Biography

Janet’s passions: Music, Drumming and Art for as long as she can remember.

Janet grew up on the Severn River in Maryland, an area rich in the natural beauty of surrounding woods, waters, red clay cliffs, towering willows and beaches.

She graduated from Hunter College in NYC, moved to Toronto, and through her elementary school teaching, has inspired a generation of young people to discover the profound joys of knowledge and the arts.

Now settled in Toronto where world cultures meet in a thriving arts community, Janet explores her love of colour, beauty and form.

Email: info@janetmcclelland.com

PAINTING SHOWS:

  • QUEEN WEST ART CRAWL: SEPTEMBER 15-19. 2021, VIRTUAL ONLINE FESTIVAL www.queenwestartcrawl.com
  • What’s Your Muse? An exhibition of art from the Toronto School of Art Alumni Association
  • The Collective, a juried show at the Triangle Gallery,   http://thecollectivegallery.blogspot.com/.
  • Art Exhibition: The Art Show, at Creative Image Studios
  • Reception and Art Exhibit for Olivia Chow at the Mod Club

MUSICAL PROJECTS:

Co-founder with Rick Lazar of Samba Squad (sambasquad.com), a percussion collective featuring Afro-Brazilian drums; and Samba Kidz, a music-arts program for underpriviledged kids. She studied with Bob Becker of Nexus, led workshops at University of Toronto and performed with the Toronto West African Drumming Group for five years. Founder and Artistic Director of 2 bands: Hip Sticks: All-women percussion group, and One World Pan: a young people’s steel drum band; Co-founder of Pan Fest: the TDSB city-wide steel drum festival.

PROJECTS IN EDUCATION:

Anti-Racist Educator and initiator of projects with the Toronto Board of Education; led workshops on principles of anti-racist education, promoted infusion of African Curriculum into the school system, facilitated workshops on African Math, organized community events on anti-racist themes, such as the Essex PS African-Caribbean Festival; produced the 10th Annual Race Relations Awards Event for the TBE.