Graphic designer's art 'Zen-like'

By Jessica McDonald

mcdo0361@algonquincollege.com

Inspired by family and friends, people he met, and places he traveled, Lawrence Callender’s graphic design art speaks volumes to strangers who admire his work.

Callender, 28, completed the three-year graphic design program at the college in 2006, and chose

Algonquin because of the renowned program instructors.

"There have been a few local designers I admire who have graduated from or taught at the

Algonquin graphic design program,ʺ said Callender.

Callender has been involved with digital design and illustration since he first touched Photoshop back in 1995, but began his professional career in graphic design in 1999.
Currently working as a graphic designer at the advertising agency McMillan in Ottawa,
Callender said his education at Algonquin prepared him for his professional career.

“I feel that the program has helped me to further develop the design skills I have and helped to prepare me for work as a designer at a local ad agency,” he said.

With simplistic backgrounds, most of his art features women he has photographed. He then creates a graphic image from the photo.

Owner of the La Petite Morte Gallery Guy Berube said Callender’s work is “a bit of street influence and a lot of freshness,” especially because he has his own style. According to La Petite Morte website, Callender’s work “captures the aesthetics of minimalism and the Zen-like tranquility prevalent in Chinese and Japanese art by the use of organic shapes and colors.”

 “I look for uniqueness in my artists. When people look at his work, people don’t confuse him with anyone else because he’s an individual,” said Berube.

Although it will not be his first, Callender will have an exhibit of his latest work at the gallery in May. Until then, Berube is looking forward to see what he produces.

Out of all his pieces, Callender said he doesn’t have a favourite, but finds the “paridion blue” piece the most interesting. The art work features the bottom half of a woman’s face, and she is speaking on her cell phone with a city sky line in the background.

“I tried different styles with that piece using halftones and slightly off-register colors as a throw back to the comic illustration/coloring/printing style technique,” he said.

He thinks Ottawa is a good market for graphic designers, but what’s most important to him is having the right skills.