This summer, BC Ferries launched a new Dessert Bar in their Pacific Buffet and asked me to create a series of posters, banners, screens, web ads and buffet signage to promote the new onboard calorie-fest. It was a lot of fun working on the project but I have to admit having to work very hard to not run out and satisfy daily chocolate cravings; it’s not easy looking a photos of mouth-watering chocolate all day and writing enticing copy without falling prey to a few serious lustings for dessert!

I’m sure the new branding didn’t hurt, either

(Another client, Saanich Dental Group, took third place in the “Best place to improve your smile” – Congratulations!)

I’m very proud to have been a part of this exciting and valuable program both for 2009 and 2010. If you’re not familiar with the program: each summer, naturalists onboard BC Ferries’ main route sailings give presentations on the beautiful and diverse  Gulf Islands National Park Reserve ecosystem that you’re sailing through. These presentations are engaging and educational and great for all ages.

Each year, public feedback is overwhelmingly positive, with both visitors and locals reporting both increased conservation-oriented mindset and behavioural changes as a result of participating in the program. It’s not only a fantastic public service; it’s great branding for Ferries and Parks Canada.

I designed a series of murals (different configurations for different vessels) that form a backdrop to the presentations and extend the program beyond the presentations, highlighting some of the amazing flora and fauna found in this rich and delicate ecosystem. Each mural integrates images with maps of the region, showing locations of some of the many important species and habitats found in the Gulf Islands National Park Reserve and the areas BC Ferries sails through.

Check it out in my portfolio section and make sure you look for them the next time you sail between the mainland and Vancouver Island.

Last item left: Spyder monitor calibration/profiling tool

First generation, but still a solid and dependable tool for getting accurate and reliable colour on your monitor – and a necessity if you want to soft-proof output on different print devices, presses etc. $60

If you’re interested in any of these items (or know someone else who might be), please contact me.

Here’s to another great year!

The original site was built for 800×600 screen resolution and contained a pile of hacks to make it work properly in IE5.5 and 6, as well as IE on the Mac. Since all these browsers are now dead as the proverbial dodo and screens have gotten a little larger (and smaller – welcome to mobile browsing), it was a good time to refresh the site and implement some of the features I’d wanted to see for awhile: a blog, improved portfolio section and home page.

I have some new portfolio items and a brand new blog post to kick things off. Please have a look through and let me know what you think.

Finally, I’d like to express my gratitude to Mike Lathrop over at Big Mike Studios for bringing this to fruition!