I enjoy a variety of artistic pursuits including photography, videography, and finding murals in new cities. Vantage Magazine was an amazing experience where we showcased artists in print and hosted a launch event for each issue release. These events were art shows where the magazine artists and others could showcase their work. I still utilize my creative director skills in projects ranging from customer testimonial videos to working with photographers and graphic designers.

Here is what we accomplished and the experience I gained through Vantage Magazine:

Created 8 magazines each with unique themes, showcasing 50+ artists in print and 100+ artists at events.
Managed non-profit by hosting events launching each issue, promoting artists, increasing product sales, revenues.
Acted as Creative Director for photo shoots, image selection, and shaping each issues design and layout.
Chaired quarterly board meetings, voting on operational and financial goals and funding applications.
Established mission statement, focusing efforts and funds on projects that supported local creatives, developed diverse network of partners, volunteers, and creatives in an environment of collaboration and connection.

Photography

Mural Hunting

Helping Artists Succeed

Vantage Magazine Covers Issue 1-8

Vantage Magazine

The idea of Vantage Magazine was born in 2016 with our first edition published in 2017. Between 2017 and 2020 we published 8 hard copy issues featuring over 40 different artists. We became an official non-profit organization focusing on print magazines with a goal to support and showcase artists of all kinds. We worked with and featured photographers, painters, muralists, a variety of makers, cocktail artists, graphic designers and other creators not mentioned here. We helped 50+ artists get out there by featuring them in print and 100+ artists at our launch events. We also raised $627 for a local charity BB4CK by selling prints on our website.

View all 8 covers below to get an idea of what each issue was like.

Photography

I love to take photos, from city landscapes to the mountains and everything in between. I have also got into the world of film photography, an inspiration from issue 3 of Vantage Magazine where we featured three amazing film photographers. Since then I have been shooting a Pentax camera I picked up at a garage sale. Something about framing a perfect shot to get it just right on film supersedes digital where it seems you get too many chances. Here is one of my favourite digital long exposures of the Calgary skyline and C-train.

Mural Hunting

Although I do dabble in paints now and again I would not consider myself a painter. But my passion for painted murals overlaps with my photography work, I love to find and photograph murals here in Calgary and wherever I travel. Something about the creative freedom I see from muralists really intrigues me. Ask me more about my mural photos as i would love to share some of the great work I have seen across the world! This photo is from Berlin, Germany where I experienced a lot of mural work and graffiti throughout the city.

Helping Artists Succeed

Over the years at Vantage Magazine my passion for the arts changed from featuring my own photography work to focus on helping other artists achieve their goals. It can be hard to make it as an artist and that is why Vantage Magazine was started. To create a platform for artists to get their work out there and also to build a creative community of trusted artists. Learn more about what our goals were below.

During our non-profit operations we were able to cover our printing costs and expenses from event revenue and fundraisers. Our main goals were to:

Support local talent by showcasing 20+ artists plus print and promote over 300 individual pieces of art in 2019.
Support and grow a vibrant art community built on integrity and love.
Collaborate with a variety of artists on creative ventures.
Develop a cohesive volunteer team to create more print magic.
Continue to expand relationships with more and diverse sponsors.