In preparation for our brand identity work for the 2024 National Magazine Awards, we underwent a research phase to look for inspiration. What we ended up finding was an archive of modernist Canadian graphic design recorded from 1960 to 1985. Canada Modern, an online archive created in 2017, describes that its purpose to "build a definitive and accessible record of this significant epoch, and a valuable reference for designers, students, teachers, historians and citizens alike".

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The archive was created and ran by Canadian art director Blair Thomson of Believe in studio. The creation of Canada Modern stemmed from a "long held ambition" to create a thorough national database of Canadian design in the absence of one.

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Before we were able to easily access digital archives of inspirational designs, there existed print catalogues. Between 1958 and 1964, the Society of Typographic Designers of Canada (now known as the Design Professionals of Canada) held exhibitions that showcased the best of design based off of 5 categories - book design, design for commerce, magazine and newspaper design, experimental design, and student design. These catalogues were meant to serve as a "source of inspiration and guidance" for designers who were looking to submit their work. In 1961, there was a significant and noticeable increase of International Style design.

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Kamloops native Edward R.C. Bethune designed this commemorative stamp and drew inspiration from memories of his youth as inspiration, referencing bicycles decorated with paper strips seen in community parades.

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In 1964, the final annual catalogue from the Society of Typographic Designers of Canada was released, where 218 designs were selected and included out of the 2272 submissions. This catalogue was mailed to Gilchrist-Wright Limited, a print house in Toronto established in 1919 and that is still running today.

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We highly recommend following their instagram page to spruce up your feed.

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