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# Christopher Reyes
My name is Christopher Reyes, and I'm 36 years old, residing in Leslieville. I share my one-bedroom condo with my two Shih Tzu fur babies, KanJi (16 years old) and YuNa (2 years old). I was born in the Philippines and immigrated to Canada at the age of 4, along with my two siblings and parents.
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#### **Tell us a little about yourself.**
My name is Christopher Reyes, and I'm 36 years old, residing in Leslieville. I share my one-bedroom condo with my two Shih Tzu fur babies, KanJi (16 years old) and YuNa (2 years old). I was born in the Philippines and immigrated to Canada at the age of 4, along with my two siblings and parents. I was too young to remember much about the first couple of weeks in Canada, but from what I was told, after a few weeks here and seeing Canadians for the first time, I had asked my mom if my nose was going to grow pointy like theirs. I guess we start comparing ourselves to other people at a young age. We begin to measure our worth. We realize that we are different from others and that we are the foreigners in this new, scary world with new experiences and a brand-new list of insecurities to overcome.
© Christopher Reyes, courtesy of the artist
Fast forward to the summer break and come September, I was starting kindergarten at a local Catholic school at the end of the street where we lived. I took the school bus to get there with a ton of English-speaking kids, who seemed like they all knew each other already. I sat awkwardly alone in the classic 2-seater seat you'd find in a school bus. At this point, I started to notice the details in what they were wearing, thinking how everyone looked like every article they wore was fresh from the package. White T-shirts with contrasting logos gleamed, and sneakers squeaked with the new sneakers squeak. Then, looking down at my fashion statement: shoes were hand-me-downs inherited from a cousin, the jeans were from a garage sale down the street that my parents were way too excited to show me they had purchased for $1, and the shirt was my favourite shirt I'd had for years, hence why I wore it.
But as I sat there alone, I felt my whole self shrinking smaller and smaller. The laughing, English-speaking children and their friends grew bigger and bigger, and the longer I looked, the more I felt they were now laughing at me. Why? I asked myself. I thought hard, and not a couple of seconds had passed before I had an answer. I blamed myself. I decided right there in my self-made scorching tunnel of embarrassment, shame, anxiety, and dread that I now despised my sneakers because they weren’t new, hated my jeans because the cut didn’t look like the cut the other kids were wearing, and now despised this shirt because they were all laughing at me in it. I sat there, just so scared of how different I felt from them, now intimidated by everyone and the laughter. Even the only other Asian kid had friends.
That morning trauma routine played every day in my head, seemingly at a lower frequency as the days progressed. Not long into kindergarten, I realized that there was a space and time and day of the week when I always felt the happiest. It made me feel safe, heard, and seen. In those moments, I felt whole. It also made me realize that what I was looking for was to belong and be included. That’s what art class and any other subject that gave us the opportunity to “create” and “make” provided me. I was able to authentically be myself. Art became my language. It helped me navigate.
I can describe my art as being bold, minimalistic surrealism with influences from the 1950 MCM, post-modern, brutalist, movement with possibly Scandinavian and/or Japanese design undertone.
##### **Why did you decide to pursue Continuing Studies at OCAD U in general, and the Graphic Design and Visual Communication Skills Certificate in particular?**
Growing up in the 90s and early 2000s, during the era of MSN, AOL Messenger, ICQ, AsianAvenue, Friendster, and Downelink (for all my fellow LGBTQIA+2 folks), I found opportunities to customize these platforms. Some sites allowed users to override the host script, enabling even greater customization of homepages. As a teenager, I would spend hours geeking over placement, typography, and color palette while searching for HTML or JavaScript "hacks" that would allow another layer of customization, making my profile site stand out and visually represent my personality. I would experiment with HTML and JavaScript to position elements on my page, almost like arranging a phone's faceplate, with limitless possibilities for creativity.
© Christopher Reyes, courtesy of the artist
My introduction to the world of graphic design began with Corel Paint Shop Pro because we already had it. I started using Photoshop at a more intermediate level while studying interior design. Creating project boards, rendering 3D images, and laying out isometric plans were all forms of graphic design that fascinated me. This interest continued when Hudson's Bay recruited me for the role of National Home Stylist, marking the beginning of a remarkable 12-year journey. I was tasked with updating and recreating HBC’s corporate library of visual merchandising and styling directives for nationwide communication and setting the styling standards for home departments. Adobe Photoshop became my indispensable tool for national merchandising directives and visual concept proposals to directors, VPs, and SVPs.
I chose OCAD’s [Graphic Design and Visual Communications Continuing Studies program](https://continuingstudies.ocadu.ca/public/category/courseCategoryCertificateProfile.do?method=load&certificateId=2845971) appealed to me for several reasons:
The flexible course structure fit seamlessly with my lifestyle, allowing me to pace my learning depending on the bandwidth of my life at a specific time. OCAD gave ample time to complete all necessary courses before applying for your final deadline to apply for your certification.
The course descriptions resonated with me, as they aligned with my professional background and aspirations. The certificate would solidify my self-taught skills and on-the-job training while pushing me to elevate my expertise. The practical nature of the courses and the inclusion of "Visual Communication" in the certificate title was crucial as I progressed into a senior director role.
##### **What has been your favorite course(s) thus far and why?**
I thoroughly enjoyed Otino’s [InDesign course](http://tinyurl.com/4e2hcz5x). I had always dreamed of confidently incorporating the program into my daily workflow, and now I can leverage InDesign’s many possibilities to produce consistent, creative marketing and digital assets and documents both systematically and efficiently. On OCAD 365, the weekly modules and assignments are user-friendly and easy to navigate and watch while you learn. The modules themselves and the teaching in the introduction to InDesign have streamlined my daily workload, making productivity more consistent, efficient, and professional. One of my big exciting projects coming up is writing and designing a coffee table book about my personal journey with visual arts, and mastering InDesign has been an invaluable skill set for the endeavor.
I’ve also started the [Type and Image course](https://tinyurl.com/2ry639ba) with Karen Justl. My fascination with typefaces dates back to when I learned to read and visually identify logos on TV. This course has been a revelation, delving into the intricacies and subtleties of typography. It’s incredible to see how typefaces almost serve as historical stamps, reflecting societal contexts at the time of their creation. This deeper understanding has significantly influenced my design choices.
© Christopher Reyes, courtesy of the artist
Both instructors have exceeded my expectations, showing a true love for the subject matter and passion (and compassion) in their teaching styles. I loved doing all the weekly assignments because you put to test what you jus ready They are always just a chat or message away for feedback on any assignment. In Karen’s class, she always encouraged us to meld the assignment brief with a professional project we may be working on in our day job or private studio practice. I thought that was progressive. The modules and videos were of good length and bite-sized to avoid feeling overwhelmed and allowed us to work at our own pace. The supplementary items are truly inspirational resources if you are feeling a little stuck on a concept or idea.
##### **In your work as a creative director/interior designer, could you tell us about a collaboration or project that was especially fulfilling? And, in your experience, what are the challenges and benefits of collaborating with big brands as opposed to independent ones?**
At Hudson’s Bay, I served as the Senior Creative Manager and Visual Director for Home Departments. One of the most fulfilling collaborations was with Brian Gluckstein, a renowned Canadian interior designer and TV personality on City TV. I had the privilege of designing a trade show booth and an in-store pop-up shop for his exquisite product line at Hudson’s Bay. We essentially carved out seasonal square footage in all our stores, reimagining each section as its own Gluckstein Home Recharge, Rejuvenate, and Refresh Boutique. Showcasing his beautifully designed product and furniture as smart, stylish solutions for a home that needs a January refresh. This involved redesigning fixtures, store aesthetics, imagery, and the overall visual language of merchandising and styling. We worked tirelessly for months to perfect the rollout.
Collaborating with Brian Gluckstein, a mentor figure who inspired me to pursue interior design, was a surreal "pinch me" moment. Witnessing his approach to solving Canada’s design dilemmas growing up and now designing for his products was incredibly gratifying.
Collaborating with larger brands often means working with entities that have invested heavily in developing their DNA, aesthetic, and ethos. They typically provide clear directives, making it easier to understand their needs, so your end result and output is clear, and the process is more systematic rather than creative. However, it's essential to always push the boundaries and suggest innovative ideas, as our role as designers is to lead and inspire. Larger brands appreciate thorough, well-prepared, and strategically sound presentations, especially at the national corporate level when everything should have been completed yesterday.
© Christopher Reyes, courtesy of the artist
##### **What are you working on now, or what are your future plans?**
I am thrilled to announce the release of my latest collection, “FORM.” This collection consists of sculptural wall hangings that I believe will bring a unique architectural detail to our living spaces, especially in the era of condos and prefab communities. Many of us adorn our walls with photos, framed art, and paintings, but often they lack the architectural character that makes a space truly personal. The FORM collection is designed to complement and enhance your existing visual displays or stand alone as a significant and captivating focal point on any wall, creating a vignette or a special moment. These pieces are available online at https://christopherreyesdesign.com, and you can also view them in person at Bettencourt Manor Showrooms, both in Muskoka and their boutique in Leslieville.
Additionally, I am immersed in completing my home renovations, including the installation of a marble fireplace and backsplash. Concurrently, I am relaunching my e-commerce site to scale up, currently hosted by Shopify, with plans to migrate to Wix Studio. Furthermore, I am writing and designing a coffee table book titled *FORM and FEELING*, which celebrates life’s essential elements of passion, perspective, pivot, and pause.
© Christopher Reyes, courtesy of the artist
Website: [https://christopherreyesdesign.com/](https://can01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchristopherreyesdesign.com%2F&data=05%7C02%7Cimartinez%40ocadu.ca%7C5dda38ac5b2d4ea817d808dca288e67e%7C06e469d12d2a468fae9b7df0968eb6d7%7C0%7C0%7C638563956107663000%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=e1sI20a6YzgOWDb9m6XZu72bewSsmFzNcXdmj9euZaU%3D&reserved=0)
Instagram: @christopherreyedesign