Underline Studio

Our weekly feature of innovative work by people, firms and agencies working professionally for approximately five years, including those who have recently changed careers and/or styles. Submit Work.

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"An identity for a dentist's office. Thirty-two circles stand in for teeth. Coupled with playful phrases, they appeared on invitations and reception signage." Claire Dawson/Emily Tu, designers; Danforth Neighbourhood Dental Care, client

"Part of an ongoing campaign for InterAccess, an electronic media arts center. Each poster is inspired by the themes and content of the exhibitions." Clea Forkert, designer; InterAccess Electronic Media Arts Gallery, client

"A direct-mail footwear brochure for upscale men's retailer, Harry Rosen." Claire Dawson/Emily Tu, designers; Brian Sano, photographer

"A book and CD for chef David Rocco that includes recipes, music and photography from his TV series, La Dolce Vita." Fidel Pena, designer; Francesco Lastrucci/Devon Tsz-Kin Hong, photographers; Rockhead Entertainment, client

Claire Dawson and Fidel Pena are art directors on all projects shown. "A poster for a contemporary art gallery's urban speaker series." Fidel Pena/Emily Tu, designers; Prefix Institute of Contemporary Art, client

"This book accompanied Susur Lee's special-edition cookbook, and provides an intimate look at this famous chef's life and method, using elements from his notebooks and journals." Fidel Pena, designer; Angel Editions/ Madison Press Books, clients

"A corporate brochure for Tusch Seating that provides the Canadian interior design and architectural community with contemporary and transitional seating products." Fidel Pena, designer

"A poster for an electronic arts event in downtown Toronto that acts as a map indicating the location of the art installations throughout the city." Claire Dawson/Fidel Pena, designers; InterAccess Electronic Media Arts Gallery, client

11.12.07

Design firm

www.underlinestudi ...

Duration: Almost three years.
Staff: Five people: Principals Claire Dawson and Fidel Pena, designers Clea Forkert and Emily Tu and production manager Amy Hick. We also collaborate with various artists, illustrators, photographers, writers and Web developers.
Education: Claire earned a BFA from York University and Fidel graduated from George Brown College, both located in Toronto.
Cultural Influences: High art, low art, memory, literature, food, Bridget Riley, music, Mark Lombardi, friends, humor, common sense, Joan Barfoot, Francis Al's, talk radio, spongeware, the Canadian Shield, Julio Cortazar, Kurt Schwitters, pubs, Joseph Cornell, old letters, Diego Maradona, bourgeois morality, Arnaud Maggs, Spring Hurlburt, Theodor W. Adorno.
Environment: In an historic warehouse in downtown Toronto, across the hall from an illustrator/designer, beside a mask theater, down the hall from a photographer, fine artist, design studio, fashion designer, experimental music magazine, math center and architecture firm.
Philosophy: To do something new, thoughtful, opinionated, honest. To do it very well, and enjoy ourselves while doing it. —Paul Weeks

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Creativity is essentially a lonely art. It is in reality the ability to reach inside yourself and drag forth from your very soul an idea. — Lou Dorfsman

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