About
Sylvie J. Ouellet

Some of you may know some things about me but I thought I'd give you an in depth look at how I got to where I am now.

I attended Centre Scolaire Samuel-de-Champlain from kindergarten to grade nine. The small centre is a school for first language French students in the Greater Saint John area of New Brunswick.

After my ninth grade, I gave myself new chances to learn new experiences by transferring to an English school known for their performing arts and visual arts. My interests broadened from Badminton to the Art Club, Paint Crew, House Committee, poster making, the Photography Club and I also helped with the school's Art Gallery, including organizing a fundraising exhibit. During my eleventh grade, I undertook a part time job as a cashier at the Great Canadian Dollar Store.

The classes offered opened possibilities to proceed in the art field. I took Art 100, Art 110, Graphic Design 110 and Art 12, Advanced Placement.

The Graphic Design course gave me a chance to compete in a competition for District Six limited to 20 students from the district's six schools. I completed as a finalist.

My graduating year I took a cooperative education class to the Saint John Regional Hospital in the Multimedia Department. I helped with small tasks that gave me a chance to learn the software, the process and the work involved in Graphic Design.

I graduated in 2004 with high honours and with the William J. Bishop award of Excellence in Art in recognition for my effort in school.

 

After graduating, I continued to work at the Dollar Store until 2005, when I began to work as a bilingual operator with Aliant (now Bell Aliant). After considering my future, I pursued my interest in Graphic Design and enrolled in Holland College. I was fortunate to be given the Holland College President's Award of Excellence granting me a full tuition scholarship my first year of study. I was also granted the Fair Isle Ford award in my second year at Holland College for my leadership work.

While studying at Holland College, I had been privileged to help organize fundraisers for a trip to Toronto with my class, which occurred from April 19th to the 26th of 2007. We had the occasion to volunteer for a conference called Flash in the Can or FITC. The event let us meet designers from all over Canada and the United States along with learning from the many different seminars.

Before graduating, I was offered a position to work as a designer in Dieppe, New Brunswick at Skyline Atlantic Canada. I stayed there for a year working on production and design. During my spare time I volunteered at The Capitol Theatre in Moncton.

In 2008, I moved to the Greater Saint John area to pursue freelance work while working in the city, which I did for a year. I was fortunate to gain employment with a corporate company as a graphic designer and stayed there for nearly 2 years. While in the city, I had a chance to participate in the Bloomin’ Artist festival in nearby Hampton, Rhoda’s Christmas Craft sale and a few local art sales.

October 2011, I participated in the craft sale in Mount Pearl, Newfoundland named Christmas at the Glacier.

I am currently working in Halifax, Nova Scotia as a Graphic Designer.