During my year leading WOO, I was also finishing my final year of a four year study at ECU. I don’t know why no one told me this, but this last year feels nothing like the three that came before it.
While I was welcoming graduation and everything that comes after, reality kept creeping in - Am I on the right path? Am I ready? Am I even a designer?
The theme, “offset,” started from that exact point of transition. Even in the middle of all that noise, you still try your best. You still make things. But somehow, the outcome always lands in this strange place; almost what you wanted, but slightly off.
That subtle gap. Misalignment.
And it’s not just in work and practices. I saw it in relationships too. That slight mismatch, that almost invisible difference, somehow throws everything off, like a butterfly effect. What I realized is that the closer something is to what you wanted, the more noticeable that tiny difference becomes.
And that led me to a question: Why do we keep trying to fit ourselves into such precise, carefully drawn contours? Why do we feel the need to fit in at all? Where does that even come from?
The answer I came to was this: “Maybe we’re not meant to perfectly fit into those frames in the first place. Maybe the fact that we’re always a bit fluid, never fully fixed, that’s actually the point. And because we don’t completely belong to any one shape, here’s always room for what we could become.
This issue comes from that space. I hope some of that feeling comes through. We’re not fixed, we’re allowed to shift.
This is my last issue of WOO participating as an editor. I’ve grown so attached to WOO, it means so much to me, so.. it’s so hard for me to say goodbye. I’m truly grateful to have been the Editor In Chief of WOO! I gave everything even with the struggles, because I loved it so much.
I just want to take a time to say thanks : to all the artists who contributed, the collaborators for the handshakes, our WOO team who worked so hard, and especially “my directors”, who went through with me, and to everyone who
Director’s What’s ups.
believed in me and supported me when I wasn’t, and everyone who reads this issue, thank you, sincerely.
I couldn’t have made this happen without all of you. And to God, who knows all of me and has been there whenever I needed, Thank you.
Now.. please go ahead, and enjoy “offset”!
Anne SueYeun Seol, Editor-in-Chief
I can’t believe it’s over. If you’re reading this, it’s too la—
I’m joking. But if you are reading this, thank you for taking the time to come back and check out
offset. Or maybe you’re new here, hello!
We wanted to leave you with a part of ourselves as we step into whatever comes next. Frankly, I am horrified. I have to be a person now. For real. Figure out what I’m doing with my life, my career, a direction—some general will to keep going. And honestly, that’s kind of what offset has always been about, at least for me.
I think a lot of us know the feeling of being on the wrong path—or like the world is one big inside joke you never got invited to. Trust me, I’ve
been there. I’m still there. It’s all so fucking confusing. (I don’t know if I’m allowed to swear in this… oops.)
But somewhere amidst the chaos, I’ve learned one thing: there’s no point forcing yourself into a box, out of urgency. I’m still floating in that in-between space, but I’m holding onto the idea that it’ll be okay.
Boxes are overrated anyway—break that fucking box and frolic while your knees can still handle it.
I’m not great at goodbyes, but I do want to say thank you. To my incredibly talented design team: Abbie Gamboa, Arsh Geekee, Kiana Allan, Kwanhee Joseph Kim, and Shayne Hommy.
And to my lovely directors: Anne Seol, Abi Simatupang, and Tanya
collaborate with so many incredible artists at Emily Carr.
Keep doing you, no matter what anyone says.
See you on the other side :-)
Malvika, Creative Director
Thind—I truly couldn’t have made it through this without you. You kept me grounded, inspired, and going, even when all I wanted to do was hang upside down from a COMD studio table.
A quick thank you as well to Elias, our honorary WOO member, and Andy Zuliani, for pushing me to embrace the silly-ness that came with my creativity instead of hiding it.
It’s been a long run. From foundation year to now, I’m so grateful WOO gave me a space to create, to experiment, and to
Hey, I’ll let you in on a secret. *constantly* terrified. Things are changing fast for me—graduation, new friendships, next steps—and nothing can stop that incoming whirlwind. I feel like I’m blown out of my comfort zone and am left with a mess of myself, wondering where can I fit in next. I’m betting my money that you‘ve definitely felt this way at some poing too, whether yesterday, today, or tomorrow.
WOO’s *offset* is here to accompany you through all that insanity. The editorial team—Amelie Shypilova, Arunima Verma, Lei Sabaupan, Naysa M Philip, and Valerie Ni Shun Chen—and I are here to make your transitions less miserable, and more enjoyable.
Speaking of enjoyable—I’ve had an insanely wonderful 3 years being a part of WOO Publication. Thank you to my fellow directors this year—Anne, Mal, Tanya—and all the team members for being a blast to work with. Insanely proud of all the insane shit we’ve created. Onwards and upwards, WOO!
Now, let’s get our shit together and move forward,
Abi Simatupang, Editorial Director
Offset explores the spaces in between. The shifts, misalignments, and moments that pull us slightly off centre. It exists in tension, where things don’t quite line up, but still hold meaning.
Working on this issue meant embracing that sense of imbalance . . . letting things feel slightly off, unresolved, and in motion.
To me, offset and its sub-themes — gap, filler, butterfly effect, and entropy; give people the words for feelings they haven’t been able to name.
Tanya Thind, Media Director
WOO WANTED DESIG N TEAM
DIRECTORS
Anne SueYeun Seol Editor-in-Chief Malvika Garlyal Creative Director
Tanya Thind Media Director
Abi Simatupang Editorial Director
Arsh
Kiana
Flat Figure Enya Hu Ink on Paper @makemedrawsomethingforyou
Sandwich Sleepover
Sarah Anne Biscaro Gouache on Paper @fish_are_fake
WHERE IS MY PLACE IN THE WORLD?
Abi Simatupang
Pen and Ink, Frame-by-Frame @abelberith
Filler Filler Filler Filler
!!!! Kara Mia Roxas Pen + Markers @misomii.a
two girls grown up Etanda Elliott Oil on Panel etandaelliott.ca | @etanda.e
31 Days Jonah Randell Ceramics @dangerrandell
The Memory Futon Neina Flight Mixed medium sculpture @slydog_art
Walking with Type
Anne Seol
Digital art
@kr.atif.soo
Filler Filler Filler Filler
2026 cadu
Anne Seol
Digital art + risograph @kr.atif.soo
Invocations
Amélie Jousseaume
Acrylic and oil on canvas @nintropine
Internet Girl
Abbie Gamboa
Digital art + typography @abbie_gamboa
unseen unread unscored
Joy Nneji
Digital Illustration @bluewintr
STRAWBERRIES
Get a box-full, then wash with water. Take a dollop of Nutella on the side. Dip into the spread, then eat. Only eat them this way.
Strawberries can be found by the roadside, where you can then have a lovely short chat with. They may leave an aftertaste of chocolate-flavoured laughter. Have them once a
how to
month.ESTRAWBERRY-FLAVOURED PINK DRINKS
Do not buy them, they are too sweet. Pink is a weird color on food. Pink is the same color of the girls in your high school; tall and pretty and sweet, but always treated you like an alien. Did not let you have a true taste of them. Have them only when you’re forced to.
SPICY FRIED CHICKEN LEGS
Get hungry at almost midnight, then buy at a 50% discount on Uber Eats. Pick them apart with your fingers, while they’re hot. Eat them clean–from the skin to the meat to the tendons to the bones. Put the rest in the fridge. The next day, eat them while cold.
Fried chickens are great mid night companions. The first time you have them, they’re passion ate with their words, skin burn ing with heat. The second time you have them, they’re cold and dry… but in a way you’ll enjoy. Do not have them for the third time, they’ll leave oil stains on your lips.
CHILLIS
Eat any way you’d like. Chopped, whole, boiled, fried, juiced, sauced. Never, ever, eat them alone. Chillis are much spicier back home, so you miss them. You’ve never talked to them 1-on-1 though. You’re left to wonder why. Have them every day you can, with anyone.
EGGS Have (at least) 2 in a bowl or pan. Cook them as you like–scramble, sunny side up, omelette, boiled. Alone, or with the others–chillis, rice, masakan rumah, etc. Eggs are warm. Trustworthy. Nutritious. Safe. Loving. Be under their arms often. Have them at least three times a week.
MASAKAN RUMAH
Take a PTO. Fly back home, and go to the nearest tenda. Makanlah saksang dan panggang dengan nasi yang dibanjiri sop. Kuliti bebek goreng itu hingga tulang-tulangnya, jangan lupa makan dengan sambal ijo. Carilah kaki kambing yang paling menggoda, abaikan kolesterolmu. Fly back to Canada. Masakan rumah enak disantap, namun sulit untuk dinikmati. Jangan lupa segala titipan salam dan oleholeh. Have them whenever you have the money.
RICE
Cook the way your mom taught you. Wash 2 times in the bowl, steam in the rice cooker. Make rice balls. Freeze them for later. Rice is always there. Even if the others taste bland, they will make sure you have your fill. You’ll take them for granted at times. They will be annoyed, but they will stick. Have them everyday, espe cially with chilli.
*PLATE Have space for everyone, in yourself. Eat.
There’s a voice inside your head. Small, but persistent. Sheepishly repeating one word: “More, more, more.” Do you try to ignore its demands, or do you run towards
ONE UPON A TIME IN A LAND FAR, FAR AWAY… AND THEY LIVED HAPPILY EVER AFTER. ONCE UPON A TIME… HAPPILY EVER AFTER. ONCE UPON A TIME. HAPPILY EVER AFTER. EEVERY STORY HAS A BEGINNING AND AN END; EVERY RACE HAS A START AND A FINISH; WHERE MOMENT IN BETWEEN. THEY CALL IT LIFE. IT’S A GREY AREA OF SORTS, SOME PARTS NIGHTTIME’S SCARE, THE SHADE CHANGES WITH THE EVERYWHERE. ONE REMEMBERS THE INTRODUCTION, ONE THOUGH, WHAT DOES ONE KNOW? ONCE UPON A TIME, THERE WAS A GIRL NAMED LIVED WITH AN EVIL STEPMOTHER AND TWO EVIL …THEY LIVED HAPPILY EVER AFTER. MIDDLE IS CRUCIAL. THE MIDDLE MAKES THE STORY. 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000
FEAR, WORRIED ABOUT WHAT WAS TO COME, OR WHAT SHE HAD LEFT. SHE SPENT TREMBLING; EVERY MOVE A SHAKY STEP AWAY FROM THE LIFE SHE WAS LEAVING. WHEN SHE ENTERED DESTINATION. SHE HAD SPENT SO LONG LOOKING BACK, SHE HAD MISSED WHERE SHE HAD COME FROM, BUT SHE WASN’T ON THE RIGHT PATH. AND SHE HAD NEVER KNOWN. FOR HER GRASS ALONG HER JOURNEY 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000 S 000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 SHE HOPES, THOUGH. FOR OTHERS. SHE HOPES FOR SNOW WHITE, KINDNESS SHE’LL NEVER REGRET. SHE CONFIDENCE IN HIS TRUE LOVE’S KISS. SHE HOPES WHEN PEOPLE TALK OF THEIR ACCOMPLISHMENTS,
CHARACTERS THEY ENCOUNTER BUT ONCE; THE RANDOM ANTHOLOGY
BEFORE TAKING A STEP NOR THE RELIEF UPON REACHING THEIR DESTINATION, BUT THE JOURNEY IN BETWEEN.
THE NIGHT SOME FRIGHTFUL LIGHTNING RUINS THE HOURS SPENT WITH CLUTCHED STOMACHS AND THEIR FILLER EPISODES. THE BEACH DAYS, THE SIDE PLOTS, THE PERSON ONE IS WHEN THEY SEE A RAINBOW.
SECOND NOT FOR THEIR PAST OR THEIR FUTURE, BUT FOR THEIR PRESENT. FOR WHO ARE WE IF OUR MIDDLE IS UNKNOWN?T
Will you embody the status quo, or embrace your greed? Young adulthood is fueled by that earworm saying something is always amiss. FILLER is that desperate attempt to reconcile between what you want and what your reality is. This is the one day where you can swing in the limbo, even if you don’t know when or where you will halt.
ANTHOLOGY WHERE FRIENDS SEEM APART– NOT JUST THE FEAR AFTER.
00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 0 WHERE WE COME FROM, WHERE WE GO; A FIRST CRY, A BLACKENED TOMB. 00000000000 THERE’S DARKER THAN OTHERS. SOMETIMES, A SILVER MOON, OR OFTEN A SEASONS AND ERAS– BUT THIS GREY FILLER REMAINS REMEMBERS THE FINAL BATTLE, WITHOUT THE IN-BETWEEN 00000000000000000000000000000000000000
0000000000000000000000000000000000000000 ONCE UPON A TIME, THERE LIVED A GIRL IN SPENT HER LIFE IN THE PAST AND THE FUTURE; HEART RACING, EYES WIDENED, HANDS ENTERED THE PRESENT, AT LONG LAST TAKING IN HER SURROUNDINGS, SHE WAS FAR FROM HER MISSED THE PATH. SHE KNEW WHERE SHE WAS MEANT TO BE, SHE KNEW HER EYES NEVER LOOKED DOWN TO TRACE THE PATH OF HER FEET, HER FINGERS NEVER BRUSHED THE 000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 SHE HOPES FOR CINDERELLA, HAPPINESS IN HER PUMPKIN CARRIAGE. SHE HOPES FOR PRINCE PHILLIP, ACCOMPLISHMENTS, THEY REMEMBER THE MIDDLE. THE OFFSET IRRELEVANT MIDDLE THAT NONE CARE FOR; THE WACKY BETWEEN. THE FILLER EPISODES THAT MAKE ONE THE PERSON THAT THEY ARE. THE DAY A GOOD TEA persistent. towards it?
HAPPY EYES THE MINUTES WAITING FOR TIME TO PASS ON CITY TRAMS THE GIRL HOPES PEOPLE RAINBOW. THE GIRL HOPES FOR PEOPLE TO FEEL SATISFIED IN THEIR DECISION TO BE WHO THEY ARE, TO TAKE
When you hear the pounding coming, don’t look around–don’t grind your teeth down following everyone else. Scream, shout, and wear that crooked smile of yours; all gaps and chips and glitz, peeking out a cackling soul no matter how offbeat
Come bite into the candied poison apples in GAP, tearing through cough-drop sweetness and leaving behind jagged skin. Because darling, you’re the uncut diamond. Let your molars shine; mouth agape, all wild
o(uroboros)nychophagia
i don’t remember when it started but in the tireless plight of being
perceived, these fingers of atlas that hold up this side of the sky, and feeding that formless celestial black hole
(concaving, imploding, trying to pass for a body)
are always lined silver on red, gnawed by jagged crescent moons in this same solar system
point hanged nailed fingers at the stress and the scattered thoughts
(expelling expectations, their eyes on me/eyes not on me/i want this/i don’t want this/i want it all/ mantra like counting petals of skin peeled away by enamel)
but crying blame and licking my own wounds doesn’t heal these festered splinters
so i swallow back the iron-flavoured guilt sitting heavy in my stomach and smile tight-lipped like there’s no red on my teeth nor hands it grows back, it always does
(i wonder how long until i peel away till i hit bone and match the skeletons in the closet /and have i acted nice enough for anyone to care?)
(the body forgets but the mind does not)
time to let go, bite the world that dares to mould me, not the hand that feeds me. turn fangs toward what lies ahead—not my own tail.
10000 kilometers away
into this well in my chest, the light at the end of the tunnel is a big red glowing globe.
the lantern overlooks the cheers of the new year: the delighted clamour of fireworks overshadow the frustrated tears of housewives. The clowns bait the lions and children cry in this horrific display as adults tell them it’s harmless.
He had a permanent glossy smile etched from cheek to cheek. Crescent moon eyes that are
empty holes followed the crowd entertained by his enthusiastic prances. The sleepless nights of celebration were saturated with sweat and gossip as we avoided falling into ditches in the dark; they are carved into my bones as the most joyous time of the year.
Little did I know I’d miss it so much.
As my aunts and uncles fly home this spring, they take their exotic scent of foreign laundry detergent with them. It will linger in our rooms for days after they leave. We now revel in these memories through video calls. The fireworks and its burst bust the speakers. The frozen screens are a keen reminder of how far we are from the good old days, while rhythmic drum beats dull into the of my alarm clock.
one day hope I enjoy it here more than then.
A! !S NOT YOUR FR!END
When sh!t hits the fan, don’t talk to a robot. We know therapy is expensive, talk to your friends instead! Or lay in some grass! Release your inhibitions! Feel the rain on your skin! No one else can feel it for you! I think I’m just quoting Natasha Bedingfield at this point.
{パンチくん} PUNCH, THE INTERNET’S BELOVED MONKEY SPOTTED WITH A GIRLFRIEND...
is almost in full swing!
MARCH27 - APRIL 12!
Let’s be for real tho, Unwritten, best pop song of the 2000’s. I will not be arguing with anyone on this. But if you wish to debate me, call god.
Anyway, one more thing. Say it with me:
F*CK A! ART!
get some vitamin D, look at some cherry blossoms, play frisbee at the park = cure your seasonal depression in just ONE day!
A single flap of a wing can echo loudly in a complex system of noise. More than soaring through straight, parallel lines or winding paths, do you ever feel the weight of a path rippling into something greater than you could ever conceive? We are always one decision away from chaos. It surrounds us. BUTTERFLY EFFECT reflects what we can create with or without thinking about it. Something as delicate as the quiver of a butterfly's wings creates irreversible undulations, offsetting a path you once thought had no turns.
Now, how do you fly?
STEP OUTSIDE AND SOAK IN sunlight
FRIENDSHIPS WILL BLOOM FROM SEEDS YOU FORGOT YOU PLANTED.
YOU MAY FRET OVER SITUATIONS NOT IN YOUR CONTROL. REMEMBER TO TAKE A MOMENT FOR YOURSELF,
YOU WILL TURN INTO A DARK ALLEYWAY AND BE MET WITH A STRANGER’S GAZE. DON’T BE ALARMED WHEN ITS
THE GUIDANCE YOU SEEK WILL BE FOUND UNDER UNUSUAL CIRCUMSTANCES. AT A BAR,
AWAITS YOU. EMBRACE IT AND DON’T LET GO UNTIL YOU FEEL IT’S RIGHT, SEE HOW LONG THEY RECIPROCATE. OR UNDER THE SHADE OF A LARGE OAK. TURN THE LEAVES AND MAKE SURE TO READ BETWEEN ITS VEINS.
It has been lonely this past winter. Lonelier than others, some shift in the primordial ooze I emerged from alongside siblings and chosen family. I don’t feel like I’ve been waiting for my metamorphosis to come, I’ve been waiting for something smaller quieter in the grand scheme of what it
I like a party where I can’t see my feet. I’ve always struggled with connection, that initiation of a force between two people that rides a wave, like a twig— and gets pulled under the current when your moment has passed one moment too late.
PropagatePupate
I remember my elementry school friend like that. A kind of vibrating, anxious force that propelled us towards each other before we had even said hello. One action from us (was it me, or was it her?) A quiet exchange of greeting, and an instance. Two quiet girls making an easy leap towards that ephemeral force that turned into four
There is less patience for myself now. Less mucking about in the muddy grey area of connection. I have controlled my pupating self, stirring and stewing until I came out iridescent, flying, falling, dying. Letting go of that control and now allowing my body to reach and deepen my roots to this place— dirty, inconsolable, ambiguous; and plant myself deeper into this garden I have chosen as my home. Years later, I wonder if my friend had loved me. Something ambiguous in the grand scheme of things where the answer does not matter, but perhaps my memory of it does. Adult relationships now in the capacity of two vibrating molecules quietly being pulled towards each other are becoming harder and harder to come by. It was simpler as children. I hold on to those pupating fellows, newborns, and the ones I look up to— the butterflies so sure about flying they may as well be the wind themselves. I hold on, with the sand sticking flat against my ribs. I draw in the sand with a twig, and watch them fly. The flutter is a quiet, beautiful sound.
DO YOU BELIEVE IN LUCK OR YOURSELF?
Is a title screaming to you and you just have to follow after it? Or maybe you’d rather just close your eyes and pick a path? Whatever way you choose,
OVERRIPE LOST AND FOUND DAEDALUS DALLYING
always lost in a maze. Each time, you turn a different way, backtrack, try to remember the dead ends so you can avoid them. The maze seems to change every time your head meets the pillow and you drift off into that cursed labyrinth. What are you searching for?... What do you mean you don’t know? You keep building these mazes. Rome wasn’t built in a day but Rome fell eventually too. The hairs on your head have been falling out ever since this recurring dream started. They’ve accumulated on your You learn that creation and destruction are two sides of the same coin.
You’re running late! Where are your shoes? How could your shoes go missing out of nowhere? They didn’t just walk out the door by themselves. Did they? Sometimes, you obsess so much over what’s gone that you forget what you do have. You slip on a different pair for the day and your feet take you to places you’ve never been before! When you get home, you realize it wasn’t your shoes that were missing but something else. Something much, much more important you had forgotten all about until you lost your shoes.
Often, our past misfortunes are just future fortunes There are no wrong paths. Even if you have to walk backwards sometimes,
Sichen Grace Chen
and wax pastel on unstretched canvas @esji_art
Sunspot Nikolas George Thermal shipping label, Leaf, Hand sanitizer @solakain_
| mahsaseries.com Collaborative writing with Tessa Amery. @tessaamery_ For You, I’d Dissemble
ENTROPY
The Flowers of The Valley
My Heavenly Father, I’m the corpse of the street as unheavenly as I come A fool with no lack of transgressions
I’ve danced with harlots, dwell under the moonlight and succumb to the sun, being trampled by foes I cannot perceive.
They’ve taken so much of me. They ripped me apart and left me on the streets. Now the vultures have descended on me feeding off my flesh and scattering my bones, puncturing my heart.
My innards spew out of me. I feel the maggots crawling inside me, feasting on my rotting corpse, now an empty vessel, no one’s willing to come near me My Lord, If you’re willing.
Do with me as you will Pick me up and take me to the greenest valley and bury me there. Cover me under fertile soilso that a flower bed may grow from me
Let them sway with the wind and dance with the others.
Let them bloom with the rising sun. and rest under the moonlight
Let them stand strong even when they get trampled again and again and again.
So let me begin again as these flowers of the valley.
Beautiful here in Your eyes
Staying still and close to you sinking my roots into the grave of what wasso that I may not return to my old ways, return to corpse of the street
My Heavenly Father,
I’m the corpse of the street as unheavenly as I come
A fool with no lack of transgressions
I’ve danced with harlots, dwell under the moonlight and succumb to the sun, being trampled by foes I cannot perceive.
They’ve taken so much of me. They ripped me apart and left me on the streets. Now the vultures have descended on me feeding off my flesh and scattering my bones, puncturing my heart.
Do with me as you will Pick me up and take me to the greenest valley and bury me there. Cover me under fertile soilso that a flower bed may grow from me
Let them sway with the wind and dance with the others.
Let them bloom with the rising sun. and rest under the moonlight
Let them stand strong even when they get trampled again and again and again.
So let me begin again as these flowers of the valley.
Beautiful here in Your eyes
Staying still and close to you sinking my roots into the grave of what wasso that I may not return to my old ways, return to corpse of the street
Written by The Flowers of The Valley
My Heavenly Father, I’m the corpse of the street as unheavenly as I come A fool with no lack of transgressions
I’ve danced with harlots, dwell under the moonlight and succumb to the sun, being trampled by foes I cannot perceive.
Let them bloom with the rising sun. and rest under the moonlight
Let them stand strong even when they get trampled again and again and again.
So let me begin again as these flowers of the valley.
Beautiful here in Your eyes
Staying still and close to you sinking my roots into the grave of what wasso that I may not return to my old ways, return to corpse of the street
My innards spew out of me. I feel the maggots crawling inside me, feasting on my rotting corpse, now an empty vessel, no one’s willing to come near me
My Lord, If you’re willing.
Do with me as you will Pick me up and take me to the greenest valley and bury me there. Cover me under fertile soilso that a flower bed may grow from me
Let them sway with the wind and dance with the others.
Let them bloom with the rising sun. and rest under the moonlight
Let them stand strong even when they get trampled again and again and again.
So let me begin again as these flowers of the valley.
Beautiful here in Your eyes
Staying still and close to you sinking my roots into the grave of what wasso that I may not return to my old ways, return to corpse of the street
Written by The Flowers of The Valley
ENTROPY describes nature’s tendency for structures to become increasingly spread out, random, and disordered over time; a measure of the
ANGELA * DONAKHRISTI
An
interview by Anne Seol + Abi Simatupang
It’s really cool for us to interview someone who was from WOO! Yeah; I was the media director! But I was only in WOO for one year, in my fourth year—I wasn’t there for long. Media was mostly on photography. We were also dealing with the event when we published the launch. It was never too many people. Oh, was WOO smaller then? We used to be pretty small; we wouldn’t reach 20. Obviously the biggest team was the design team, but honestly I think there was only … I wanna say, only 6 designers? And the small editorial team! There were also only 3 people under the media team, other than myself. So, there was 4 of us in total under Media. It felt like the right amount. What was something that WOO focused on then? I think … it was our year where we were focusing on rebranding Faces of Emily Carr. We wanted to make the interviews a lot more casual, more like a conversation. Like, the photography is very candid. Very, you know, “We’ll catch you in the studio”-kind of vibe. We were working closely with the design and editorial team on getting what the creative director had envisioned as well. We’re curious you were active in WOO in your last year. Not only that, with final projects and graduation on the horizon, how was your last year like in ECU? It was hectic. It was a lot on my plate, because I was also working part-time. I think because of that—at least between me and my friends—it [socializing] became not as much of an important thing … We were all staying [in Vancouver] after university anyways, so it didn’t feel like we’re never gonna see each other again. Everybody just knew that our focus was the last year of uni and making sure that we did everything we needed to do. So yeah, a lot of late nights and weekends on campus. But I think it was worth it. We were lucky too, because we did two years at Granville Island and then two years in the new school. We were the last batch. Woah! How was being in Granville Island like? Honestly, it was kind of a blessing in disguise to be out of Granville Island, because we spent so much time and money around the island—the market especially. Being in the Great Northern Way Campus, where there’s, like … At that time, there wasn’t anything. It was literally … You go to a class. Either you stay in the library or at the studio to work. Or you go home. And you sleep. That’s really it. But it feels like that’s how uni life should be for me. I was tired, obviously, and sleep-deprived. But it was like … this is uni life. I say you should enjoy it while you can; that simple type of grinding.
Is the grinding different now that you’re working? It’s different. As a creative, you can’t just clock in, clock out. Like, sometimes you get inspired at 4 PM, and you can't just finish up at 5 or 6 PM. Then you just feel the need to stay a little later sometimes. So it's a different type of grind; it feels less simple than the grind in university in a way. As you get older too, your work-life balance really has more of an impact on your creativity and performance too. So you really have to understand when and how to grind without burning out.
don’t know how to do this, so I’m gonna make it someone else's problem” mentality.
Speaking of work—how do you describe your art or design practice? Because of where I work, it’s a unique field. Our bread and butter is restaurants and hospitality. I think because of that … obviously you’re trying to solve a problem, just like with every design, but I think it’s more so about … building a world. Building a world that allows people to step into and be transported for two hours or so while you have a meal. That kind of user experience is different from, like, university work, or any other “problem” that you’re trying to solve. It’s creating a space, an environment where people can escape for a little while. I think that’s my design practice. That’s a very cool way to describe it. How does your process look like now? I try to see how different I can make it. [Something that] you can’t find anywhere else in another restaurant. With clients … they’d [often] come in thinking that they want one thing. When, in reality, there might be another solution that actually builds what they think they want more than what they originally thought. So, touching base throughout the entire project timeline is really important. [Making sure that] they’re also on board, and they’re not just, like … “What is this crazy designer trying to do and making me spend my money on?” If they’re not convinced in what you’re trying to create for them, then nobody else will.
Bold. We like that. How did you get to this point; what was your experience like transitioning from uni to your design position? I was like a fish out of water. I was asking myself, “What am I doing? Is this what I signed up for?” Especially since I started working straight out of grad, I didn’t know if I was doing the right thing, if I was doing what everyone was expecting. I was asking a lot of questions—which probably was so annoying for everybody— but you know, it’s better to ask questions and make sure that everyone’s on the same page, instead of trying to gamble, get it wrong, and end up looking like an idiot. I guess it does help a lot too, if you get to work with really patient designers and directors that were willing to teach you a lot of things along the way. It takes a while to earn your stripes and I'm still trying to do so to this day, so I'm glad that's kind of how I started. It has set me up for today; to have the attitude to take initiative of being a problem solver versus taking a “I
We’re glad that that’s where it has lead you. Where are you in your journey now–are you looking for change, or are you looking for stability? Big question, haha. I do go back and forth all the time about this. Ever since the beginning of my last year in university, I've always had my eye on Glasfurd & Walker and at that time; it was only wishful thinking that I'd get an opportunity to work there. So I think being with Glasfurd & Walker straight after graduating, it's so easy to feel like "I'm here, now what?". Plus, I am such a creature of habbit and I don't love change so much. My Earth placements make me happy to stay in one place for a long time and be stable! Right now, I am going through a lot changes in my personal life—good changes!—but I think, by nature, I'm always subconsciously looking for stability, while always trying to be mentally ready for any change that comes my way. I'm lucky enough to work everyday in a place where I am always learning and creatively fulfills me."
To close things off: what’s something from uni that you bring to this day into your current practice? Emily Carr was really great at providing you the room to fuck around. There were not really mistakes; you can really just experiment until your heart is content, so I’ll give it that… Even though it could be a bad idea at the end of the day, whatever ideas you come up with… It’s really just about getting it all out and not limiting yourself. Especially in the first concept or starting phase of everything, there is something to say in not being afraid of just trying all the different avenues that you can go down on. I think that does build with your confidence to get over the fear of a white, blank page.
Angela (she/her) is an Art Director + Graphic Designer in Glasfurd & Walker. Originally from Indonesia and Malaysia, she graduated from ECU in 2019 with a BDes. in Communication, and has since built a design practice around intertwining storytelling and world building to elevate food and hospitality brands locally + globally. She was WOO’s media director from Fall 2018-Spring 2019.
SAHIL MROKE
studio listening to a DJ looking at art.
An
interview by Anne Seol + Malvika Garlyal
Let’s start simple–who are you? What's your practice?
Oh, this is a good one; it's good practice for me because I haven't done it in a while. Hello, my name is Sahil. I am an artist, designer, researcher, educator, producer operating all around the Lower Mainland of Vancouver, BC. My practice involves a lot of collaboration, community-oriented production and curation. I work a lot in the event space—with a non-profit—and focuses on curating festivals and community programming throughout the year. I run a studio in Delta and we try to offer farm-to-table ideas to install for all kinds of creative production: from culinary practice, to event design, to branding, or any form of marketing. The practice is very widespread and we like to engage with all kinds of media—digital or physical,such as publication design. Um, I am an OG at Emily Carr going on ten years. I have a bachelor's in communication design, and then also a master's in design focusing on interdisciplinary design. Um … what else? I make a mean apple pie. Oh yeah.
Ten years! That's a long time. Are there any projects from ECU that you still remember, or ones that shaped the way you design now?
I think there's a couple of projects I really remember. One of the big ones was the third year’s communication design core. Alex Haas's class. It was a project where we were interpreting music visually. Fire project; my submission was Ella Fitzgerald’s The Way You Look Tonight. I made a poster that overlaid all 80 artists who have covered that song over the last 100 years. And then, I cut the song so that each of them would say one word in the order of the song. So you had a visual poster that showed every cover and every rendition of the artist, and then an audio experience that was very weird, but literally was jazz, rock, blues, country. It was a lot of work, but I think that one was one of those projects where … Okay, bear with me—when you get those fluffy ass projects that's like … when you see art and you're like, "Well, then what?” But I also am now one of those people who completely understands every type of fine arts. I think I can remove myself from reality to be in yours and understand your perspective. And I think that's what that project taught me. It's about being able to get other people's work, to be a visitor in everyone's world and culture.
I think I had a very privileged undergrad experience. I look back on it more fondly now; I almost dropped out because I was just depressed—I was sad, lonely, and I wasn't making friends. And I was commuting about two hours to get on campus; A bus to the train, a train to downtown, a bus to Granville Island, then a walk to Granville Island. It was pretty brutal back then. But I do think once I found friends, I was like, “Oh, I'm fine.” It's so phenomenal. You know, graduating into Covid was wild. And also switching campuses. That was interesting. How was that transition? So weird. But at the time— kind of cool, except to this day, I still hate how there's not enough windows. Ridiculous. I do miss the old campus for the vibes. But the thing is, the old campus was a space given to artists to occupy, whereas this was a space built for artists to occupy, but not built for artists to live in. And that's what a studio needs to be like. They should have built a bunch of empty rooms and let whoever shows up build it out. So give me five, ten years. I'll be back as president. I'm calling it now. Let's go.
President Sahil for the win. Speaking of the future, where did future, post-undergrad Sahil landed on next? From there … I do my own work, charge my hours, get my check, And that concoction of things will be its practice of its own. That paints the picture of what Motorway is next. Because in my mind, it's still the farm-to-table for creative production. However, I also recognize that I'm really good at research, consultation, and collaboration. Producing team management, project management. That in itself is a whole other ball game.
Right on post-COVID, I got really good at being alone. I started collaborating because I was so self-conscious. And then I realized, “Oh, I need to learn to be by myself.” COVID taught me that to be at peace without the need for social interaction and all that. It was kind of a blessing for myself in that it really changed how I see the work and where I'm going with it. And then the masters–naturally–kicked my ass and opened my head up to the world. And now I feel like … once you’re deep in design, you’ll be like, “Oh, I see it everywhere,” almost annoyingly. My entire YouTube recommended feed is geopolitical content from around the world. Then I wanna chill, but I’ll go to bed thinking about the infrastructure in Africa. From there—I wholeheartedly recommend this, it's going to be the most important thing—reflect on every experience you're having right now, take a minute to write it. When I think about my undergrad, it would have been nice to at least try to explain and understand it from a creative standpoint because … all of this affects all of that, right? So once you understand how this works, you'll be like,”Oh shit, I'm good.”
… I think if you're able to map yourself as a person, it helps you map yourself as a creative individual. I think people, everyone needs to realize that they have a creativity inside them that is unique to them, that they just need to understand to make sure it's at its most powerful. And I think “communication design,” “interaction design,” “industrial design”—horrible titles, when in reality what we're doing is so much more than that.
Another thing: for instance, there are times where you’re not going to be able to think. In undergrad, you’d always feel guilty about it, be mad at yourself, when in reality you’ll learn that you got to put your hands up and come back to it later, and it's going to get figured out. You just have to. You have to you trust that if you give yourself the break, you'll always be able to come back and figure it out.
SThat's such a massive part about my life, not even just my work. I want to be a visitor in cultures because there's just more ways to see, live, eat, play; create like, food, music and art. Those are, I feel like, are my trifecta of any kind of programming, which is hilarious. Even our launch party, we were boiling a bucket of corn while people were walking through the
Wise words. Are there any other advice you’d like to impart on folks who are starting their design journey? Understand your self as a person before a designer—all the things you like, all the things you don't like, the way that you are, your culture, upbringing
ahil Mroke (he/him) is an artist, designer, researcher, educator, and producer working all around Lower Mainland. He runs Motorway Studio, with a practice centered on community-oriented production, curation, and collaborations. He holds a BDes. COMD (2020) and an MDes (2024) from ECU, and has been involved on-campus as part of the design faculty.
NO CASH OVERNIGHT
invitaion to our graduation hello, i am righting this to let you know that you r invi ted for ECU graduation on may 14th. there will be drinks. a lot of drinks.
warm regards ecu 4th yeardos
WOO Publication - offset
Published by the student editors, authors and designers of WOO, at Emily Carr University of Art + Design, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
WOO is available at Emily Carr University of Art + Design and at woopublication.ca.
WOO assumes all work published here is original and is the property of the submitting students. All artwork titles and student names are trademarked or copyrighted by their respective owners.
WOO Publication acknowledges that our work takes place on the unceded, traditional, and ancestral territories of the xʷməθkʷəyəm (Musqueam), Sḵwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) We are deeply grateful to live, learn, and create on this land as settlers.
WOO also recognizes the support provided by the students, alumni, faculty and the Emily Carr Students' Union.
WHERE IS NEXT WOO CD?
RUMORS ARE SPREADING: WOO’S OFFSET CD HAS GONE MISSING— AND WORD AMONG MUSIC OBSESSIVES IS… “IT WAS MIXED BY JOSEPH KWANHEE KIM”
Nails have long been considered dangerous beasts passed down through generations. But are they really that dangerous? Recent scientists argue that the visual aspect of nails instills twice the fear in people compared to their actual risk. Maybe it’s time we rethink our biased gaze. A er all, a nail is just a nail… unless, of course, it’s plotting.
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