From little girl silenced, to award-winning artist & speaker
I am Cheryl-Ann Webster
and this is my story.
Although my childhood was far from ideal and my naive decisions have had life-long consequences, my journey has been rich in lessons and experiences. It has been a journey that has taken me from a little girl silenced to an award-winning artist and speaker. Now, I am the Executive Director at CiiAT – The Canadian International Institute of Art Therapy, where I advocate for innovation and growth in the field of art therapy, including initiatives like the Virtual Art Therapy Clinic.
While growing up, I was silenced by the belief that little girls should be seen and not heard, so I kept quiet even when I should have spoken up. As the silence grew, my self-esteem eroded. Art became my voice—I began to silently sketch my innermost thoughts and feelings, and through my art, make sense of my life.
Over time, I studied what had shaped me, who had influenced me, what was in my control, and what I needed to do to survive…or even better, to thrive!
I am not sure when I fully realized I was in control of changing my situation, but I do remember starting to make the most of my limited resources, rather than focusing on what I didn’t have. At the time, I felt like I was simply putting one foot in front of the other, moving forward slowly but surely. In retrospect, I was actually following a process I now call ART – Awareness, Resilience, and Transformational, which guided me out of the darkness and into the life I love.
No longer silenced, I smile when I am introduced as an award-winning speaker and artist with a glowing list of awards & qualifications on my resume. I smile—not in a boastfully, but in an empowered way, as I am living proof that we can heal, grow, and achieve.
Today, I use my spoken words to empower the audience, and my creative expressions and art exhibitions as the backdrop for interactive, experiential learning. Together with my incredible team at CiiAT, we strive to make the world a more open, understanding, and healthy place.
Partial Client list
Qualifications & Awards
Cheryl-Ann's Formal Qualifications
- Registered Canadian Art Therapist (RCAT)
- Neuro Linguistic Programming – Practitioner
- Accredited Certified Coach, International Coaching Federation
- Art & Science of Coaching, Erickson College
- BA Hons in Culture & Communications
- Access to Humanities & Social Studies
- Insights Institute DISC: Behavioural Studies
- Insights Institute DISC: Train-the-Trainer & Speaker Training
- Canadian Association of Professional Speakers since 2008
- BTec National Diploma in Art & Design
Cheryl-Ann's Awards & Nominations
- 2016 Body Confidence Canada Award – Community Art
- 2014 Honorary Award Body Confidence Canada
- 2010 Be a Women, Amazing Women Nominee.
- 2009 Women of Influence, Deloitte, Ottawa Region
- 2009 Commendation, Business and Professional Women’s Club of Canada
- 2009 Girls Inc. Strong, Smart & Bold, Women of the Year Nominee.
- 2003 Best in Show, Tay River Gallery
In the Media
- Rogers Daytime TV Cambridge, Jan 14
- Inside Guelph Guelph, ON May 20
- CNE Meet the Featured Artist Toronto, August
- CFOS, “Georgian Bay Today”, August
- 98 The Beach, KRH, August
- COGECO TV St Catharines, ON, October 16
- Cable 14 Coffee Time Hamilton, ON, April 9
- CHEX TV News @5:30 Lindsay, ON – March 28
- ROGERS TV- Grand River Living Cambridge, ON – Mar 11
- ROGERS TV -Daytime Cambridge, ON. March 8
- CKCO Television – Healthy Living Cambridge, ON. March 7
- CTV’s Good Morning Canada Aired nationally in March
- CHEX TV Lindsay, ON. March 6
- COGECO TV Vankleek Hill, ON. April 6
- CKWS TV Newswatch @ 5:30 Kingston, ON. February 15 Radio
- Paula Morand USA on-line On-line, June 27
- Speaking in OZ On-line, October 22
- CJOB 680 Winnipeg, MB. May 28
- Bruce Wylie, CHUM Radio, Brockville, September
- Brock TV, February
- 103.7 FM CFBU St Catharines, ON. October 18
- CKTB 600 St Catharines, ON. October 6
- CHML 900 Hamilton, ON. February 27
- CKTB 610 St. Catharines, ON. June 2
- 570 News Cambridge, ON. March 5
- AM 900 CHML Hamilton, ON. February 26
- KCVI Radio Kingston, ON. February 17
- FLY FM, Kingston, ON. January 25
- KRock FM Kingston, ON. January 23
- McClung’s Winter ed. page 10
- Canadian Living January ed. page 27
- Homemakers Vol. 44 No. 8 page 6
- Real Life Vol. 11, Issue 1 pages 5-7
- H Magazine Vol. 2, No. 9 page 12
- Real Women September page 36
- Women and Environments International No. 72/73 pages 48-50
- Cahoots Autumn pages 24-27
- STEPS Alumni Winter page 15
- Fusion Vol. 29, No. 2 spring pages 18-20
- Herizons Vol. 19 No. 2 page 7
- Moxi Femme Issue 2, March/April pages 14-15 & 37
- SNAP Cambridge
- Spoke – Conestoga College Press
- Cambridge Times
- Saugeen Shores
- Shoreline Beacon August 9. page 20
- SNAP Kitchener/Waterloo January. page 14
- Frontenac EMC April 29. page 13
- Shoreline Beacon May 17. page 16 & 17
- The Sun Times May 18.section 1, page A3
- The Toronto Star Aug 2
- The Globe & Mail Aug 19. page A8
- The Gananoque Reporter October 28. page 3
- St Lawrence EMC October 22. page 26
- The Standard, Local October17. page A3
- Niagara This Week October 10. page15
- The Standard, Spectrum, St. Catharines September 29. pages B1& B3
- Toronto Star, Weekend Living April 12. page L7
- Kingston Whig Standard, The Ticket April 12. page 6
- The Hamilton Spectator March 7. page 7
- Cambridge Times April 2. full page in Focus insert
- The Record, Kitchener, Cambridge, Waterloo February 28. page B5
- Cambridge Times March 23
- Kawartha Lakes This Week March 6. page16
- The Daily Post Spotlight, Lindsay March 2 page B1
- The Record, Kitchener, Cambridge, Waterloo February 28. pageB5
- Cambridge Times February 16. page14
- Standard-Freeholder, Cornwall August 17
- Ottawa Xpress August 17
- Standard-Freeholder, Cornwall July 6. page 2
- The Review, Vankleek Hill April 12. page B10
- The Review, Vankleek Hill March 15. page 1 & 9
- The Pioneer, Belleville February 25. page 7
- Queen’s Journal, Kingston January 20. pages 22 & 25
- Kingston This Week January 20. page 12
- The West Carleton Review Weekender August 5. page 1 & 3
- The Kingston Whig Standard Companion January 29. page 1, 3 & 6
- The Humm March. page 3 2005 — The Humm January. page 4
- The West Carleton Review Weekender November 26. pages 4 & 22
- A Woman’s Guide to Building a Girl’s Healthy Body Image and Self-Esteem, YWCA, Cambridge, Kitchener Waterloo, ON. Cheryl-Ann created the art for the book cover.
- Valerie Westgate’s “Still a Girl Inside” Cheryl-Ann’s Beautiful Women Project filmed in DVD
- Lisa Tugnette’s “Reflections of a Woman-my memoir of breast cancer: loss, love & laughter” book refers to Cheryl-Ann’s Beautiful Women Project
- Kathryn Travis’s “Sleeping Body (and Her prince the abject)” Honours Thesis, Cheryl-Ann’s Beautiful Women Project referenced.
