ASSOCIATE ARTISTIC TEAM
Red Pepper maintains a roster of associate artists who work with us throughout the year on our projects. They are experienced in a wide variety of art disciplines and cultural practices, working with us as either production staff or performers, depending on the unique needs of each project produced by our studio.
Red Pepper maintains a roster of associate artists who work with us throughout the year on our projects. They are experienced in a wide variety of art disciplines and cultural practices, working with us as either production staff or performers, depending on the unique needs of each project produced by our studio.
JESUS MORA
FACILITATOR / VISUAL ARTIST
Jesus has studied drawing and painting in both Mexico and Canada. Over the past decade, he has participated in several art projects, exhibitions, workshops, residencies and festivals with his paintings, photography, video, sculpture and performance. In addition to Red Pepper, he has collaborated with Art Starts, SAVAC, Art City, Urban Arts and LACAP among others.
FACILITATOR / VISUAL ARTIST
Jesus has studied drawing and painting in both Mexico and Canada. Over the past decade, he has participated in several art projects, exhibitions, workshops, residencies and festivals with his paintings, photography, video, sculpture and performance. In addition to Red Pepper, he has collaborated with Art Starts, SAVAC, Art City, Urban Arts and LACAP among others.
GISELLE NAVAROLI
FACILITATOR / VISUAL ARTIST
Giselle was born and raised in Havana, Cuba, completed the Elementary School of Ballet, and has a degree in clowning from the National Circus School, and a BFA from the University of Cuba. Giselle came to Canada in 2000 to the World Stage Festival and now resides in Toronto as a performer, children's advocate and painter.
FACILITATOR / VISUAL ARTIST
Giselle was born and raised in Havana, Cuba, completed the Elementary School of Ballet, and has a degree in clowning from the National Circus School, and a BFA from the University of Cuba. Giselle came to Canada in 2000 to the World Stage Festival and now resides in Toronto as a performer, children's advocate and painter.
LUCERO LARA
DIRECTOR / ACTRESS / THEATRE EDUCATOR
Scenic Creator from Aguascalientes, Mexico Lucero Lara is a founder of no-land Theatre. She did her Bachelor's degree in Theatre from the University of the Arts - Cultural Institute of Aguascalientes. Graduate of the Centre for the Study of Voice and Speech, INBA 2011. She has participated in many productions as an actress and director. She has worked with Red Pepper Spectacle Arts in the Kensington Market Winter Solstice and as a puppet direction and management for Little Amal at the Luminato Festival 2023. She was also a workshop leader for Grupo Teatro Libre's "Latin seeds". at the Casa Maiz Cultural Centre.
DIRECTOR / ACTRESS / THEATRE EDUCATOR
Scenic Creator from Aguascalientes, Mexico Lucero Lara is a founder of no-land Theatre. She did her Bachelor's degree in Theatre from the University of the Arts - Cultural Institute of Aguascalientes. Graduate of the Centre for the Study of Voice and Speech, INBA 2011. She has participated in many productions as an actress and director. She has worked with Red Pepper Spectacle Arts in the Kensington Market Winter Solstice and as a puppet direction and management for Little Amal at the Luminato Festival 2023. She was also a workshop leader for Grupo Teatro Libre's "Latin seeds". at the Casa Maiz Cultural Centre.
SONJA CLARKE
FACILITATOR / VISUAL ARTIST
Sonja is an interdisciplinary artist who has been involved in Toronto’s community arts through Red Pepper since 2015 when she began as an intern, and later became an associate artist and administrator. She has designed and led many workshops, including lanterns and mosaics: Gathering of the Clans Mosaic, the Chester Lee Community Garden Mosaic, the Aboriginal Legal Services Christian Morrisseau Mosaic, and others, such as Native Men’s Residence Tikinaagan Project. Sonja has been an integral part of Red Pepper’s festival work, such as the Kensington Winter Solstice Parade, and the Indigenous Arts Festival and Nuit Rose.
FACILITATOR / VISUAL ARTIST
Sonja is an interdisciplinary artist who has been involved in Toronto’s community arts through Red Pepper since 2015 when she began as an intern, and later became an associate artist and administrator. She has designed and led many workshops, including lanterns and mosaics: Gathering of the Clans Mosaic, the Chester Lee Community Garden Mosaic, the Aboriginal Legal Services Christian Morrisseau Mosaic, and others, such as Native Men’s Residence Tikinaagan Project. Sonja has been an integral part of Red Pepper’s festival work, such as the Kensington Winter Solstice Parade, and the Indigenous Arts Festival and Nuit Rose.
ANA RAQUEL "GUARICHA"
FACILITATOR / VISUAL ARTIST
Ana Raquel is a Toronto-based multidisciplinary artist, of Latin American descent; art educator and mother. She is a graduate of the Ontario College of Art and Design, with a major in Photography.
Her artistic approach and work has revolved mostly around the multiple forms of life and how they manifest themselves through her womanhood and Mesoamerican heritage. The choice of media for Ana Raquel, responds to the subject matter she wants to depict, therefore, her explorations throughout her artistic career have allowed her to experiment with collage, transfers, photography, public interventions, textiles and drawing and painting.
FACILITATOR / VISUAL ARTIST
Ana Raquel is a Toronto-based multidisciplinary artist, of Latin American descent; art educator and mother. She is a graduate of the Ontario College of Art and Design, with a major in Photography.
Her artistic approach and work has revolved mostly around the multiple forms of life and how they manifest themselves through her womanhood and Mesoamerican heritage. The choice of media for Ana Raquel, responds to the subject matter she wants to depict, therefore, her explorations throughout her artistic career have allowed her to experiment with collage, transfers, photography, public interventions, textiles and drawing and painting.
CAMILO GIRALDO
PRODUCTION / VISUAL ARTIST
Camilo Giraldo is a Toronto based artist/musician born in Columbia, specializing in Afro Columbian percussion, instrument making, community arts and installations. Camilo’s work is inspired by the relationship between art, music and ancient traditions from around the world. He has participated in hundreds of events through North and South America that includes Blue Skies Music Festival, Mariposa Folk Festival, Cultura World Music Festival, and Mosaiq Multicultural Festival. At Red Pepper Spectacle Arts, Camilo is an associate artist designing and facilitating for various projects including mosaic art, costume and set design for theatre and puppetry and productions for the Annual Kensington Market Winter Solstice.
PRODUCTION / VISUAL ARTIST
Camilo Giraldo is a Toronto based artist/musician born in Columbia, specializing in Afro Columbian percussion, instrument making, community arts and installations. Camilo’s work is inspired by the relationship between art, music and ancient traditions from around the world. He has participated in hundreds of events through North and South America that includes Blue Skies Music Festival, Mariposa Folk Festival, Cultura World Music Festival, and Mosaiq Multicultural Festival. At Red Pepper Spectacle Arts, Camilo is an associate artist designing and facilitating for various projects including mosaic art, costume and set design for theatre and puppetry and productions for the Annual Kensington Market Winter Solstice.
MARTA ORELLANA
PRODUCTION / VISUAL ARTIST
Marta is a Toronto based artist, yoga instructor and community worker. As a Mayan woman, Marta dedicates her time to strengthening Indigenous communities working with various organizations in a social work setting through supportive roles, such as arts facilitator, yoga instructor and support worker. As an artist, Marta focuses her photography and fashion design as a platform to highlight and empower Indigenous peoples through a vibrant lens. Making art with Red Pepper has opened up the possibility of working directly with children and peoples of all ages in the native community of Toronto.
PRODUCTION / VISUAL ARTIST
Marta is a Toronto based artist, yoga instructor and community worker. As a Mayan woman, Marta dedicates her time to strengthening Indigenous communities working with various organizations in a social work setting through supportive roles, such as arts facilitator, yoga instructor and support worker. As an artist, Marta focuses her photography and fashion design as a platform to highlight and empower Indigenous peoples through a vibrant lens. Making art with Red Pepper has opened up the possibility of working directly with children and peoples of all ages in the native community of Toronto.
GABRIELLA CARUSO
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Gabriella is a theatre designer for set, mask, costume and props. She also designs and creates large scale puppets, shadow puppets, printmaking projects, and public mosaic art installations. She has been creating and collaborating in multi-disciplinary community arts projects, theatre creation, and arts activism, having participated in the development of some of the earliest accessible public arts programming in the city of Toronto including at the Harbourfront Centre, ArtsStarts, and in Kensington Market.
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Gabriella is a theatre designer for set, mask, costume and props. She also designs and creates large scale puppets, shadow puppets, printmaking projects, and public mosaic art installations. She has been creating and collaborating in multi-disciplinary community arts projects, theatre creation, and arts activism, having participated in the development of some of the earliest accessible public arts programming in the city of Toronto including at the Harbourfront Centre, ArtsStarts, and in Kensington Market.
ALBERTO CRUZ
GRAPHIC ARTIST / DESIGNER
Our beloved Friend and Artist Brother, Alberto Cruz, has transitioned into the spirit world. Alberto worked at Red Pepper since 2017, after meeting him in the Dia De Los Muertos Collective. Graphic Artist and Digital Designer, Videographer and Editor, Photographer, Animator, Painter, Writer, Musician, Dancer, Loving Warrior, Co-Conspirator….soul crafting across multi hearts with galactic curiosity. Heavy in our hearts yet buoyed in spirit by your extraordinary courage, integrity and teaching. We mourn and offer our loving condolences to the beautiful Cruz Family, Partner Marilyn Cordero and extended community. ❤️Crying tears of connection and grateful for your ever-present love and creativity. Gratitud eterna para ti Alberto. El amor que generaste y compartiste en circulo y volando en el cielo. Siempre estoy agradecido por tu espiritu inspirado y visionario que vive en nuestras mania, corazones, y mentes. Nos venous.
GRAPHIC ARTIST / DESIGNER
Our beloved Friend and Artist Brother, Alberto Cruz, has transitioned into the spirit world. Alberto worked at Red Pepper since 2017, after meeting him in the Dia De Los Muertos Collective. Graphic Artist and Digital Designer, Videographer and Editor, Photographer, Animator, Painter, Writer, Musician, Dancer, Loving Warrior, Co-Conspirator….soul crafting across multi hearts with galactic curiosity. Heavy in our hearts yet buoyed in spirit by your extraordinary courage, integrity and teaching. We mourn and offer our loving condolences to the beautiful Cruz Family, Partner Marilyn Cordero and extended community. ❤️Crying tears of connection and grateful for your ever-present love and creativity. Gratitud eterna para ti Alberto. El amor que generaste y compartiste en circulo y volando en el cielo. Siempre estoy agradecido por tu espiritu inspirado y visionario que vive en nuestras mania, corazones, y mentes. Nos venous.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
BOARD MEMBERS
Sage Paul
Brian Norton
Maria Abbruzzese
BOARD MEMBERS
Sage Paul
Brian Norton
Maria Abbruzzese
