Art + Design Education Leaders
We're known for providing unique and flexible programs taught by professionals who have shaped art, craft, design, media and heritage studies in Canada. No other college offers students this breadth of creative programming.
Learn at campuses in Haliburton and Peterborough that provide a one-of-a kind, hands-on studio experience. Our certificate, diploma and post-graduate programs will help you build a solid portfolio to take you to the next step - whether that's continuing education, embarking on a career, or starting your own practice.
Featured Program
Build Your Foundation, Then Ignite Your Creativity
Earn a Visual and Creative Arts diploma in just three semesters with foundation courses and hands-on studio experience!
Apply Now-
Visual and Creative Arts
Train like an artist and build a powerful foundation in visual art. No matter your medium, this diploma helps you grow your skills and perspective with hands-on studio learning.
Visual and Creative Arts -
Summer Course Registration Open!
Weeklong and single day workshops to build your skills.
March Break Creative Adventure Starts Soon! -
Create, learn, and live where inspiration surrounds you.
We’re happy to share that for the first time ever, HSAD students can enjoy the convenience of on-campus housing. Learn more about your future accommodations in Haliburton.
Coming this Fall 2025. Learn more.
Art Certificates
Diploma Programs
Continuing Education
Centre for Making
Haliburton Accommodations
Diploma Program
Post Graduate Programs
Meet our Faculty
Victoria Wallace
Victoria Wallace is an artist-educator, born and raised in Toronto. For over 25 years she operated a successful mural and specialty paint finish company in Toronto which included work for film, television, commercials, schools, businesses and countless private residences. She has shown her paintings in galleries, art festivals and group and solo exhibitions across Ontario for over 4 decades. Her work is held in private collections across Canada, the US, and Europe. Victoria is an elected member of the Ontario Society of Artists, the Society of Canadian Artists, an active member of the Federation of Canadian Artists and a regular on the Kawartha Autumn Studio Tour. She is a Golden Artist Educator for Golden Artist Colors and an R&F Certified Encaustic Instructor with R&F Handmade Paints. In addition to the Haliburton School of Art and Design, Victoria has taught at Sir Sandford Fleming College (Peterborough), Lakefield College, Station Gallery (Whitby), the York Artists' Guild (Toronto), Humber College Assembly Hall (Toronto), the Art Gallery of Peterborough, the Art School of Peterborough, with GoBoomerang (online) and many other public and private arts and educational institutions. For More Information: victoria-wallace.com
Lesley McInally
Lesley McInally earned her Bachelor of Design Honours Degree in Ceramics and Printmaking at Duncan of Jordanstone, Dundee University in Scotland. Her artistic journey began managing Pitlochry Pottery in the highlands of Scotland followed by creating ceramic props for the film industry and decorative ceramics for galleries throughout the UK. In 2004, Lesley embarked on a new chapter by immigrating to Canada, where she established her studio practice in Cookstown, Ontario. Here, she delved deeper into her craft, honing her skills in unique stretched slab forms, paperclay techniques, hand building and captivating surface treatments. Leveraging her knowledge in printmaking, she infused her ideas onto clay creating highly tactile surfaces, using slips and underglazes. She has taught her techniques at various ceramic educational institutions and has recently began teaching online workshops. Lesley is the recipient of numerous prestigious awards and grants and continues to exhibit nationally and internationally. For More Information: @lesleymcinallyceramics | lesleymcinally.com
Paulus Tjiang
Paulus Tjiang graduated from Ontario College of Art in 1988 and continued his studies both at Pilchuk Glass School and as a resident at the Harbourfront Craft Studio until 1989. Utilizing primarily Venetian techniques with remarkable skill, he brings intense colour, precise detail, and an elegant disposition to his work. Paulus owns and operates Frantic Farms Clay and Glass gallery in Warkworth, ON. www.franticfarms.com.
Albert Cote
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Albert Cote graduated from Brock University with BA degrees in Visual Arts and Education. His natural artistic abilities, imagination, visual arts background, and his experience in operating a quilt store for many years has served as a starting point for a very successful longarm and fibre arts career. He has many commissioned pieces in the Niagara area as well as throughout Canada and the US. His innovative classes and trunk shows are an attraction for many people in the quilting world. For More Information: imaginationtextile.com
Janine Marson
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Janine Marson is a graduate of the Design Art Program at Georgian College and received a BFA from the University of Guelph. Her 30-year career has established a strong sense of direction, garnered several exhibitions and awards, and has provided the opportunity to influence hundreds of students with her calm, encouraging spirit. Janine loves to inspire others with art, teaching private art lessons in person and online via ZOOM. A trained, professional picture framer, she has provided her services with a keen eye for colour and design for over 25 years. Her commission work includes painting on a canoe for the Huntsville Festival of the Arts, and painting a paddle for the Algonquin Outfitters Paddle Art Contest. She is one of the muralists for The Group of Seven Outdoor Gallery in Huntsville and has painted six murals to date. Janine received a Woman of Distinction Award for Arts, Culture & Creativity in 2018. For More Information: @janinemarsonartmuskoka | janinemarsonart.ca
Elise Muller
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Elise Muller has been sculpting stone since 2001 and her large public sculptures can be found in Dorset, Fergus, and Kingsbrae Garden. Elise's granite sculpture 'Attunement' won the 2018/9 Canadian Sculpture Competition at Kingsbrae Garden in St. Andrews, NB. Elise has been teaching stone carving to both adults and children for 19 years, and enjoys nurturing her students' individual creativity. Elise lives and works at Stone Tree Studio in Muskoka with her partner, furniture maker Cirvan Hamilton. For More Information: @elisemuller_art | stonetreestudio.ca
Shannon Kennedy
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Shannon Kennedy has been exploring the cutting edge of design using digital manufacturing technologies like 3D printing for years, integrating the skills of the craft artist and the technologies of manufacturing. 3D modelling, rapid prototyping, and 3D printing advanced techniques have created a new way for her to realize her designs as a jeweller. She graduated in 1996 from the Ontario College of Art and Design and furthered her jewellery making skills by attending George Brown College's Jewellery Art Program. She is an award-winning designer, a Saul Bell finalist, and published PMC artist. In recognition of her PMC work, she was invited to give a PMC demonstration at the SNAG Conference in Toronto, 2013. Shannon is a passionate instructor at several colleges and galleries, as well as at her studio. She and her partner are currently running their own jewellery business, Cynosure Jewelry. For More Information: @cynosurej | cynosure-jewelry.com
Rene Petitjean
Rene Petitjean has been a maker of objects for more than 40 years. After attending Sheridan College, he bought Robin Hopper's Hillsdale, Ontario studio in 1975 and began a reduction-fired line of pottery, selling to stores throughout North America. Moving to Creemore in 1979, the business expanded to include a selection of salt-glazed pottery sold under the Bowerman's Hollow logo. In the late 1980's Rene developed a fascination for wrought iron, and eventually left the ceramics field and began to design and build architectural iron. Many of his projects have been large in scope and have taken over a year to complete. Currently, he takes commissions from selected architects, builders and interior designers. In 1998 he assisted with the design of the Haliburton School of Art + Design's Artist Blacksmith Certificate Program, of which he is a faculty member. Rene also teaches in the Ceramics Certificate Program. For More Information: renepetitjean.com
Stephanie Rayner
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Stephanie Rayner is an artist, printmaker, international lecturer, art educator, and captivating storyteller. Her artworks, shown widely and collected by major art museums, deal with themes and issues relating to spirituality and science. In May of 2009 Stephanie was in China at the invitation of the Luxun Academy of Fine Arts, China's foremost art school, to teach the professors and select post-doctoral students watercolour printmaking and a special course on universal meaning in the arts. She was also invited to give lectures on her artwork in several universities throughout mainland China. In November 2009, the Maine College of Art (Portland, Maine) did a special month long gallery show 'First Impressions' of Stephanie's and her students' watercolour monoprint works. Her latest artwork, the 30-foot-long Boat of Eternal Return, was highlighted on the cover of the winter edition of Exile ELQ Arts & Literary Magazine. ELQ also did an essay for the magazine and a YouTube video on Stephanie and the creation of the boat. The Boat of Eternal Return ran as a four-month-long solo show at PAMA, and the same year Stephanie was awarded The Ashley Fellowship by Trent University. She is the first visual artist to receive this award. Stephanie's ability to inspire creative responses within the individual takes her teaching well beyond technique and into the very heart of the art process. For More Information: stephanierayner.com | Youtube: ELQ Stephanie Rayner
Melanie Matthews
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Melanie Matthews followed her painting and drawing studies at Dawson College with the achievement of a BFA with distinction in Studio Art from Concordia University. She shares her time between her prolific personal art practice and an ever-expanding teaching schedule. Melanie is Golden Artist Colors Working Artist for Ontario and has been the Working Artist for Quebec since 2002. She is invited to lecture, offer workshops, and teach classes for many venues and art organizations, including the Visual Arts Centre, Dawson College, Concordia University, Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, and the Canadian Society of Artists. She instructs on a broad spectrum of topics, including methods and materials of acrylic painting, acrylic encaustic techniques, monoprinting, bigger is better (large scale image-making), painting on Plexi, essential acrylics, mixed media, digital mixed media, contemporary water media, creative colour mixing, image transfer, and more. For More Information: melaniematthews.ca
