My Manifesto

Immerse yourself in new ideas and design - keep up with your craft and continually research what you are involved in.

Question the things around you for inspiration - some of the best ideas come from the most random unexpected places, great ideas are sometimes right in front of your face.

Don't be afraid to design something out of your element - sometimes design isn't always going to be in your comfort zone, it's best to get out there and do something you have never done before.

Stay young - have zest for life, stay young at heart, be positive, and love life, it will process nicely through your work.

Make terrible mistakes - this is supposed to be a learning process, don't be afraid to make horrible mistakes.

Give and take advice - one thing about this industry is that it is SO SUBJECTIVE, its best to get a few perspectives.

Don't self-handicap you or your work - be proud of what you can do, and don't make excuses.

Work through the process - Some of my best work has had a long and drawn out process to boil down to the big idea.

My Creativity and My Education

When I was younger, I was very fortunate in the sense that my parents were always supportive of my interest in the arts. My grandfather was an artist, and my mother is as well, so the arts were very important in my life. My very first out-of-school activity was taking an art lessons, and I will never forget that experience. As I grew older I transfered to Cawthra Park Secondary School for the Arts were I developed my acting skills. In that high school, you are completely immersed in creativity. My whole life I have been involved in the Art industry, from acting to classical singing to fine arts, my entire life is defined by it, and would be very different without it.

Alex Colville

Alex Colville is my favourite Canadian artist. His work is painted with mathematically perfected angles and perspectives. He also creates a wonderful feeling of motion is his work. I am quite intrigued by the stories that he is telling. Each one of his pieces is expressing a story or event in his life. A lot of the people in the paintings are his own family. 

Writing is Design

Writing is design. True. It involves the same way of concept building, and engages the reader in a certain mood or tone being set. Writing is communication as is design. Words are thoughts, and thoughts are what we attempt to shape and express. It is just as important to convey messages through words as it is through visual imagery. 

Sia

One album that I have been listening to lately is called "Some people have Real Problems" by an Australian artist named Sia. She has a fantastic sense of soul and character to her voice and she provides a great insight to her personal experiences. 

One thing for sure...you must give her artistic credit for the video posted below. Anyone who would endure cloths pins and condoms on their face deserves a shout out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uvd814WG2t4  

FORDO!

My really good friend is a really great photographer, and I am completely showing off his work (ha ha). He attended Sheridan College four years ago, and has travelled to Costa Rica and Hawaii to expand his portfolio. Ladies and Gentleman, may I introduce Mr. Michael Ford:

www.fordphoto.ca

Are Designers Obliged to do Pro-bono Work?

YES! I feel that are society is too individualistic and segregated. Everyone is out for number one. If we want to see a change in the issues of inequality than we need to take time out of our busy lives to make things right. For example, if there was a women's shelter or an after school centre for kids with unstable home environments, that needed help with their company, we should provide free work.  These services should be putting their money towards the cause and not towards the advertisements. 

I feel that every designer should do at least two projects a year. Each designer should be able to choose the project in which they desire and provide quality end results. In the end, if everyone helped out just a little bit, then we might see a more forward moving country.