After a year of being followed around by a camera, countless long days and dozens of projects, a pair of St. Clair College alumni are ready to peel back the curtain on their creative process at a special screening of their new docuseries.
Recent St. Clair College Alumnus of Distinction Jeff Denomme, a graduate of the Graphic Design program and his wife, Christie Denomme, who graduated from the Public Relations program at St. Clair together make up The Haunted Zoo – “an art brand often described as Hello Kitty meets Tim Burton,” according to the Haunted Zoo website. The art features digital illustrations, paintings, massive wall murals and merchandise, utilizing cartoon animals as the centrepiece of their installations.
On Aug. 22, that work will be on full display at the Chrysler Theatre at the St. Clair College Centre for the Arts at the official Windsor premiere of The Zookeeper, directed by acclaimed director Gavin Michael Booth.
“This is going to be the most incredible portfolio of our work that we could ever imagine,” said Christie Denomme, who says it was a tremendous opportunity to share some behind the scenes moments of how much goes into being an artist. “We really took this as an opportunity to peel back the curtain and show all of that, and then also show the hustle that it takes and what we can do with this art brand and different art mediums, while having impact in different areas of the community.”
Booth, a longtime local director with a Hollywood resume, came up with the concept for the show, which will air this fall on Bell Media Fibe TV1. After the idea was approved, for the better part of the past year, Booth has been following Jeff and Christie around with a camera to document their various art installations, community projects, and relationship building across Windsor and Essex County.
“We're so proud of what Gavin's been able to do with six episodes,” said Christie, noting the docuseries is packed with storytelling and history, while profiling six major projects over the past year. “It shows how The Haunted Zoo started, the evolution of it, where we are today, and how all of these six major projects came to be, offering an intimate and inspiring portrait of art as a tool for connection and impact.”
History of the Haunted Zoo
Jeff Denomme graduated from the Graphic Design program in 2006 and soon after launched The Haunted Zoo, a brand defined by cartoon animal characters that hold a deeper meaning.
“Even in the face of big issues – like bullying, social inequality, and environmental conservation – these creatures stay aware by keeping their eyes wide open and are filled with hope for a brighter future where humans and animals live in harmony,” reads an excerpt on Denomme’s website. “The characters of The Haunted Zoo are here to show us that when we come together, there’s no problem too big to face – and no challenge we can’t tackle as a team.”
After a decade-long hiatus to focus on family and other side projects, Jeff relaunched his Haunted Zoo concept in 2023 and experienced a period of rapid creative growth.
“He has participated in multiple mural festivals, exhibited work in cities including Detroit, Nashville, and Las Vegas, and expanded the brand’s merchandise offerings. In 2025, Jeff wrote, illustrated, and independently published his first children’s book, Adventures of the Honeycomb Heroes: Bee Considerate,” reads the website bio.
“The book marked a major milestone for the brand, translating its values of kindness, inclusion, and environmental care into a narrative for young readers,” it reads.
Producing the Docuseries
Jeff said when the idea for a show was pitched, they were aiming to showcase a body of work that was small and achievable. But after it was given the green light, they decided to go big.
“In the process of making the show, we just thought how hard and how far can you push yourself to get something done?” Jeff recalled. “Some of these projects were done on insane timelines, and we pulled it off.”
“We figured this is our opportunity. We have this platform to show what we can do, so instead of knitting a face cloth, let's knit the biggest Afghan the world's ever seen,” he said. “Let’s go above and beyond and squeeze out every last drop so we can show people what we're what we're capable of.”
In the process of filming the series, Jeff and Christie stepped outside their comfort zones and reached out to new collaborators to create partnerships and grow.
“The biggest supporters and partnerships that we were able to get for this show, were partnerships with people that we literally did not know one year ago. They came into our orbit, or we met them through someone connected to the series in some way. And it's been really crazy to see how our network of people in the community has grown,” Christie said. “Now they understand who we are. They understand what we do.”
“The show's been this catalyst to force ourselves outside of our typical circle to share what we're doing, to share some ambitious ideas. And we've been really surprised with who's said yes, and who's said yes enthusiastically,” she added.
Through the process, the duo has also had the opportunity to reflect on their past, including their creative inspirations, the day-to-day grind of being artists, and their educational roots.
“I also talk about being a St. Clair graduate and being an alumnus of St. Clair and how the education that we both received there is built into our careers,” said Christie. “It's been a solid foundation for the both of us. I'm so proud of it.”
“It’s been a whirlwind year,” Christie added.
The Special Screening
Ahead of its official TV launch, a special screening of The Zookeeper will take place Aug. 22 at the Chrysler Theatre at the St. Clair College Centre for the Arts. The screening is proudly presented by St. Clair College and the St. Clair College Alumni Association, who are providing free access to the show.
Guests of all ages will enjoy the entire first season of The Zookeeper – all six episodes – in one continuous screening with a total running time of approximately 90 minutes. Doors open at 1:30 p.m., with the screening beginning promptly at 2:00 p.m.
“It’s a very unique opportunity for St. Clair College to help showcase the talents of our alumni who are making a difference in our community,” said John Fairley, Senior Vice President of Communications, Advancement and External Affairs at St. Clair College. “Jeff has left his mark on communities from here to Nashville and Vegas, and many in between. This screening gives us a chance to celebrate the success of a recent Alumni of Distinction – in our own house – before the docuseries gets a national audience.”
Following the screening, guests are invited to stay for a live Q&A with the creative team behind the series: Jeff and Christie Denomme and Gavin Michael Booth.
Tickets for the free event are available on Eventbrite while supplies last.
While the dynamic duo is exhausted from the brisk pace of the past year, they both acknowledge they want to capitalize on the positive momentum and continue their work in the community.
“We made it. But in reality, we just started,” Jeff said with a laugh, noting it’s been a 20-year long quest to this point. “We're definitely going to keep the foot on the gas for sure. But maybe now we’ll just do bigger projects and do less of them.”
Jeff and Christie are a prime example of persistence, creative ideation and execution that they hope will inspire someone else to go after their dreams.
“It shows people that cool things can happen in Windsor – that not everything has to come out of Toronto,” said Jeff.
“Some of these projects are huge, and from a brand perspective, everybody knows us now, so it just further solidifies that we’re a Windsor staple, and we're here to help change the community.”
