Sally McKay

Sally McKay

Job Description

As the Visual Arts Director in a busy art school I do many different kinds of work throughout each day. I come up with ideas for courses and I work closely with teachers to make sure that our students’ needs are being met. Four our outreach program, I build relationships with people working in organizations who serve marginalized folks in Hamilton so that our school can provide them with free art workshops and other programs. I also oversee our college diploma program, which involves advising students, working with faculty and lots of administration. The work I do is collaborative, creative and interesting and I get to meet new people all the time.

Relevant School Subjects

Arts

Areas Of Expertise

Arts & Culture

Career Story

In high school my best subjects were Art, English and History. I was always drawing in my spare time. I went to art school and got my BFA in Art, with a minor in Art History. After art school I moved to Toronto and worked in retail and the service industry to support my art career. I started exhibiting art, writing art reviews and volunteering with art galleries, all around the same time. About 8 years after art school my friend and I started a Toronto art magazine called Lola. We ran it for seven years out of our home offices. Then I went on to work in an art gallery. I continued to exhibit art and write about art, and I also started to curate exhibitions by other artists. 15 years after I graduated with my BFA, I decided to go back to university to pursue a PhD in Art History and Visual Culture. Then I spent 10 years teaching art at McMaster University. Now I work at Dundas Valley School of Art as the Visual Arts Director.