Our Team
DIRECTORS
The instructors at APW are dedicated and attentive. Not only did I learn to draw, they also taught me how to see form, structure, and think and draw in 3D space. The skills I learned at APW have been extremely helpful through all four years in animation at Sheridan College.
Gerard Sternik AOCA
Founder and Director
Gerard Sternik is a graduate of the Drawing and Painting Department at Ontario College of Art. He spent two years studying drawing and sculpture in Florence, Italy, and four years studying anatomy in conjunction with the University of Toronto Department of Gross Anatomy. He taught Life Drawing and Anatomy at Sheridan College in the Classical Animation Department.
Vince Peets
Founder and Director
In addition to years of experience as a visual artist and educator (storyboarding, illustration, drawing for animation, character design), Vince Peets’ professional experience has covered cartooning, illustration, animation, visual development and storyboarding on animated TV series, feature films and TV spots in both Toronto and Los Angeles. He taught drawing for animation, storyboarding and visual language at Sheridan College Animation.
Bernadette Peets AOCA
Administrative Director and Instructor
A graduate of the Ontario College of Art, Bernadette majored in Drawing, Painting and Art History. She taught these subjects at Sheridan College in the Department of Continuing Education, Art Fundamentals and Visual and Creative Arts from 1996 – 2008. She has been developing her own art practice over the past 25 years in her Toronto studio.
Joshua Miller
Associate Director and Instructor
Seneca Animation, 2016
Joshua Miller, from Toronto, Canada, is a graduate of APW (2011) and of Seneca@York Animation Arts (2016), Joshua’s rich experience as a visual artist centres on drawing and includes illustration, character design, storyboarding, as well as extensive study of the human figure. As an instructor, Joshua continues to inspire APW students by teaching Life Drawing and Drawing for Animation as well as conducting animation portfolio assembly critiques and individual mentorship. Joshua also handles the instructor and T.A. training component of APW.
INSTRUCTORS
Niko Powell
Instructor
Sheridan Honours Bachelor of Animation, 2019
Jessica Lu
Instructor
Sheridan Illustration, 2022 https://www.lujsse.com/illustration
TEACHING ASSISTANTS
These energetic and devoted young artists are crucial to the APW team. They bring their experience of the day-to-day life of an animation student to their role of supporting the instructors in class operations.
Grace Whaley
Teaching Assistant (Sheridan Animation, 2025)
Avery Mason
Teaching Assistant (Sheridan Animation, 2025)
Risa McEnaney
Teaching Assistant (Seneca Animation, 2025)