Fine Arts Wall of Fame
Builders
Dick graduated from UBC with a Bachelor Degree in Applied Science, Chemical Engineering. Dave Dunnet had a significant influence on Dick while playing the trombone in the school band program and gave him a lasting appreciation for music and the value of working collaboratively with others. Throughout his working career Dick has provided much appreciated financial support for the band program.
Dave spent the majority of his career at Oak Bay. He was the Principal in charge throughout the planning and construction of the new school which opened in September of 2015. His passion to develop a state-of-the-art performance theatre came to reality with the Dave Dunnet Community Theatre which sits in the Fine Arts Wing and has transformed the school's role in the community.
Teachers
Bevin taught at Oak Bay for 27 years and for 15 of those years he was the Fine Arts Department Head. Bevin worked with the BC Ministry of Education to develop and implement visual arts curricula and sits on the Victoria Visual Arts Legacy Society (VVALS). Just before he retired Bevin was recognized as being one of the top three teachers in Canada by Canadian Parents Magazine.
Colin was the Band Director from 1991-2011. Colin was instrumental in starting the Summer Band Program which has been a noteworthy catalyst to furthering music education in Victoria.
Alana accomplished many wonderful things in her 17 years at Oak Bay. One of the most notable achievements was the role she played in starting the first formal dance program in School District #61 at Oak Bay High in 1989, which drew students to Oak Bay from across the district to learn Ballet, Tap, Modern, Jazz and Folk dance.
Eileen led the Concert and Jazz Choirs while teaching at Oak Bay. In 1999 she was awarded the BC Music Educators Association Professional Educator Award. Eileen and Bonnie Smith founded the Cooper Smith Music Library which exists today as a district resource for sheet music and instrument loans. To date more than 3400 pieces of music have been signed out through this resource.
After graduating from Oak Bay Dave attained a degree in Music at the University of Washington, Northwestern University in Chicago and at Berklee College in Boston. Dave taught at Oak Bay for 27 years while lecturing part-time at UVIC, where he is now an Emeritus Faculty Member. Dave has been asked many times to adjudicate at the National Music Festival for the Arts Centre in Ottawa and leaves a lasting legacy to the Oak Bay school band program.
After leaving teaching at Oak Bay Carole has received many awards including The Saidye Bronfman Award in 1987 and the Order of British Columbia in 1992. In 1987 she was elected to the Royal Canadian Academy of Artists and received an Honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts from the University of Victoria in 1995. Carole also received the 125th Anniversary of the Confederation of Canada Medal as well as The Queen Elizabeth II Golden and Diamond Jubilee medals.
Bill studied at the Vancouver School of Art (Emily Carr Institute of Art Design). He began teaching at Central Junior high in 1951 and became the head of the Arts Department at Oak Bay High after 1957. He was appointed as a full time professor at UVIC where he was commissioned to design a new flag for this institution. He spent 20 years teaching theatre design at Stanford University as well as UVIC where he retired as Professor Emeritus in 1986.
Artists
After leaving Oak Bay Joe pursued his passion for drawing and art. His career took off in the mid 1980's as his highly stylized animal, human and plant images created a unique visual style. He was awarded the Queen's Golden Jubilee Silver Medal for outstanding Community Achievement in 2002.
John wrote as an arts critic and columnist for the Toronto Star from 1959-1965. Subsequently he co- founded the Canadian Heritage Musical Society in 1981. In 1996 he was awarded a Diplome d'honneur by the Canadian Conference of the Arts and was made an honorary member of the Canadian Music Society in 1999. He was also appointed as the first Jean A. Chalmers Professor of Canadian Music and the first director of the institute of Canadian Music at the University of Toronto.
Amy is a 2015 New York Fine Arts Fellowship recipient whose work has been exhibited internationally at galleries such as Marlborough Chelsea and Derek Eller Gallery in New York, Aanant and Zoo in Berlin, Greene Exhibition in Los Angeles and the Maclaren Art Centre in Ontario.
Early in his professional career Dan, as an actor, singer, dancer, and theatre set designer, won the U.S. Highland Dance Competition and toured Canada with the Charlottetown Festivals production of Anne of Green Gables. He is a founding member of the Kaleidescope and the Belfry Theatres in Victoria.
After graduating from Oak Bay, Brenda studied dance at the Florence Clouge Dance Studio. Her dance training included the Charleston, Can-Can, Spanish and Russian to name a few of the styles. Brenda participated in the Jerry Gosley Smile show, a British Music Hall Show featuring song, dance and comedy. Brenda has continued to stay active as a volunteer in the local dance community of Victoria.
Frank Lewis graduated from the Emily Carr, School of Art and Design after leaving Oak Bay. He was an award winning illustrator and his work was placed in the New York Society of Illustrators in 1963. He proudly represented Canada. His work can be found in Victoria, along the Galloping Goose Trail and in the Cowichan Valley.
After graduation from Oak Bay, Bernie followed his dream of music making. Traveling across Western Canada with Coldsweat, Bernie discovered he had what it takes to be a front man and singer in a Rock and Roll Band. He moved to London in 1978 and in 1986 he successfully auditioned for the position of lead singer for the British based rock band Uriah Heap. He won that competition and has since been touring with the band all over the world.
After graduating from Oak Bay, Sidney graduated from UVIC with a Bachelors Degree in Fine Arts. In 1979 she was awarded the Helen Pitt Award as one of 4 to be chosen as an outstanding post secondary Fine Arts Graduate from BC. She has volunteered as a teacher for School District #61 with the Gallery-in-the-schools program and taught printmaking and painting through the Art Gallery of Victoria.
Tobin is a full time freelance composer writing music for choirs, orchestras, opera, dance, film, television and theatre. He has been a composer in residence for the International Choral Kathaumixw Festival in Powell River, BC, the Victoria Symphony and the Urban Youth Choir Festival in Orebro, Sweden.
After graduation, Patricia went on to tour with the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, performing for Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip during their Canadian tour in 1951. For more than 30 years Patricia has volunteered at local dance festivals and will always be remembered for the scholarship she established in memory of renowned ballet master Wynne Shaw. This scholarship has been awarded at the Victoria Performing Arts Festival since 1978.
Roy is a world renowned painter, printmaker, carver and author. Among his accomplishments, Roy has been named to the Order of Canada in 2007, the Queens Golden Council in 2003 and the Order of BC in 1998.