, her work has been shown at the Department of Canadian Heritage, the Museum of Canadian Contemporary Art, and at Guadi’s Casa Batlo for the prestigious Barcelona Showcase. She has been featured in a variety of television, web and print media including, The Current, Canada AM, Toronto Star, CBC Radio and the Toronto Standard. She was also chosen to speak at Toronto’s first TEDx Women. Internationally, Sova’s work was featured in the Journal of Psychology and Councelling, the Nigerian Arts Journal Tabula, the Italian feminist journal WOMANOCLOCK. Most notably, Sova was invited by two federal MPs to bring her work to Ottawa, for the National Women’s Forum on feminism and last year she was invited to present a solo show of her work and give an all university lecture at Southern University New York on the topic of Art and Social Change. Sova also teaches in the Faculty of Art at OCAD University. Show less



Harbourfront Centre

• Canada
• Performing Arts
• 100 - 200 Employee

• Education Director School Visits

  • Dec 2006 - Dec 2007

  • Oversaw 21 Art Educators and up to 20 volunteers in the delivery of programming that encourage interculturalism • Restructured program content to reflect an intercultural thematic focus with a philosophy of equity and diversity Key Achievement: ✔ Concocted the curriculum for a media program in partnership with Apple to improve media literacy among youth • Oversaw 21 Art Educators and up to 20 volunteers in the delivery of programming that encourage interculturalism • Restructured program content to reflect an intercultural thematic focus with a philosophy of equity and diversity Key Achievement: ✔ Concocted the curriculum for a media program in partnership with Apple to improve media literacy among youth