I know you are experiencing the most amazing things: #FathersDay
DesignEdge Magazine
Very proud to have some of my work featured in the May/June 2015 issue of DesignEdge Magazine. Launched in 2006, DesignEdge is Canada's leading media brand for the graphic design industry engaging designers from coast-to-coast.
Thirty Something: Vignette no.3
"It's gone now, so you will have a space to park your car when you visit."
It was a kick to the stomach. An unexpected, if not inevitable, moment I'd been waiting for and hoping would be miraculously put off indefinitely. Despite being nearly a year on, the permanence of the event had still not fully resonated. I had items to cling to – THINGS – such as old hockey jerseys and tools and the type of objects that dads just seem to collect and keep for no reason whatsoever. Within this amassed wealth of curios, I felt comfort that his spirit was still around. But now it seemed I needed to redirect. We are, after all, not our material goods.
"It made me sad too but we needed to do something about it. The car couldn't just sit there forever. You have nowhere to park when you visit."
It wasn't a hockey jersey or tool, those were still there and would remain in their place, but it was my late father's vehicle and this would be much more noticeably absent when I visited. A gaping void next to the house cruelly reminding me of the unexpected loss. As my mother didn't know how to drive, it ultimately served no purpose other than helping us both stall change. She did the right thing. I will never be prepared to face this newfound reality.
The 2000 Honda Civic SE wasn't just his vehicle, it was my old car as well. My first major purchase, my father talked me into buying it instead of moving in with a boyfriend back-in-the-day (which was good advice as the car definitely had a longer lifespan). He coached me in haggling a fair price. He taught me the importance of regular maintenance. He joined me on road-trips from coast-to-coast. The vehicle was a vessel of our relationship. Despite having another set of wheels, my father bought the Honda from me in 2008 when I upgraded. He never admitted it, but I knew it was a pity purchase once again meant to help me out.
Part of me though believes he couldn't bear to see it go either.
My dad proudly took pictures the day I bought my first car (1999).
Drumheller
Recently took a road trip to Drumheller, Alberta. Home of the badlands, hoodoos and Royal Tyrrell Museum of Paleontology, it is a great place to spend a leisurely afternoon with your camera:
Tokyo Max
Tokyo Max poster design. I designed this piece based on my interpretation of the riot and opposing restraint to be found in the world's greatest megalopolis (©Deborah Clague, 2015):
InfogRAPHIC: Tokyo
To download the hi-res version of this, click here.
Graphis Awards
Very proud to have won three Graphis Awards in their annual poster design competition. My work won in the following categories:
- GOLD: "Portrait of Vladimir Putin"
- SILVER: "Carpe Diem"
- SILVER: "Big Fish Haul"
Graphis publishes the world's most significant and influential works in the areas of design, advertising and photography (since 1944).
INFOGRAPHIC: Polar Bear Habitat
I'm developing a series of posters and animated infographics on the natural habitat of wildlife vs. the average amount of space they are allocated in a zoo. The visual imbalance of these figures is quite striking. While I do see benefit in preserving species and educating the general public about animals they may otherwise not have the opportunity to see, I do wonder about the psychological effects forced upon them in these unnatural environments.
May Book Recommendations:
WHO'S YOUR CITY: How the creative economy is making where to live the most important decision of your life
Written by Richard Florida
Traveling to Seoul made me contemplate my life. I definitely feel at home in the megalopolises of the world; their energy and palpable ambition is contagious. As I start to consider reinventing myself, the question that looms over my head is "where"? The possibilities are endless … but which city/region would make a perfect match for my personality, expectations and career?
It was by chance (perhaps fate) that I came across this book in Chapters Indigo and it helped answer all of those questions. Richard Florida writes about how choosing the place we live is the single most important decision we make in life, profoundly impacting our career paths, social networks, family and lifestyle choices, wealth, and overall happiness. The book is a great resource to understanding trends in globalization, civic economics and demography, and how the theory of where we live doesn't matter simply isn't true; today it matters more than anything. Upon completion and taking a quiz on whosyourcity.com, I realize that Vancouver and Montreal are probably my urban soul mates. Food for thought for those who seek more out of life and the places they reside.
Favourite line: "The fact that many musician friends who had successful careers in Austin have since moved to NYC or L.A. is not some random coincidence; those are the places to be if you really want to excel. It's not easy. On the contrary, there you're competing with the professionals. But that's just it. The people I know who moved there were up for that challenge. Austin was no longer a challenging place for them, so they moved to places where they were forced to rise to the occasion."
To purchase this book, click here.
CULTURE CRASH: The Killing of the Creative Class
Written by Scott Timberg
Whereby Richard Florida's tome talked about the soft power influence that creative-types impart and why it matters to a city or region, this book counters it with an analysis on how societal shifts have made it nearly impossible for those same people to reasonably earn a living. From designers and writers to musicians and architects, the trend towards devaluing the work of right-brained professionals shows no sign of abating. The author argues the consequences of "Fiverr" culture and how skilled artistry in all forms should be accessible (and thus, hopefully, appreciated) by all rather than a luxury to few.
Favorite line: "But food is not art. Both begin by addressing the senses, but that is where food stops. A good risotto is a fine thing, but it isn't going to give you insight into other people, allow you to see the world in a new way, or force you to take inventory of your soul."
To purchase this book, click here.
RED NOTICE: A True Story of High Finance, Murder, and One Man's Fight for Justice
Written by Bill Browder
My fascination with modern Russia shows no sign of fading. Red Notice is a thoroughly engrossing tale about the economic opportunity that presented itself after the fall of the Soviet Union, the era of oligarch rule in the years immediately after, and the completely lawless, inhospitable and demoralizing current state of affairs as led by President Vladimir Putin. After the calculated theft of more than $230 million in taxes by Russian government officials is uncovered and exposed (amongst other crimes), things really start to get terrifying including the torture and murder of a lawyer attempting to stand up for his country and the suspicious death of another individual that dared speak out. With the passing of a U.S. bipartisan bill in 2012 targeting those responsible, the book ends on a somewhat positive note although it's not much consolation when one considers everything that has happened since.
Click here for more background on this story.
Favorite line: "Russian stories don't have happy endings. Russians are familiar with hardship, suffering, and despair – not with success and certainly not with justice. Not surprisingly, this has engendered in many Russians a deep-seated fatalism that stipulates that the world is bad, it will always be bad, and any attempt to change things is doomed."
To purchase this book, click here.
Korea: Travelogue (Part VII)
Not much gives me stress when I travel. There is always the chance of getting lost but I see that as an adventure. There is always the chance of not being able to communicate but I've always been able to connect. There is always the risk of getting sick, but … it hasn't happened yet (knock on wood).
The food in South Korea is absolutely phenomenal and diverse. Probably the best cuisine I've had outside of France. Menus are primarily in hangul, which makes it difficult to know exactly what you are getting, but this didn't pose a problem; the perfect blend of spice and sauce in every dish made me forget – or perhaps ignore – whatever the specific ingredients were.
My favourite place to eat was a hole-in-the-wall near the Lotte Hotel. I'd visit every other day as it was delicious and, more importantly, affordable. Cost of sustenance was the only thing I was unprepared for during my holiday. Seoul is not a cheap place to dine out. Even street food, located in trendy shopping districts and full of impulse buys, was costly. The first few days I was concerned with how my lack of planning (and restraint) would affect my travel budget but then I decided to just screw it. You only live once and when in Seoul, you must eat the mystery meat. And the milky-textured soda. And the "poop" bread.
Sounds gross, but everything was seriously delicious.
Every day I would walk roughly 30km around Seoul. The same distance a soldier would have to hike during training while carrying 30kg of weight on their back. I would often find myself carrying a haul of beauty products found only in Korea. This is another industry that the nation is keen to become a world influencer in.
Plastic surgery is very commonplace (the New Yorker even cites South Korea as "the world capital of plastic surgery") but it isn't the overtly-obvious type found in North America. In comparison, it is characterized by very subtle refinements and enhancements done by some of the most skilled surgeons on the planet, most of which have offices in Seoul's most affluent district, Gangham. I wasn't here for this purpose though. My nose, eyes and breasts are exactly the same since I was a teenager and shall remain as such, for better or worse, until I die. As someone who spends entirely too much money in Sephora though, I was interested in their beauty products. This is where I was introduced to the power of … snail secretion.
Asia has a lot of strange beauty rituals. I can't personally vouch for all of them (just wait for my upcoming Japan posts), however, I will state that the women are beautiful and their skin is FLAWLESS. This is what I desire. A lifetime of acne-scarring, crater-sized pores, and living in an unpredictable, harsh climate has made me seriously self-conscious about my largest body organ. While in Seoul, I bought everything – and I do mean everything – in an attempt to fix this or at least fool myself into thinking so for a few hours. Cleansers made from colloidal glacial clay, BB creams, "essences" of things I can't pronounce. There were also masks of all types containing everything from lemon to mugwort to pearl, and for every body part from the face to lips to feet to certain unmentionables. The one that curiously produced results for me was a facial mask described as including "snail slime extract to calm the skin and help improve skin damage". It's bananas. My skin glows. I don't know what I'll do when I run out, but it may be cheaper for me to book another ticket to Seoul than to waste further funds in my local mall.
I didn't just leisurely walk this pedestrian-friendly city, I also hiked above it. Within Seoul's massive perimeter lies the world's most visited national park: Bukhansan. A few transfers on the subway from the main business district brings one to an ecological paradise that rests in stark contrast to the hustle-and-bustle of the city that surrounds it. At first I was a bit lost when trying to find the entrance but then realized that, yes, I did have to walk through an active freeway construction site in order to get to it. Of course. Development can't be – won't be – stopped.
Amidst lush flora, trickling waterfalls and spectacular rock formations, I hiked over 123 stories (according to the health app on my iPhone) until finally reaching a Buddhist temple perched on one of the park's peaks. There was a lot of activity. A corporate retreat was underway; as well, a lot of Seoulites make this pilgrimage daily. They appeared to do it with relative ease. Whereas I regularly needed time to catch my breath amidst the wheezing, they motored through with purpose and dignity, wearing appropriate clothing and using trekking poles to wisely balance weight. I didn't even have a bottle of water and was woefully unprepared for just how "intermediate" this intermediate trail was. But I made it. The view at the top and feeling of achievement was well worth it.
I lost my grip and stumbled on a particularly steep portion of the trail on the way down. A woman in front of me came to ask if I was okay; or at least, that's what I assumed. She didn't speak English and I didn't properly learn Korean. Sincerity is a trait that cannot be faked though. She offered me some bread and we continued the descent attempting to communicate via other means. She pointed out interesting rock carvings that I previously missed and showed me where natural, drinkable water sources were located.
At the base, we went our own ways but when I later hopped on the crowded subway to return to my hotel, I felt a tap on my shoulder. The same woman I had shared my afternoon with was also riding at that moment. I was happy to see her again. In lieu of a common language, I used images to express my love of her hometown, showing her some of the pictures I had been taking during my time in Seoul. She seemed pleased by this. As her stop approached, she smiled warmly and gave me an embrace. I knew in this city of 25 million – and this world of 7 billion – that I would probably never see her again, but she gave me a memory that I would carry forever.
That is the purpose of travel.
Korean feast on the private DMZ tour I took (©Deborah Clague/Oblada.com)
Not so mystery meat (©Deborah Clague/Oblada.com)
Cute food is on-trend in Korea. This is a cupcake. (©Deborah Clague/Oblada.com)
My favourite dish at my favourite place to grab a bite (©Deborah Clague/Oblada.com)
"Milky" soda (©Deborah Clague/Oblada.com)
A strawberry festival was on during my time in Seoul. This is a delicious strawberry latté (©Deborah Clague/Oblada.com).
Construction site at entrance to Bukhansan National Park (©Deborah Clague/Oblada.com)
Start of the Mangwolsa Trail at Bukhansan National Park (©Deborah Clague/Oblada.com)
View from the half-way point on Mangwolsa Trail; Seoul down below (©Deborah Clague/Oblada.com)
Signage at Mangwolsa Buddhist Temple (©Deborah Clague/Oblada.com)
Mangwolsa Buddhist Temple (©Deborah Clague/Oblada.com)
Rock carvings along Mangwolsa Trail (©Deborah Clague/Oblada.com)
There are always protests happening in Seoul. This one is regarding the Sewol Ferry disaster of 2014 (©Deborah Clague/Oblada.com)
This was one of the most memorable moments of my trip. I happened to be walking by Bosingak (a historic bell that signalled the opening and closing of the ancient city gates) just before noon and noticed a number of people congregating for the bell ringing ceremony. I entered and watched as a number of children got to participate. After the penultimate chime struck out, we were all asked to surround it and place our hands overtop of its massive surface. As it was hit one final time, the reverberations echoed through my entire body. It was like nothing I had ever experienced before.
Taking the cable car up Namsan Mountain (©Deborah Clague/Oblada.com)
Love locks atop Namsan (©Deborah Clague/Oblada.com)
Love benches atop Namsan, where shy lovers are forced to get closer (selfie sticks are HUGE in Korea) (©Deborah Clague/Oblada.com).
There are landmarks representing pivotal sites from Korea's pop culture scene, hallyu. This marks a location used in a popular a soap opera (©Deborah Clague/Oblada.com)
