Curriculum vitae

Todd Lawson :“Visual Glutton”
Art Direction | Creative Direction | Design | Art | Words
Burlington, ON Canada (working in Toronto)
phone: 647-338-2350
email: prolific @ [siteURL] [dot] com

———————————————————————–

I have worked as a commercial/gallery artist, designer, and art director for over a decade. In that time I have worked in publishing, CGI, graphic design, illustration and advertising (print, broadcast & interactive). I have art directed and written a national TV spot for Guinness, developed and managed integrated marketing campaigns, re-branded companies, developed and consulted on HCI UX strategy and design for digital projects, led animation and CGI content creation and illustrated for every client imaginable.

I work at all levels of development: lead, mentor, ideate, grow teams, guide projects, face to face interaction with clients, partner with vendors, seek out new technology and trends, plan and execute.

I currently work at Grey Canada as a Associate Creative Director and Lead UX Designer working on Digital and Traditional projects.
Most recently I helped develop a commercial filmed at 14,000+ feet on a glacier in Chile for Grape-Nuts Cereal U.S., guided Guinness beer through a new national Canadian brand TV spot (Art Direction and wrote the script) which was shot in Argentina, won a Cyber Lion in Cannes for The World’s Most Valuable Network – Missing Children Society of Canada campaign (which has also been honoured with One Show Pencils, ADCC, Marketing, ADCNY Tomorrow Award, Applied Arts Award, London International among others in 2012), developed POST Shreddies and Great Grains Social media and a 2 yearsof digital creative management and execution for two Playtex brands. I have also worked as an instructor for Sheridan College’s Illustration program, teaching alternative thinking in the past.

What does that all mean? I love to work on creative challenges and the excitement of working with very talented people to bring ideas and stories to life and am always interested in change. I welcome discussion for new projects and challenges as well as creative management and/or partnership opportunities within any creative industry or avenue.

———————————————————————–

ARTIST BIOGRAPHY: Born in Canada, Todd Lawson grew up in Southern and Central Florida. After an often turbulent youth built on travel, punk and hardcore music shows, skateboarding and friends he left the south to return to Canada where he attended Sheridan College’s Illustration and Post-Graduate Illustration programs. He currently lives in Burlington, Ontario with his wife; fellow artist Elesavet and two twin daughters. He has also worked an Art Director and Graphic Designer for over a decade in advertising, publishing and interactive mediums. Todd’s artwork has graced many international commercial projects and has been displayed in art galleries throughout North America; including Atlanta, Los Angeles, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, Sacramento, San Diego, Seattle, Toronto, Utah, Vancouver and the UK.

ARTIST STATEMENT: Todd’s artwork explores the similar visual aesthetics and complex narratives he grew up admiring, pulling roots from folk art, pop art and art deco, while helping him to create paintings and dimensional work that tends to pull very strong influences from Americana’s past; comic books, science fiction, pulp art, fantasy, classic toys and retro paranoid advertising. Always symbolic and often surreal, the work juggles story telling within a staged setting with emotional and sometimes awkward personal statements expressed through the various figurative characters who populate his worlds. He continues to explore these strange imaginative places in an effort to expand the horizons of himself and those who like how his brain works.

———————————————————————–

RECENT CLIENTELE

AXE, Acura on Brant, AIDS Committee of Toronto, ATI, Atlanta Magazine, BlackBerry (RIM), Blue-Kote, Burlington Ribfest, Canadian Online Gamers Network, CDRS Hamilton, Corus, CosmoTV, Cruzan Rum, CCSC, Dofasco, Débaufré, Eli Lilly Cymbalta (Pharama-depression), Elm Street Magazine, Enroute, Euroglass, Exclaim, Fortune Magazine, Grape-Nuts, Great Grains, Guinness, Hellmann’s, H&R Block, Home Hardware, InBurlington, Independent School Association of Ontario, LCBO, Lexus of Oakville, Milk, Ontario Toyota Dealers Association, Playtex (Health/Product – FemCare and InfantCare brands), POST Cereals, Scotiabank, SevenStar Sports, POST Shreddies Cereal, Sunlight Laundry, Sunveil Sunwear, St. George Apple Festival, Swiss Herbal (Pharma-vitamins), Toyota Canada, the Toronto Jewish Film Festival, Vaseline, Wrigely’s Juicy Fruit and W-Network (Partial list)

———————————————————————–

* Project Management
* Senior Level Art and Creative Direction
* Print, Interaction, CGI, Motion, Illustration and Dimension

———————————————————————–

AWARDS AND ACCOLADES
2013 One Show – 2 Silver Pencils – ValuableNetwork.ca
2013 Art Directors Club – ValuableNetwork.ca
2012 Tomorrow Awards ADC of NY – ValuableNetwork.ca
2012 Art Directors Club of Canada – Gold – ValuableNetwork.ca
2012 London International Awards – Gold and Silver – ValuableNetwork.ca
2012 Cannes – Cyber Lion Bronze – ValuableNetwork.ca
2012 Communication Arts – OOH – Guinness Window Pints
2012 Marketing Awards Bronze – OOH Non-Standard Format Single – Guinness Window Pints
2012 Applied Arts Interactive – Public Service/Charity (Non-Profit)- ValuableNetwork.ca
2012 Applied Arts Interactive – Pro Bono – Missing Children Society Search Tool
2012 Applied Arts Interactive – Social Media – ValuableNetwork.ca
2011 ADCC – Silver – Media Innovation – Global Mood Clock
2011 IAC – Best Marketing Interactive application
The FWA – 2011 – Mobile Site of the Day (April 15th) – Global Mood Clock Mobile App
The FWA – 2011 – Short list – Global Mood Clock Web-Site
Cassies Grand Prix – 2007-2010 Hellmann’s Real Food Movement-Digital
The FWA – Shortlist 2010 3DToyota.ca
2009 Applied Arts Interactive Award – Hellmann’s eatrealeatlocal.ca Real Food Movement site
Unilever Global Award – Best Performance (internal) – Hellmann’s 09 Real Food Movement
2008 Applied Arts Award – H&R Block Facebook Campaign
Davey Silver Branding Award 2007 – Hellmann’s Eat For Real
American IllustrationApplied Arts Annual 2002
Applied Arts Annual 2003
2002 GXXi Graphic Exchange (bronze)2003
GXXi Graphic Exchange (bronze)
Sheridan Silver Medal
Sheridan Scholar

———————————————————————–

EXPERIENCE

Associate Creative Director (December 2012-Present)
Senior Art Director (April 2010 – November 2012)
Grey Canada,Toronto, ON
(www.greycanada.com)
My primary focus at Grey Canada (Toronto HQ) is offering interactive creative guidance, inspiration and creative forward thinking to clients and fellow staff. With a heavy concentration on new technology possibilities, alternate thinking and engaging interactive content – whether it is a site, banner, campaign, digital billboard, touch surface, data visualization or whatever else is new and useful to developing cool ideas. I am also active in helping on new  business pitches and presentations. I work closely with senior management, production and client on helping brands brave digital in new ways beyond the website and beyond the home computer.

Recently I have have been working on all new Canadian creative Grape-Nuts Cereal in the U.S. and new work for Guinness including a TV spot (Art Direction and Copy Writing – with Creative Director Glen Hunt), Print and OOH. Made easier since it’s my beer of choice!

I guide and direct projects on all levels including interactive, direct, broadcast and print as Art Director, Lead UX Designer and graphic design.

Accounts worked on so far: Grape-Nuts, Great Grains, Guinness, Diageo, POST Shreddies Cereal (Social), Blackberry (RIM), Energizer Canada’s Playtex (Health/Product – FemCare and InfantCare brands), Missing Children’s Society of Canada, Eli Lilly Cymbalta (Pharma-Depression) and Scotiabank Caribbean & Central American Region
++++++++++++++++++++++++
Creative Director | Owner (October 2009- October 2012)
Miner Thought (formerly Toy Twuk Studios www.minerthought.com)
(Originally formed in 2005 – relaunched in October 2009)
Miner Thought’s goal is to open the eyes, minds and hearts of our clients and their customers with original content and visual communications. At Miner Thought we are masters of interactive, experiential and traditional mediums in marketing, branding, design, illustration, photography, motion graphics and campaign ideation. We focus on creative marketing strategies built to offer guidance and clarification, often helping new brands and products find their independent identity. We practice the marriage of unadulterated creativity and business dialogue that take the needs of those we help seriously. Our clientele experience is worldwide. Industry experience includes automotive, alcohol, packaged goods, marine, retail, wholesale, audio, educational, not-for-profit, social communities, publishing, government, health care, sports, fashion and technology.MT is also SSPCA (Semi social profit creative agency).
++++++++++++++++++++++++
Senior Art Director (January 2007-March 2010)
Dashboard Brand Communications,
Toronto, ON (www.dashboard.ca)
Senior Art Director for interactive strategic branding agency Dashboard. Developing and directing creative marketing projects including both online and offline solutions. Providing leadership, guidance, inspiration and excitement to junior and intermediate creative staff, while working closely with Agency Senior Management in day to day operations across various media outlets and brands.

Accounts worked on: AXE, Corus, CosmoTV, Cruzan Rum, Hellmann’s, H&R Block, Home Hardware, LCBO, Milk, Ontario Toyota Dealers Association, Sunlight Laundry, Swiss Herbal, Toyota Canada, Vaseline, Wrigely’s Juicy Fruit and W-Network. (Partial list)
++++++++++++++++++++++++
Sheridan College Part-Time Instructor (2006 Fall Semester)
Sheridan College, Oakville, ON
4th year Interpretive Illustration Instructor at Sheridan College in Oakville; working to educate and expand students horizons in multiple fields and industries. We covered hands-on development and implementation of projects outside of traditional illustration instruction to show alternate possibilities for the soon to be graduated. Instruction included graphic design, art direction, illustration, product branding and self branding, avenues of promotional and advertising, and packaging design.
++++++++++++++++++++++++
Lead Art Director and Designer (February 2005-October 2006)
IN Burlington Magazine + Little Green Tree
Burlington, ON (www.littlegreentree.com)
Art direction and design of a quarterly 72 page regional magazine with a circulation of 20,000+. Design direction and development of approximately 75-100 projects annually including advertising, multi-page collateral design, new media and packaging design/illustration. Worked with editors, junior designers, publishers and sales department in team based and leadership environments. As well as with various print houses from the file supply stage through to final proofing and approval of printed projects. Clients included: Acura on Brant, Burlington Ribfest, CCSC, Dofasco, Independent School Association of Ontario, Lexus of Oakville, SevenStar Sports, St. George Apple Festival, Sunveil Sunwear, (Partial list)
++++++++++++++++++++++++
Web & Print Designer (May – August 2004)
Community Centre for Media Arts
Hamilton, ON (www.ccma.ws)
3 month contract to develop youth focused database web sites and print material. Worked in a team of 10, working closely with project coordinator, two programmers and content development team. Actively participated in development meetings and projects design direction.
++++++++++++++++++++++++
Owner (August 2001 – July 2004)
Toy Twuk Studios
Hamilton, ON
Multimedia development illustrations,graphic design, web site design, 2D and 3D computer animation, video game pre-production and character design.

———————————————————————–

TECHNICAL SKILL SET

Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, After Effects, Dreamweaver, Flash, 3D Studio Max Character Studio, Maya, Quark Xpress, Microsoft Office and Visio, basic knowledge and understanding of: HTML, PHP, CSS.

———————————————————————–

BUZZ AND RECOGNITION

Press
- Encore Magazine feature | November 2004 Issue
- Hamilton Spectator Newspaper | artist/show interview
- View magazine | artist & show interview
- Antipoda | member & interview
- Noun | interview & feature
- Computer Arts Magazine |Issue 98, UK

Speaking

Guest speaker at Sheridan College, 2004,
3rd year Illustration class with illustrator Julia Brekenreid.

———————————————————————–

EDUCATION (as if it matters…)

2002 Advanced Illustration, Sheridan College (1yr Post-Grad)
2001 Illustration, Sheridan College (3yrs)
1999 Art Fundamentals, Sheridan College (1yr)
1996 Coral Shores High, Florida Keys
1978 Born

———————————————————————–