Win Gies - President / Founder
Involved in educating and mentoring new media talent since the early 80's, Win was highly instrumental in the creation and delivery of the first full-time multimedia program in Alberta in 1994. Graduates from that and subsequent programs form the backbone of local business and education today.
Win is responsible for Digital Video in Final Cut, Adobe Premiere Pro and AfterEffects for both the full-time program and corporate training.
Most recently, he was Multimedia Program Director/Instructor at DevStudios Inc. and prior to that Win was Program Coordinator at the N.A.I.T. Microcomputer Institute.
E-Mail: win@gurudigitalarts.com
Owen Brierley - Executive Director
Owen Brierley is a freelance Digital Media Producer based in Edmonton, Alberta. Owen's recent experience includes: co-creating a Keys2Drive as part of GystWorks, co-creating an Alternative Reality Game for the tween audience called the Central Institute for Exploration with Hotrocket Studios; game design and project leadership of a Serious Game for service rig workers called Simulynx for Terris-Hill Productions; and serving as the Multimedia Development Coordinator for Alberta Learning's LearnAlberta.ca project, a repository of digital learning objects for the K-12 sector.
Owen's roles typically have involved leadership, creative facilitation, strategy, forecasting, analysis and design, and user experience design. Owen is an active speaker and champion of the digital media industry in Alberta and serves as a Member and Sponsor of the Digital Media Association of Alberta. Owen has been invited to join the Board of Directors for AMPIA.
Core Instruction Faculty
JoAnne Simons - Focused Training Coordinator / Instructor
Contact JoAnne for all your Focused Training needs. She will coordinate with our industry instructors to meet all your requirements and ensure you get the best training in Edmonton.
JoAnne brings over 20 years of print media experience to Guru students. Her technical skills include typesetting, graphic design and pre-press, having worked for a variety of printing companies as well as providing freelance work to a select clientele throughout her career. She is highly creative, addicted to InDesign, and is a self confessed Photoshopaholic.
E-Mail: joanne@gurudigitalarts.com
David Juniper - Web Instructor
David combines cutting-edge multimedia and development skills with many years teaching experience, making him one of the top New Media instructors in the city. Believing in the power of blended learning, David combines the flexibility of online education with proven classroom-based pedagogy, resulting in a dynamic, student-focused educational environment. Whether the subject is building a web page or designing an online Mp3 or video player, David makes the material come to life.Visit Davids website (www.dkjphotography.com) to see a sample of his work.
In addition to his experience as both a high school and post-secondary educator, David also works as a commercial web developer and professional photographer. This unique skill set enables him to provide Guru students with a practical, hands-on education in harmony with industry standards. David holds an undergraduate degree and a Diploma in Education from McGill University, as well as a Master's degree in Interdisciplinary Studies from the University of Northern British Columbia.
Curtis Laycraft - Focused Training Instructor
Curtis is a self employed graphic designer by night and instructor by day. Curtis is a graduate of Guru Digital Arts College and has a background in improv drama and marketing. He teaches the tools and principles you need to be effective in your workflow. He has a keen interest in open source projects and alternative software.
E-Mail: curtis@gurudigitalarts.com
Special Guest Instructors
Giuseppe Albi - Traditional Art
Giuseppe Albi has been working in the visual arts since the mid-sixties. After studying in Calgary and Montreal he moved to Amsterdam and then London. In 1974 he returned to Edmonton where he maintains a studio.
Giuseppe Albi has worked exclusively with acrylic paint over the years - exploring the endless possibilities of colour, gel and medium. In 2006 he started to work with Color Travel Interference Colors produced by Golden Artists Colors. This is a new product that changes colour when viewed from different angles and diverse light conditions. In April 2007 a selection of new work was exhibited at Peter Robertson Gallery.
Wei Yew - Graphic Design
Wei Yew practiced graphic design in Singapore before emigrating to Canada in 1976 and opening his own firm, Studio 3 Graphics, in 1980. Among the many projects which Wei has to his credit are the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Paleontology, the 1988 Olympic Winter Games Arts Festival, the TriBach Festival, and numerous familiar logos such as Epcor, the Arts District, Syncrude Canada, The Citadel Theatre, Edmonton Valley Zoo, and the 2001 ITU World Triathlon. He was also responsible for the stunning multimedia presentation to the IAAF selection committee in Monaco, an achievement that helped bring the 2001 IAAF World Championships in Athletics to his hometown, Edmonton.
Wei’s extensive design experience is international in scope. High profile projects have included a commission by IOC President Samaranch to produce a centennial publication entitled The Olympic Image, which Wei spent over five years researching. He created logos for the Olympic Truce (after an international design competition) and for the Environmental Olympics. He designed the entire Olympic Arts Festival held in Calgary during the 1988 Winter Games. Wei helped raised the profile of Canadian book publishers with his branding of the Association for the Export of Canadian Books. This identity has been implemented at book fairs in London, Frankfurt, Bologna and New York.
