Very proud to win silver in the Graphis international annual report design competition (multi-year). Saskatchewan Polytechnic (formerly SIAST) was one of two Canadian entries honoured. Graphis publishes the world's most significant and influential works in the areas of design, advertising and photography (since 1944).
Thirty something Vignette no.7:
My eyes made their way over the display. We were in a high-end bakery that had a mouth-watering gourmet donut selection and I was a bit indecisive. I knew it wasn't a healthy choice, but the delight I received from indulging was heavily influenced by memory. When I was a kid, he'd take me to Robin's after ice-skating and tobogganing. It was a weekly ritual I always looked forward to. Now here we were: older, our bond (and craving for fried dough) still unbreakable. He leaned on his cane and let me order for him.
"We'll take one maple dip and one chocolate dip," I said, listing our favorites from back-in-the-day. "and two London Fogs, please." He had never tried one before. I hoped he enjoyed the latté as much as I did. It was part of my adult evening ritual.
As the donuts were placed in a small box, I turned to him and asked where he wanted to go. He looked me in the eye and with a warm smile stated:
"Let's get in the car, drive to the ocean and look out to the sea."
Hello.
Suddenly I was awakened by the text tone on my phone. It was 7:04 a.m., an urgent work query begged response and shook me from slumber. After replying, I laid in bed for awhile longer basking in the feeling of intense happiness that washed over my body.
He still visits in my dreams.
The Divine Comedy no.5
'Seven Deadly Sins'. Illustration by Gustave Doré (1832-1883); colour and animation work by Deborah Clague, Oblada Creative (2016):
The Divine Comedy no.4
“Midway upon the journey of our life, I found myself within a forest dark, for the straightforward pathway had been lost.”
'A Forest Dark'. Illustration by Gustave Doré (1832-1883); colour and animation work by Deborah Clague, Oblada Creative (2016):
The Divine Comedy no.3
'Arrival of Souls'. Illustration by Gustave Doré (1832-1883); colour and animation work by Deborah Clague, Oblada Creative (2016):
The Divine Comedy no.2
'First Night in Purgatory'. Illustration by Gustave Doré (1832-1883); colour and animation work by Deborah Clague, Oblada Creative (2016):
The Divine Comedy no.1
Have been spending a considerable amount of my spare time colouring and animating historic illustrations. In addition to a series on London, I am also going to attempt to bring to life the intricate, hauntingly beautiful work of one of my favourite artists, Gustave Doré (1832-1883).
The first, titled 'Beatrice Unveiled', is from Doré's renowned illustration work for Dante Alighieri's epic poem 'The Divine Comedy', a medieval tale about the descent into the afterlife.
London no.2
London
Canada ❤️ The Hip
I got into The Tragically Hip later in life. In my youth, I was more mesmerized by the shiny videos on Much Music over solid lyrical content or geographical relatability.
After it was announced this past May that lead singer Gord Downie was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer though, I felt like I had been hit in the stomach. First off, hearing news that someone so young (52), someone seemingly still so full of zest and future achievement, should have to deal with the evil that is cancer is always troubling. Life is unfair in so many ways.
Secondly, it was then that I realized just how deep their sound indirectly permeated into moments of my life. The guitar riffs, the lyrics, Gord's voice ... they have become part of the country's landscape. I have many memories of their catalogue of songs playing on the radio as my family drove down the highway veins of the nation on summer vacation. Like a great soundtrack to a film, the auditory experience felt seamless to the views uncovered. The Tragically Hip were the earnest sound of Canada, from coast-to-coast.
My high school years are reignited as I recollect my best friend Rita, a huge fan who would play them whenever I visited her home. 'Trouble at the Henhouse' had just been released and I remember pausing to soak in the beautiful wordsmith of 'Ahead by a Century', my personal favourite song of theirs:
First thing we'd climb a tree
And maybe then we'd talk
Or sit silently
And listen to our thoughts
With illusions of someday casting a golden light
No dress rehearsal, this is our life
I've always loved this verse. It has since transcended that era and now, as an adult, perfectly sums up my feelings for friends and loved ones. Enjoy each other's company. Enjoy the moments, no matter how insignificant they initially feel. It all matters. I've evolved from being entertained solely by gloss and now covet the story a great song can share.
I created the following animated GIFs as a farewell to the band as they perform their last show on Saturday, August 20.
Thank you for being undeniably (and unapologetically) Canadian.
And thank you for reflecting and recording our values and history over the years.
Thank you.
To donate to the Gord Downie Fund for Brain Cancer Research, click here.
Animation created by Deborah Clague (2016).
Animation created by Deborah Clague (2016).
Animation created by Deborah Clague (2016).
Animation created by Deborah Clague (2016).