#OURPARK2020 ARTIST SPOTLIGHT: GRAPHIC DESIGNER + ART DIRECTOR ADAM WARNER
A graphic designer and art director born, raised, and currently residing in Calgary, Adam Warner has been running his own freelance studio for the past five years, specializing in typography-heavy projects and the branding of people, places, and things. His work can be seen in PARK’s brand and fashion show campaigns as far back as 2014, but most recently in Mode at Home — Canada’s first virtual fashion show.
For #OURPARK2020, Adam created a bright and bold digital mural with a straightforward message — Stay Safe. Be Kind. But we wanted to dive deeper and learn more about how he’s staying inspired and creative during COVID-19. Read the full interview below.
Each mural in this project is centred around the COVID-19 pandemic, in your opinion how is this project connecting communities across the city and providing a sense of joy?
These words and images of encouragement can mean a lot when they come from within a community, rather than from the top down. As artists and designers, we already have a platform, so it makes sense to create positive messaging like this and put it out in the world. And because organizations like PARK are already big-time contributors to Calgary’s culture, this project comes from a place of authenticity and I think people can really get behind the message. We all care very deeply about our city and we’re happy to put some time into a project that shows that.
What attracted you to this project and how did you develop the initial concept for your piece?
I rebranded my studio the week before Calgary went on lockdown, although it was about six months in the making. Very quickly, my Insta strategy was thrown in the recycling bin and I no longer wanted to talk about my studio in the midst of the crisis. Instead of going radio silent, I decided to create posts with encouraging messaging, reaching out and offering help in any way I could. I just wanted people to have a positive breath of fresh air in their feed that didn’t expect anything from them. Then I just rolled my new brand elements into the work, so I felt satisfied from a creative perspective. When PARK asked me to contribute to #OURPARK2020, it became another channel for my little campaign, so like most projects I work on with PARK, it was a perfect fit.
How else has COVID-19 impacted your artistic practice and/or artistic point of view?
I’ve worked as a freelancer for the last five years, and I’m an introvert. Social isolation has been a way of life for me long before COVID struck. However, my workload has taken a big hit while companies still struggle to find their place in our new world. My studio is just an extension of the brands I work for, so if they’re not doing much, I’m not doing much. Let’s just say it is quiet right now, commercially anyway. But I know of other agencies and creatives that are staying busy through all of this, so that’s hopeful.
Creatively I’ve been pushing forward and if anything, this crisis makes me want to double down on the work I love to do, rather than the work that pays the bills. That’s just a general shift I’m seeing too. People are actually stopping to ask questions about the world we live in, and what our place is in it. Where do we want to apply the limited time we have on this planet? There’s a quote a friend of mine shared with me on a project almost a decade ago. It resonated with me then and kind of became my life (and studio) motto. I think it’s more pertinent than ever:
“Doubt is no virtue. Consider the end. Find your heart.”
I think this crisis has given us the pause we need to see what really matters, and where we should be putting our energy.
For you, what is the hardest or most challenging part of creating new work?
For me, staying motivated can be a big challenge, especially when I feel like I’m in a bit of a creative slump, or haven’t had a really fun project in a while. Social media can compound that when you see all of your friends and peers pumping out amazing stuff and you’re on your third corporate brochure in a row. There’s also a pressure to create all the time. Always have content. I’m not into any of that pressure and I can get my back up about it. My wife has been really helpful with this area, allowing me to see things like social media as a tool, rather than a nightmare. That might sound dramatic, but Instagram stresses me out!
In all forms of art, inspiration is crucial. What inspires you and how does that end up in your art?
I’ve very inspired by eras before ours, by things made by humans. Graphically I pull inspiration from hand-painted signs, old automotive graphic design, chunky industrial letters on the sides of sea cans, and faded brick buildings. I like the patina, texture, and personality of a street sign that’s been holding its post for the past 50 years, as it’s condensed letters slowly peel off. Basically, I’m drawn to hardworking graphic design; straightforward and impactful typography that you see a lot of that in the earlier and middle part of the last century.
And then I’m inspired by the later part of the 20th century too. A lot of the 80s and 90s can show up in my work. Punk rock and new wave album art, DIY screen-printed posters, and old magazine ads. There were a lot of rules being broken: unconventional typography. Weird and clashy colours. Defying layout rules and layering in interesting ways. Using photography as a major element.
I’d say those are the two major elements of my work. Powerful and straightforward typography with an unconventional spin? Maybe that sounds wanky? That’s up to you.
If time and funding wasn't a concern, what dream project would you like to pursue?
I’ve always wanted to make a really beautiful magazine. Probably a magazine.
I’m lucky though because I get to work on a lot of fun stuff, and to be honest, working with PARK over the past few years has been a dream project. I remember watching FashionTV in high school and wanting to design clothes one day. That was never the path I took, but to be involved in this world so many years later makes me very happy.
How are you staying creative and inspired during COVID-19?
I’m just going day by day. I’m actually trying to keep the pressure off to stay creative. If I want to work on something I will, but there’s a lot of there more important stuff to take care of right now, like my mental health and my immediate community. I’m trying to give myself the space to do that. #OURPARK2020 has been a great project to focus on because I feel like I’m applying my skills to make a small difference, and that energy can go back into the rest of my work.
STAY CONNECTED
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