Designer: Marian Bantjes

Bantjes, a Canadian designer who was born in 1963 and soon after became internationally renowned graphic designer who works with costum type and ornament Her style which seems almost obsessive it how it’s depicted it’s the primary factor which gained her international fame. The art is very detail , one could say even decorative. The primary feature that holds her work together is pattern. The intricate, obsessive handwork that creates the particular images puts the viewer in awe of her ability to have patience to perform such a task, and even the compositional sense to put these ornaments together to create a grateful and an inspiring design. In 2005 she was named one of the top 25 up and coming designers, while others have called her the most innovative typographers today.

                  In an interview, she has revealed the routine of her days and how she spends them, now that she is a professional designer. She has admitted to taking some time before doing work a project unless the deadline is closed. As she wakes up she checks the emails and simply surfs on the net until she gets hungry, at which points she will break for food. Apparently her day doesn’t start until the mi afternoon and does not end until she goes to bed when feeling tired. She has revealed that it is very likely she would alter  her work time for some fun time when it’s a sunny day out or just simply relax inside.  

                  In her line of work, she has already achieved what most of designers strive to achieve, and it is to collaborate with another great and internationally acclaimed designer. In this case, Marian got an opportunity to work with Stefan Stagmeister. They worked together on a project in Austria. Stagmeister simply asked her to design a saying in a nice and readable form that was to be displayed to the public.

                  Aside from Stagmeister , she has worked for a number of international companies such as Saks Fifth Avenue, Young & Rubicam Chicago, The New York Times, the Smithsonian in New York, and was consequently accepted to the prestigious international design organization.  Next to all this accomplishments, she also owned, ran, and designed a firm with a partner. The firm was established in 1993 and she had worked with it until 2002, when she decided she wanted to capitalize on the design skills and create more individualistic works, which cam to be the obsessive looking patterns covering the covers of book or other surfaces. This led her to become the Chair and Creative director of 2006 Graphex Canadian Design Awards. She currently still lives and works in Canada.

Sources:

http://www.designboom.com/contemporary/bantjes.html

http://www.designweekvancouver.ca/programme/speakers/articles11.php