Agnes Niewiadomski
Camp Director
Agnes graduated from OCAD University’s Sculpture/Installation program in 2008 and hasn’t stopped making things since. Her desire to spread the joy of maker culture led her down the path to create Mindful Makers, founding the camp in 2016.
Participating in community projects and events is a big part of why Agnes loves living in Kitchener-Waterloo. She has been an active member of kwartzlab makerspace over the past 15 years. Her latest crafting obsessions include all things basketry, which include public artworks woven from willow. You can follow along with her latest adventures in making on her Instagram account @agnesmakes.
Meet Our Instructors:
All of our staff are First Aid and CPR Certified and have passed a Vulnerable Sector Screening.
maddy Richards
Leadership Coordinator
Maddy has an Honours Bachelor of Arts degree and is currently completing her Bachelor of Education at Nipissing University. She is excited to become an elementary school teacher and share her passion for creativity and lifelong learning with the children she teaches! A fun fact about Maddy is that she lived in France for a year working as an au pair. She is a maker at heart who loves experimenting with different art mediums and always has a project in the works. This summer, she is looking forward to running the leadership camp and creating fun memories with campers
nikki Mcmulkin
Camp Coordinator
Nikki first joined Mindful Makers as a Classic Camp instructor in 2022, and she is thrilled to be returning to camp this year in a new role!
Outside of camp, Nikki spends most of her time crocheting and sharing her giant creations both online and in-person. You may have seen her and her work at local events like TriCon or Poyofest!
She is always delighted when a skill she picked up at camp comes in handy for a personal project. It brings her so much joy to help pass along these skills to a new generation of makers, so they can have the confidence and drive to make anything and everything they can think up.
Donia Neekman
Classic Camp Instructor
Donia is a young artist from the K-W area, who is enthusiastic about learning and experimenting with different types of artistic mediums. She is a graduate of Conestoga College’s Animation program and is always creating, whether it be sculpting, drawing, animating, painting, storytelling, knitting, crocheting, sewing, etc. Her hobbies include making funny birthday cards, playing games, watching space movies, and learning new crafts/skills. She is excited to be teaching the art of craft all summer and to show others how fun it is to learn. Donia will be returning for her 4th summer at Mindful Makers.
Caleigh Stone Scott
Classic Camp Instructor
Caleigh is currently studying Marine and Freshwater Biology at the University of Guelph. She is a maker from Kitchener whose artistic interests include jewelry-making, painting, and designing miniature ecosystems. Caleigh loves spending time outdoors and enjoys using the natural world both as inspiration and as a canvas. She is excited to be returning for her 3rd summer at Mindful Makers and is passionate about helping campers learn new skills and express themselves through art.
Sophie Stone Scott
Classic Camp Instructor
Sophie is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Art History and Film Studies at Concordia University in Montreal. She is a maker whose artistic passions include knitting, painting, photography and writing. Sophie loves to travel and spend time in nature, and is always inspired by new landscapes and environments. She is excited to join the team this year and is passionate about helping campers express themselves while having fun creating.
Grace MacKinnon
Classic Camp Instructor
Maddy has an Honours Bachelor of Arts degree and will return to school in the fall to pursue her Bachelor of Education. She wants to become a primary school teacher and believes art education is integral to children’s development. A fun fact about Maddy is that she lived in France for a year and solo travelled around Europe last summer. In her free time, Maddy loves crafting, baking, cooking, and practicing aerial arts. She loves to try new things and is excited to and share her passion for lifelong learning and making with campers this summer.
bella richards
Mini Makers Camp Instructor
Bella is a recent graduate from the University of Guelph with an Honours BA in International Development and Creative Writing. She is a maker from Kitchener whose artistic passions include sketching, painting, writing, and dancing. Bella likes to explore and interact with the world around her through art and she believes that our unique experiences shape the works that we create. Bella is thrilled to spend her 4th summer with Mindful Makers encouraging campers on their artistic journeys.
CAILEY HUDSON
Mini Makers Camp Instructor
Cailey is an undergraduate student at Concordia University in Montreal, Quebec where she is currently studying Studio Arts and Art Education. While her specialty lies more with painting and drawing, Cailey is always trying to experiment in as many different techniques, styles, and mediums as she can.
It is her own personal philosophy that as educators we must also be open to constantly learning ourselves. Both learning and aiding others to discover all that the arts have to offer is what Cailey is truly most passionate about - and she is excited to share this passion at Mindful Makers this summer. Cailey will be returning for her 4th year as our Mini Makers Instructor.