TakingITGlobal

Lesson 5: Graphic Arts (Ovila Mailhot) CREATE TO LEARN honouring the wishes of each client and what they want depicted in their designs. Being open to conversation and ideas, but also aware of the potential blind spots in design as they relate to representing Indigeneity, is essential to fi nding this balance. Authentic, representative Indigenous designs also recognize that every group, culture and com- munity is unique, represented by their own symbols and icons. Understanding that Indigenous cultures are diverse leads to designs that speak to diverse audiences. At the same time, we can draw from universal themes in the collective culture, from the stories that connect us all to the land, our ancestors and creation. Founder and creative director Shaun Vincent expands on this principle with his own approach: "My artistic style draws on my Métis roots and fi nds inspiration in nature – animals, plants, the environments around us that we all share. They are specifi c enough to evoke memories and connections to people's own experiences, but they are generic and universal enough to be useful creative symbols: they leave the specifi c interpretation up to the viewer. This style gives my designs the capability of overlapping from nation to nation, region to region, which is useful to any project but often essential in Indigenous designs." For example, we chose soft colour palettes, simple lines and stylized Indigenous imagery in the design for local grassroots youth organization Ndinawe, a design that is universal in appeal while also uniquely refl ective of their values, mission and trusted role in the community. Similarly, featuring traditional medicine bags in various styles in the new logo for Keewatinohk Inniniw Minoayawin Inc. (KIM) is an authentic symbol of their role as a northern Indigenous health entity and also speaks to the diversity of nations they serve and represent. "Representation can be quite challenging in professional Indigenous design," adds Vincent. "Sometimes the topic or organization is best represented by a familiar, sacred symbol. Some- times those symbols are important to the client or their audience, and they specifi cally ask for them to be included in the design. In these cases, we are also providing customer service and people-centred designs, and so an authentic process also has to be fl exible, realistic and open-minded." RESPECTING INDIGENOUS CULTURES When we're designing logos with signifi cant meaning for Indigenous businesses or

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