Gabriella Solti has many talents. She is a mother, a visual
artist, a computer scientist, and a volunteer.
Gabriella was born in Hungary and raised under a Communist regime.
In Hungary, she studied Computer Science at the Undergraduate and Graduate level,
worked as a researcher and eventually became a Senior Manager with Hewlett
Packard. After meeting a colleague who was living in Canada, and learning
that Canada had an immigration program, Gabriella applied to move here as a
Landed
Immigrant.
She was successful in her application and
came to Canada with her two young children. Prior to moving, she had been
sending resumes from Hungary, and she was offered work two weeks after
relocating. Again, she was employed by
Hewlett Packard in Canada.
When it was time for her children to go to
University, Gabriella decided that she would go too! From the age of 6, she had wanted to be an
artist, but felt it was not a good profession to pursue in Hungary. Now
she had the opportunity. She completed her undergraduate degree in Visual Arts
in Vancouver and her Masters’ Degree at Western. Currently she is a
lecturer in the Visual Arts Department and also holds two other part time
positions.
Gabriella combines her background in
Technology with her Art. The course she teaches is titled, Making Art
with Accessible Technology. She has also brought these skills to a
project at the Children’s Museum where she developed a program for children where
they paint using Brush-Bots (robotic toothbrushes). See a video of the project here!
Gabriella says that “life is easier” in
Canada, “just to manage is easier”. When asked why she has stayed here,
she speaks of the wonderfully supportive arts community in London. She
advises those new to London to volunteer in an area you are interested in, and
also to find a Mentor. She says that London is an open-minded city and
she encourages newer Londoners to “keep it up”.
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