January Wolodarsky

Biography

Born in Edmonton, Alberta, January studied fine arts at UBC and was a member/director of TBA-tv - a pioneering non-profit video art collective in Vancouver. In 1985, January graduated from the Space Design program at Japan's top design school Kuwazawa Design Kenkyujo in 1988. While studying at Kuwazawa, she worked under the mentorship of Kyo Toyoguchi on industrial, interior and color design. From 1988 to 1996, as a member of the Environmental Art Studio with Nobuo Sekine, January created large and small scale environmental artworks both of her own design and in collaboration with Sekine and other artists.

January's environmental artworks have been featured in publications including Stoneterior, Process Architecture, and the Daily Yomiuri News. Since returning to Vancouver in 1996, January has become involved in community art and community development in her neighbourhood, Renfrew Collingwood. She was instrumental in initiating, developing, and creating many of the arts and cultural community development projects spearheaded by Collingwood Neighbourhood House (CNH) including the Renfrew Collingwood (R/C) Arts Pow Wow, the Slocan Park Revitalization Project, Collingwood Days, Multiculturalism Week, the Food Security Rooftop Garden at CNH, and facilitated the creation of numerous collaborative arts and cultural projects in the community.

She is now working as the Director of Community Development for Collingwood Neighbourhood House. Her work with CNH has been highlighted at the World Urban Forum in Vancouver, in the film "Where Strangers Become Neighbours", Reawakening Storytelling Symposia, and Shaw TV. January also enjoys creating graphic designs for festivals and performances and rhythmic gymnastic bodysuit designs.