Joe & Josephine is our brand new design collective! We are having our debut show at MADE next Thursday and I am so excited! Here is everything you need to know about us and our show:
Joe&Josephine
A collective.
Art. Design. Craft.
A little bit of everything.
About UsJoe and Josephine is a design collective that brings seven diverse backgrounds together in a unique, multi-disciplinary space. We are united by our desire for meaningful design, the kind that considers human beings and their complex relationships with objects. We reject disposability in design; we strive for the exact opposite.
Our studio is the heart of Joe & Josephine. It is a place to bring our daily experiences and put them to work. Jewellery, ceramics, fibre and industrial design meet here everyday to converse, combat and cross-pollinate. Our studio space allows us to teach, learn, inspire and collaborate with one another: it demands these things, and rewards us when we comply.
We took our name from Henry Dreyfuss, who spent years studying the measurements and limits of the human body. He created “Joe and Josephine,” two fictional characters embodying the physical and psychological characteristics of every man and woman. We share their name as we share Dreyfuss’ goal to “fill the gaps between human behaviour and design.”
"(Joe and Josephine) remind us that everything we design is used by people".
-Henry Dreyfuss
About Our Show: Joe & Josephine at MADE December 13, 2007 to Feb 2. 2008
The size and intimacy of the MADE Cooler inspired us to consider the small, and sometimes overlooked areas of our homes, where we believe one can find the most personal and meaningful objects.
Over time, we accumulate many things; some we keep, some we don’t and some stay with us forever. In the corner of a drawer, on the bedside table, or collecting dust on the ledge above the stove; no matter whether we toss it carelessly or place it tenderly, our “things” reveal much about who we are. They contain our memories, histories, emotions and wishes. They tell our secrets while sitting silently.
If you want to get to know someone, show them the corners of your rooms. Show them the dust covered items you have nearly forgotten—for each of your cluttered windowsills is a tiny, personal gallery, of which you are both subject and unwitting curator.
About The DesignersCaroline Arsenault
Born in Toronto, Caroline Arsenault studied at the Ontario College of Art and Design, where she received her Bachelor of Design degree in 2006. Since graduating she has worked professionally in various projects and assignments, putting to use her creative ability and experience in the design of furniture and housewares, interiors and landscapes, as well as print and graphics. A multidisciplinary designer, Caroline is interested in both modern design techniques and the art of craft. The diversity in her work is evidence of her love and curiosity for all mediums and processes.
Andrea Cormier
Andrea Cormier is a freelance designer, illustrator and animator currently working in Toronto, Canada. A graduate of the Biomedical Communications program at the University of Toronto, most of her work focuses on topics that relate to the field of medical and scientific communication and creating effective learning strategies through visual and interactive media.
In addition to working on projects for the pharmaceutical industry, health care and educational institutions Andrea welcomes all types of creative work including web design, poster illustration and textile projects.
Jessica Johnston
Jessica Johnston was born, raised and schooled in Toronto. In her third year of Industrial Design at OCAD, Jessica began to take an interest in the possibilities that could arise from crossing disciplines. After some investigation of craft and tradesmanship, she fulfilled her curiosity by taking a year of ceramics studio courses after completing her Bachelor of Design.
Jessica sees her background in Industrial Design as a broad base from which the exploration of many materials is made possible and hopes this will lead her in unexpected places.
Kristen Lim-Tung
Born in Cornwall, Ontario, Kristen is currently completing her studies in Industrial Design at OCAD. She has participated in projects with FrogPond and The Souvenir Shop at "Come Up To My Room, 2007". She is interested in material exploration, craft and cross-disciplinary studies. She is curious and is always looking to learn, expand and develop her love for design.
Heather McGaw
Heather McGaw is a designer living and working in Toronto. In 2007 she graduated with a Bachelor of Design from the Ontario College of Art and Design. Since graduating Heather has worked on projects with various design groups focused on humanitarian issues such as learning and sustainable building, and has also worked professionally on graphic design for web and print, photography and small batch design. She is interested in projects with social-cultural relevance with a focus on our relationships with the objects and environments we interact with and live in. Her practice is currently focused on ceramics and fibre.
Katherine Morley
Katherine is a self-confessed latecomer to design, having spent her formative years as a professional singer/songwriter and DJ. However, she has wasted little time finding ground in her newly chosen field of Industrial Design: exhibiting, winning academic awards and graduating with her Bachelor of Design in 2007. Her practice currently favours moldmaking and slip-casting, but she has also studied design for business applications and published articles on sustainable design solutions. Katherine’s work has been featured in Cabin/Cabane, CUTMR, and will be part of The U of T Art Centre’s Inspired by Nature Show in 2008.
Andrée Wejsmann
Andrée Wejsmann is a graduate of the University of Toronto and the Ontario College of Art and Design. She has exhibited nationally and internationally and is the recipient of numerous awards and scholarships. Her work explores the relativity of objects in their environment, often using narrative as a tool to investigate the construction of meaning, and the permeability of signifiers.
Andrée currently lives and makes work in Toronto, and teaches at the Ontario College of Art and Design.
Hope you can make it!
