Art is...

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Hello Reader,

My collection of letter stencils began in high school with a blue-grey plastic template of the alphabet. I carried it around in my geometry tin alongside my protractor and compass. Other than perhaps stencilling a neat book report cover or personalizing a duotang folder, I’m not sure why this template merited keeping it with me at all times. Looking back, I can see it was my early fondness for letterforms and controlling the look of a page (even if it was only a grade eleven book report) that led me to a career in graphic design.

When I took it upon myself to create the cover for this issue, I gathered all my letter stencils: an antique serif face cut from thin, flexible zinc; a dollar store find of simple letters diecut from a yellow cardstock; and another plastic template of a utilitarian sans serif. The challenge was to create cover art, literally beginning from a blank page. With an inkling of an idea—to explore making something out of nothing—I started stencilling words.

Dabbing black, sticky ink through empty spaces, I experimented with words and phrases. Eventually, my graphic design and editing tendencies took over, and I cut and pasted, edited and arranged the day’s efforts. Having started from nothing, a few hours later, I had indeed created something in collaboration with the empty spaces.

The pattern design for this one is a simple checkerboard: a square and the absence of a square, repeated.

This issue is nearly done!

And the Glue book is nearly done, too!

​Céline Parent, our copy editor for these projects while Correy is busy moving, has been kept very busy reviewing 580 pages of wonderful UPPERCASE content. We have another round to complete, and then it's all heading to the printer later this week!!! ⬅️ Those exclamation marks represent exhaustion, relief, and excitement that some downtime is on the horizon for me.

Issue #67 is the October-November-December issue, so don't expect it until late September. Likewise, Glue will be shipping in September.

❤️

This magazine is supported by you, its readers.

No advertisements. No sponsorships. No government grants. Through subscriptions and purchases of back issues, we've kept UPPERCASE going for 66 issues and counting. Made in Canada, too!

Thank you for your support.

❤️

Save on a subscription or renewal The code 'keepgoing' gives $10 off subscriptions and renewals. Subscribe

Save on a subscription or renewal The code 'keepgoing' gives $10 off subscriptions and renewals. Subscribe

Here are some screenshots of issue #67 (Oct-Nov-Dec). The themes are stencils and black & white artwork.

Coming in late September: Glue, Volume G in the UPPERCASE Encyclopedia of Inspiration.

UPPERCASE MAGAZINE

The current issue is #66 July-Aug-September. Enter 'keepgoing' at checkout to give you $10 (Canadian dollars) off a subscription or renewal.

​Subscriptions or Renewals can also start with #65, containing the Surface Pattern Design Guide. These surface design issues typically sell out!

100% to UNICEF humanitarian efforts in Gaza​
​100% of Little U sales are donated. Thank you for your compassion and generosity. Together, we have raised over $27,400. I sent UNICEF another donation at the end of July for $2,000 ($1,420 from sales, and then topped up by me). Purchase Little U here.

❤️ Take care.​
Wearing a respirator is an act of kindness.
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The Canadian Standards Association has created excellent science-based standards for requiring universal respirator use in all healthcare settings (CSA Z94.4-25) to proactively protect patients and healthcare workers from airborne hazards (like the virus that causes COVID). The draft is open to public comment until August 19. Read this guidance from the World Health Network about how you can support these standards and add your comments to the draft.
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Spread the message of prevention, not COVID.
​Canada Covid Hazard Index
​Pandemic Mitigation Collaborative
​World Health Network​
(download my graphics for WHN)