Announcements

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What has been your favorite course(s) thus far and why?  

I thoroughly enjoyed Otino’s InDesign course. I had always dreamed of confidently incorporating the program into my daily workflow, and now I can leverage InDesign’s many possibilities to produce consistent, creative marketing and digital assets and documents both systematically and efficiently. On OCAD 365, the weekly modules and assignments are user-friendly and easy to navigate and watch while you learn. The modules themselves and the teaching in the introduction to InDesign have streamlined my daily workload, making productivity more consistent, efficient, and professional. One of my big exciting projects coming up is writing and designing a coffee table book about my personal journey with visual arts, and mastering InDesign has been an invaluable skill set for the endeavor.

I’ve also started the Type and Image course with Karen Justl. My fascination with typefaces dates back to when I learned to read and visually identify logos on TV. This course has been a revelation, delving into the intricacies and subtleties of typography. It’s incredible to see how typefaces almost serve as historical stamps, reflecting societal contexts at the time of their creation. This deeper understanding has significantly influenced my design choices.

_{© Christopher Reyes, courtesy of the artist}

Both instructors have exceeded my expectations, showing a true love for the subject matter and passion (and compassion) in their teaching styles. I loved doing all the weekly assignments because you put to test what you jus ready They are always just a chat or message away for feedback on any assignment. In Karen’s class, she always encouraged us to meld the assignment brief with a professional project we may be working on in our day job or private studio practice. I thought that was progressive. The modules and videos were of good length and bite-sized to avoid feeling overwhelmed and allowed us to work at our own pace. The supplementary items are truly inspirational resources if you are feeling a little stuck on a concept or idea.

In your work as a creative director/interior designer, could you tell us about a collaboration or project that was especially fulfilling? And, in your experience, what are the challenges and benefits of collaborating with big brands as opposed to independent ones?

At Hudson’s Bay, I served as the Senior Creative Manager and Visual Director for Home Departments. One of the most fulfilling collaborations was with Brian Gluckstein, a renowned Canadian interior designer and TV personality on City TV. I had the privilege of designing a trade show booth and an in-store pop-up shop for his exquisite product line at Hudson’s Bay. We essentially carved out seasonal square footage in all our stores, reimagining each section as its own Gluckstein Home Recharge, Rejuvenate, and Refresh Boutique. Showcasing his beautifully designed product and furniture as smart, stylish solutions for a home that needs a January refresh. This involved redesigning fixtures, store aesthetics, imagery, and the overall visual language of merchandising and styling. We worked tirelessly for months to perfect the rollout

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