Meet the Team
The Skins team is comprised of artists, technologists, and students at Concordia University both at the undergraduate and graduate level. Our team fosters a supportive network that encourages personal and professional growth.
Each of our team members brings a unique set of skills and knowledge to the table. Instructors are assigned to workshops that align with their areas of expertise, and this collaborative approach allows participants to not only learn new skills but develop creative new ideas and projects that bridge art, technology, and culture.
Read more about our current and past instructors here!
Each of our team members brings a unique set of skills and knowledge to the table. Instructors are assigned to workshops that align with their areas of expertise, and this collaborative approach allows participants to not only learn new skills but develop creative new ideas and projects that bridge art, technology, and culture.
Read more about our current and past instructors here!
VAN RACINE
skins coordinator
MA Student, Individualized Program
VAN RACINE
skins coordinator
MA Student, Individualized Program
Vanessa Racine is a French-Anishinaabe artist and game developer. Currently completing an MA at Concordia University (Montreal, Canada) their research sits at the cross-section of Algonquian linguistics, Indigenous futurism, and game development. In re-imagining open pit mines as urban centers, their research focuses on one of the seven grandfather teachings, reciprocal love (zaagi’idiwin) and how it can be used as a technology for understanding relationality. By using video games and traditional weaving as a medium, their practice engages in questions of sustaining knowledge in a world with ever-growing technologies. Vanessa currently works as the Skins Coordinator at Aboriginal Territories in Cyberspace.
Maxime Perreault
Skins Instructor
BFA Computation Arts
Maxime Perreault
Skins Instructor
BFA Computation Arts
Maxime Perreault is an emerging multimedia digital artist from Quebec City and now based in Tiohtiá:ke (Montreal). He holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts specialized in Computation Arts from Concordia University. Rooted in queer theory and influenced by his own personal experiences as a queer subject, Maxi’s work speaks of identity, embodiment, and visibility. Throughout his life, Maxime has been learning about 3D animation, programming, and creative technologies, allowing him to produce artwork ranging from illustrations, animations, and interactive installations. In parallel, from 2021 onwards, Maxime has been working as a tattoo artist under the alias of hd.maxi.
Destiny Chescappio
Skins Instructor
BFA Computation Arts
Destiny Chescappio
Skins Instructor
BFA Computation Arts
Destiny Chescappio (she/her) is a member of the Naskapi Nation of Kawawachikamach with mixed Algonquin from Kitigan Zibi, and is currently an Undergraduate in the Specialization in Computation Arts program at Concordia University's Fine Arts Faculty in Montreal, Quebec. She completed her DEC at LaSalle College (2019) and has done an artist residency at her community's school, Jimmy Sandy Memorial School in Kawawachikamach. She has also previously worked with the Indigenous production company, Rezolution Pictures. Her artistic mediums such as 3D art, animation, graphic design, and digital painting, explore the themes of Indigenous Futurism combining the complexities of historical, modern, and futuristic topics. She has recently joined IFRC in AbTeC to further her practice in digital arts and Indigenous Futurism.
taylor mcarthur
Skins Instructor
BFA Computation Arts
taylor mcarthur
Skins Instructor
BFA Computation Arts
Taylor McArthur (Pogé hąská wašté wiyá/Hummingbird Woman) Nakoda of Pheasant Rump Nakota First Nation. Raised in Southwestern Manitoba currently residing in Montreal, Quebec. Sheʾs a current Computation Arts Specialization undergraduate student in Concordia’s Fine Arts faculty. McArthur is an award-winning digital artist working with 3D animation, video game design, and video. Her practice is informed by Indigenous Futurisms, and she seeks to situate her Indigenous culture within both the modern and a potential future vision.
Margaret Summers
Skins Instructor
BFA Computation Arts
Margaret Summers
Skins Instructor
BFA Computation Arts
Margaret Summers is a Mi’kmaq artist raised in Ottawa, Ontario who specializes in gamification and immersive storytelling in digital media. In her early career, Margaret worked in many jobs surrounding childcare and teaching children a wide variety of skills. After finding her true passion in programming and game design, she used her knowledge from previous professions to influence her new work. She learned one of the best ways to understand something new and intimidating is by pushing forward and learning from the mistakes we make along the way. She strives to immerse audiences in a new world where they will learn the mechanics and story of the unknown environment by exploring in their own way. Margaret aims to make difficult topics more accessible through gamification and rewarding players for pushing the boundaries and learning from their mistakes. She aspires to create experiences that encourage players to embrace mistakes in a positive and entertaining environment.
nancy townsend
associate director
BFA Computation Arts
nancy townsend
associate director
BFA Computation Arts
Nancy Townsend has always had a passion for games that promote change or tell stories from unique perspectives. As a bachelor’s student, she took a job as a Ubisoft tester and later founded and directed the first student organization for game development at Concordia University in 2008 as a large-scale independent study, since there were no game-related classes at the time. This club was the catalyst for the school creating a game development minor program. She also authored articles for the IGDA (International Game Developers Association) newsletters. After a stint in the high-stress indie gaming industry, working for Minority Media and taking various 3D modeling and video editing contract, she returned to Concordia as a producer for multiple Indigenous, creative new media projects, including building and maintaining virtual gallery, VR artworks, games, workshops and more while also directing the Skins Workshop series. She currently leads the research lab as Associate Director of Aboriginal Territories in Cyberspace.
Past Instructors
Meet the Team
Our Skins Instructors comprise of artists, technologists, and students at Concordia University both at the undergraduate and graduate level. Our team fosters a supportive network that encourages personal and professional growth.
Currently, the Skins Workshops supports a team of five, each bringing a unique set of skills and knowledge to the table. Instructors are assigned to workshops that align with their areas of expertise, and this collaborative approach allows participants to not only learn new skills but develop creative new ideas and projects that bridge art, technology, and culture. Read more about our current and past instructors here!
Currently, the Skins Workshops supports a team of five, each bringing a unique set of skills and knowledge to the table. Instructors are assigned to workshops that align with their areas of expertise, and this collaborative approach allows participants to not only learn new skills but develop creative new ideas and projects that bridge art, technology, and culture. Read more about our current and past instructors here!
VAN RACINE
skins coordinator
VAN RACINE
skins coordinator
Vanessa Racine is a French-Anishinaabe artist and game developer. Currently completing an MA at Concordia University (Montreal, Canada) their research sits at the cross-section of Algonquian linguistics, Indigenous futurism, and game development. In re-imagining open pit mines as urban centers, their research focuses on one of the seven grandfather teachings, reciprocal love (zaagi’idiwin) and how it can be used as a technology for understanding relationality. By using video games and traditional weaving as a medium, their practice engages in questions of sustaining knowledge in a world with ever-growing technologies. Vanessa currently works as the Skins Coordinator at Aboriginal Territories in Cyberspace.
taylor mcarthur
Skins Instructor
taylor mcarthur
Skins Instructor
Taylor McArthur (Pogé hąská wašté wiyá/Hummingbird Woman) Nakoda of Pheasant Rump Nakota First Nation. Raised in Southwestern Manitoba currently residing in Montreal, Quebec. Sheʾs a current Computation Arts Specialization undergraduate student in Concordia’s Fine Arts faculty. McArthur is an award-winning digital artist working with 3D animation, video game design, and video. Her practice is informed by Indigenous Futurisms, and she seeks to situate her Indigenous culture within both the modern and a potential future vision.
nancy townsend
associate director
nancy townsend
associate director
Nancy Townsend has always had a passion for games that promote change or tell stories from unique perspectives. As a bachelor’s student, she took a job as a Ubisoft tester and later founded and directed the first student organization for game development at Concordia University in 2008 as a large-scale independent study, since there were no game-related classes at the time. This club was the catalyst for the school creating a game development minor program. She also authored articles for the IGDA (International Game Developers Association) newsletters. After a stint in the high-stress indie gaming industry, working for Minority Media and taking various 3D modeling and video editing contract, she returned to Concordia as a producer for multiple Indigenous, creative new media projects, including building and maintaining virtual gallery, VR artworks, games, workshops and more while also directing the Skins Workshop series. She currently leads the research lab as Associate Director of Aboriginal Territories in Cyberspace.
Maxime Perreault
Skins Instructor
Maxime Perreault
Skins Instructor
Maxime Perreault is an emerging multimedia digital artist from Quebec City and now based in Tiohtiá:ke (Montreal). He holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts specialized in Computation Arts from Concordia University. Rooted in queer theory and influenced by his own personal experiences as a queer subject, Maxi’s work speaks of identity, embodiment, and visibility. Throughout his life, Maxime has been learning about 3D animation, programming, and creative technologies, allowing him to produce artwork ranging from illustrations, animations, and interactive installations. In parallel, from 2021 onwards, Maxime has been working as a tattoo artist under the alias of hd.maxi.
Margaret Summers
Skins Instructor
Margaret Summers
Skins Instructor
Margaret Summers is a Mi’kmaq artist raised in Ottawa, Ontario who specializes in gamification and immersive storytelling in digital media. In her early career, Margaret worked in many jobs surrounding childcare and teaching children a wide variety of skills. After finding her true passion in programming and game design, she used her knowledge from previous professions to influence her new work. She learned one of the best ways to understand something new and intimidating is by pushing forward and learning from the mistakes we make along the way. She strives to immerse audiences in a new world where they will learn the mechanics and story of the unknown environment by exploring in their own way. Margaret aims to make difficult topics more accessible through gamification and rewarding players for pushing the boundaries and learning from their mistakes. She aspires to create experiences that encourage players to embrace mistakes in a positive and entertaining environment.
Destiny Chescappio
Skins Instructor
Destiny Chescappio
Skins Instructor
Destiny Chescappio (she/her) is a member of the Naskapi Nation of Kawawachikamach with mixed Algonquin from Kitigan Zibi, and is currently an Undergraduate in the Specialization in Computation Arts program at Concordia University's Fine Arts Faculty in Montreal, Quebec. She completed her DEC at LaSalle College (2019) and has done an artist residency at her community's school, Jimmy Sandy Memorial School in Kawawachikamach. She has also previously worked with the Indigenous production company, Rezolution Pictures. Her artistic mediums such as 3D art, animation, graphic design, and digital painting, explore the themes of Indigenous Futurism combining the complexities of historical, modern, and futuristic topics. She has recently joined IFRC in AbTeC to further her practice in digital arts and Indigenous Futurism.
Founders
Past Instructors
maize longboat
Kahentawaks Tiewishaw
bronson jacque
