design of all kinds
Sometime deep in the last century, I was trained as a Graphic Design Technician. Nowadays I would be known as Graphic Designer … which is a much more pleasing title. The best part of my graphic design career has been designing logos. Yes, I have literally designed hundreds of logos or image marks. What you see here are just a few more recent examples.
Although I don’t actively promote the graphic design part of my work much anymore, I still love to take on projects that intrigue me and fit nicely with the other pieces of my creative world. So, if you have a project you would like to talk about, please drop me a line and let’s chat!
The thing about being a designer of any kind is, we design ALL THE TIME. We never take a break. Everywhere we go, everything we see, we question the design, form, structure, and application. We assess if the solution that is offered solved the problem elegantly, simply and appropriately.
For me, design is about questioning, about never letting the status quo be accepted just because. And when I say questioning, I don’t necessarily mean that I disagree with a solution, but I question it to see if stands up.
Book Cover Design
It is quite possible that I have book cover design in my veins. My maternal Grandfather, Franklin Fletcher Appleton was a book publisher, and book cover designer. Alas, I never got to meet him, but I know that his influence inspires me.
Book cover design is exciting, challenging and very rewarding. I have had the pleasure of designing several covers that other people recognize as truly capturing the essence of the book. From my own book on design, which I created from cover to cover, to poetry and travel memoir, to a work on creating your own writing practice. Each different, each a joy to work on.
Book covers, like wine labels have a major influence on sales. The more captivating the cover, the more likely people are to pick it up and check it out. A purchase can be motivated by a strong emotional reaction to the imagery.
It turns out that my Grandfather Appleton was one of the first people to introduce graphics to the fronts of hardcover books in Canada. He understood how to attract people to picking a book up.
You can read more about my Grandfather here … he had a passion for books and for creating a unique Canadian identity for them.
Custom Creations
Although most of the furniture I refine has a mandala on it, not all of them do. These are two pieces that enjoy a custom finish to suit the end user. The tall dresser came to me after being used in the garage as a potato and onion keeper. It is now the prized possession of my great nephew. It was quite a transformation.
The brightly coloured dresser is very old, likely a home made piece from solid oak. Prior to its refinement, this dresser was just plain. Now it is the centre of attention in a bedroom and brings joy to its owner each and everyday.
By my own hand …
I really love creating useful things with my hands. Although I don’t make them now, at one time I made dozens and dozens of custom journals. Each one different from the last … they sold very well, but the time involved to create them one by one was just too overwhelming to sustain.
I am captivated by handmade papers, and the ability to take the pieces and combine them to create one-of-a-kind journals.
