Lisa Turner Way. Photo by Colin Way.
BACHELOR OF DESIGN IN VISUAL COMMUNICATIONS, 2005
GRUENKE: When did you graduate ACAD? What was your major?
TURNER WAY: I graduated ACAD in 2005. I majored in Graphic Design in the Visual Communications Design program with a minor in Illustration. I graduated with a Bachelor of Design Degree.
GRUENKE: What is your current employment?
TURNER WAY: I am currently a Senior Graphic Designer with the City of Calgary in their creative department, but I began my career as a junior designer and art director in advertising agencies and design shops. My first internship was at a shop called Creative Intelligence Agency where I interned after my third year at ACAD, and my first real client work was art directing a campaign and photoshoot for The Calgary International Film Festival and Westjet.
Upon graduation, I received a job as a junior designer at Trigger Communications & Design. I have also worked at Foundry Creative, and I started my own practice in 2007 called Lisa Turner Design. In 2009, I returned to the Alberta College of Art & Design as a sessional faculty member to instruct Design Fundamentals and Communications Design in the Visual Communications Department.
GRUENKE: A lot of graduates use the ACAD degree as a creative stepping stone. How has what you do evolved since graduation? How did your education at ACAD direct your career?
TURNER WAY: Initially, I did not know what I would major in since fashion, photography, fine art painting and graphic design all interest me. The foundation year was such a great experimental time for me. I got to try a variety of different mediums such as glass blowing, ceramics, and further explore the fine arts. I even took fashion design courses at ACAD in the summer.
It wasn’t until one of my favourite drawing instructors introduced me to Visual Communications program that I considered applying to the program. He suggested it after recognizing my use of mixed media type and drawing collages. Growing up, I had always been drawn to editorial and magazine design, art direction, and photography. I would create collages by cutting out letterforms and images of people and objects; therefore, I suppose it was a natural evolution to further my studies in graphic design. During the end of my foundation year, I envisioned a career for myself in the commercial arts pursuing graphic design, with the ability to practice fine arts on the side of my design profession. My education at ACAD directed my career because it forced me to be open to changing my course. It allowed me to experiment with different mediums and consider what could be a new and exciting journey for me.
Folk Fest article, illustrated and hand lettered for Avenue Magazine
Once I enrolled in Visual Communications, I soon realized how regimented the classes were, but they prepared me for an agency work environment.
Additionally, the faculty at ACAD are very experienced at the industry in which they teach, which is truly invaluable for students. We as students formed such valuable connections to our instructors, mentors, and peers which we can use as a stepping stone to further our careers. I was recommended by my teachers for internships, which helped me see what the industry was really like. Instructors at ACAD are familiar with students’ work ethic and skill set, so they can act as references for internship opportunities.
Having instructors who work in their field in ACAD’s Visual Communications Design program helps direct and advise students on which career paths are best suited for them. For example, if a student works best in their quiet studio and enjoys flexible work hours, they may enjoy a profession as a freelance designer or illustrator; if they excel at collaborating with others and being surrounded by many people, they could thrive in an advertising career in an agency or design shop environment.
Furthermore, in order to be considered to be hired as a graphic designer in most agencies, one of the qualifications to become a designer is possessing a Bachelor of Design degree or equivalent. In my current role, I have taken courses in marketing from the University of Calgary to work towards my marketing certificate, as well as leadership courses which compliment my line of work.
Promotional mailer design for photographer Colin Way
GRUENKE: What insights did your four years at ACAD give you when looking at things? Why does what you learned at ACAD matter?
TURNER WAY: In my four years at ACAD I learned a lot about myself, and I really grew as an artist and designer. Many students around me who were at the top of their class in high school came to ACAD and they discovered that they were among such amazing talent that really raised the bar for them. This creates a strong inspirational drive that generates a good work ethic. It further pushes a good balance of technical and conceptual skills.
The Visual Communications Design program at ACAD is very regimented; however, it prepared me for a heavy workload and tight timelines which is very realistic in the industry. It also models its classroom set-up after a design agency in that the instructor acts as the creative director would by critiquing students on their work. Additionally, my Cultural Anthropology, Art & Design Now, Art History, and Glass Blowing classes all had such a profound impact on me.
GRUENKE: What would you like to be recognized for?
TURNER WAY: What I would like to be recognized for isn’t something I dwell on too often. I am not sure I will be leaving a huge impact on this earth, but if I can help inspire a few designers or artists, then that is great. I suppose in a broad sense, I would like to be recognized for what I am doing now, which is meaningful problem solving and generating solutions. I would like to be recognized for impactful design solutions. At my current job, I want to shape how citizens experience visual communications and how they are receiving information from the City of Calgary. I would also like to be recognized for being able to be a full-time working mom by pursuing a career in the arts while maintaining some sort of work life balance that includes time for myself, my art and time with my family.
Left Memory Bank, Vehicle Magazine Spread
GRUENKE: After graduation, what obstacles did you encounter and how did you overcome them?
TURNER WAY: I should not complain too much, because I was very fortunate to land my design job two weeks out of school. I do believe that goal setting and a strong work ethic pays off. I encountered an obstacle soon into my first design job. During school, one seems to have such endless possibilities, but upon my first few actual client projects, there were many restrictions and parameters as to what I could and could not execute. Restraints such as a tight timeline, budget, and supplied content were often dictated from the client. I had to work through that and I looked at it as a challenge, since parameters can actually be beneficial at times as they can narrow the scope and help you really drill down to finding your solution. It also forced me to develop good time management skills.
When working for other people, designs do not always turn out exactly how they may have originally been envisioned as a result of time and financial constraints. This was hard to adjust to when I put my heart and effort into my work, since I believed my designs were the best solutions for clients based on my experience.
Another obstacle related to time management was finding balance between my job and my personal life, since working for some agencies can require extended hours. I needed to find balance by carving out time for myself and making my health a priority in order to manage stress. I now take regular breaks each day that involve walks outside, or exercise to feel refreshed and re-energized to take on the rest of my projects.
Whatever It Takes, self promotion book design for photographer Gerard Yunker
GRUENKE: How could you imagine ACAD supporting our alumni?
TURNER WAY: I enjoy feeling connected for different events taking place at ACAD, such as the ACAD Show and Sale. I love going to those sales when I can. Another connection to ACAD is their fantastic guest speakers, which are rewarding on an educational level. I particularly remember a female graphic designer speaker at ACAD who shared details about her experiences in her career from a female perspective, which I found extremely relevant since I thought it could be perceived as a male-dominated profession. She was a very confident, successful, and well-spoken design professional with inspiring insight which I found it to be empowering. I ended up working with her later on in my career. Further guest lectures where ACAD alumni are invited would be fantastic.
GRUENKE: What was your time at ACAD like?
TURNER WAY: Looking back at my time at ACAD, I have very fond memories of it. I had such a diverse range of instructors from whom I learned a lot, and I created good connections with them since I found them very inspiring. It’s also comforting being surrounded by like-minded individuals. I also formed many close friendships that I still have today, even from alumni in different graduating years.
GRUENKE: What do you feel is the role of ACAD and our alumni in shaping our cultural and economic prosperity?
TURNER WAY: Culturally, ACAD and its alumni are connected to organizations such as The City of Calgary through undertakings such as student 3rd and 4th-year projects where students create illustrations and designs for actual clients at the City of Calgary Creative department. Each year we also hire one or two interns, some of which have been third or fourth-year ACAD students who go on to be hired full-time in the studio.
I would encourage ACAD and our alumni to share which different career options are available for its graduates, and most importantly to educate our greater Calgary community on the importance of art and design.
Visual identity for Kara Chomistek
GRUENKE: What are you working on right now? Where does art fit into your future?
TURNER WAY: Art is and will always be an integral part of my life and future, and it always will be. Even when I was busy looking after my children on maternity leaves, I would get creative urges and always wanted to create art or design in some capacity.
When our second son was about 4 months old, my husband and I decided to rebrand Studio 122 and update the interior design, feel and use of the space. It’s one of Calgary’s premiere photography studios that my husband manages, works out of and does photo shoots in for the past 12 years. We renamed it Colony co-work space and photography studio. It was quite an undertaking, but I loved every minute of it. Our goal was to create one part photo studio, one part co-work space, and another part event venue. We are so grateful for our current co-workers, talent, clients and private/public event renters. You can read more about Colony at colonystudios.ca
In November 2018, I curated my first fine art exhibit at Colony entitled Common Ground which was an all-female art show. It included artwork by myself, Karen Klassen, Maya Gohill, Julya Hajnoczky and Amy Gaulin. We also host MUSE, and annual photography group show that coincides with the Exposure Photography Festival each year. We continue to use the space to feature and support local talent.
In terms of future endeavors, I may begin taking up another kind of creative form such as interior design, which I have a strong passion for. I feel that it is the next realm I’d like to get into. I hope to continue to able to travel, visit art museums, and be continually inspired. I do not believe I will ever stop creating, even when I retire from my fulltime gig, I will still paint and live an artistic life because it is an integral part of who I am. My husband is a photographer, and jack of all trades, and I hope we can continue to collaborate on future creative home improvement and art direction projects together. There always seems to be a project we want to start together and there’s always an on-going to do list…
Lisa Turner Way earned her degree in Visual Communications Design from the Alberta College of Art + Design in 2005 and received the Governor’s award from the school the same year. Since graduation, she has worked for design shops and advertising agencies such as Creative Intelligence Agency, Trigger Communications and Design and Foundry Creative. She has undertaken a multitude of freelance projects for various clients under her practice Lisa Turner Design, and has collaborated with many illustrators and photographers. Lisa has also been a sessional faculty member at the Alberta College of Art + Design where she has instructed Design Fundamentals and Communication Design classes. She is currently a Senior Graphic Designer for the City of Calgary’s creative department where she has worked for the past eight years. Lisa also enjoys fine arts such as painting and interior design which she makes time for on the side of her design career. She has illustrated and designed several publications: Lougheed House; A Children’s book, Gerard Yunker: Whatever it Takes, Gourmet Mountain Living Magazine, and Parks 100 – From the Ground up, for which she received a HOW Magazine Award in the Government category. Lisa lives in Calgary with her commercial photographer husband Colin Way (whom she met at ACAD) and her two sons, Theo and Sebastian.