About

Chandra Brown

I double-majored in English Literature and History at the University of Winnipeg.  I studied at University of Toronto from 2004-2006, transferring my credits to UofW as it was important to me to graduate from my hometown and the same university as my favourite Canadian author Margaret Laurence. I worked at the historic Homer Watson House & Gallery as the Education and Public Program Manager full-time while attending university.  These early years were some of the most successful years of my career.  

I balanced my day job with personal creative work, like collage and woodblock printing, which garnered attention from a few indie publishers. Eventually, I got offers from more established magazines, so I decided to design for Showcase on a freelance basis. This allowed me to work on other cool projects, from emerging brands to current events.

My creative approach—no matter the medium—is to find points of tension behind the idea I’ve been assigned or am interested in. I do several iterations on each point and usually end up refining the one I find most controversial.

For me, controversy isn’t about instigation, but rather, a way to arrest your audience. It’s a way to plant a little bit of desire in their hearts; a yearning to turn the page and learn more about your idea. Ultimately, it’s about creating memorable images.