Ariane Colebrander is an extraordinary lady. She reminds me of a butterfly, and a social one at that. She is rarely in one place for very long and yet seems to be everywhere in our little city of Vancouver. In other words, she gets around! She’s one of the most socially connected people I know in addition to being a fabulous graphic designer. Her company is Ariane C Design and we met through CAPIC, (the Canadian Association of Photographers and Illustrators in Communications).
I had the opportunity to photograph her last year at Ray Lum‘s studio. Ariane wanted some simple, clean portraits of herself that she felt really represented who she is, in the most authentic way. I’m happy to say we achieved that and she is proudly using them on her website and various marketing materials.
1. Tell me a bit about yourself…about you, your business and/or what you like to do with your time.
I’m a seasoned graphic designer with a passion for communicating, the arts, culture, and technology. My husband and I are happily married for over 10 years and have lived in Canada for 5 1/2. We met in Jordan while on vacation and have never looked back! Living in The Netherlands for eight years gave us a different perspective on life together and gave me the chance to open the door to a new culture and environment. Now that we’ve made the move back to North America, my husband had his chance to adjust to a different culture and has settled well into Vancouver. Life in Vancouver compares to a comfortable sweater that we’ve owned for years.
As well, my business has both moved and grown (in clientele) from Western Europe to Vancouver. I’ve had the tremendous opportunity to work with companies and personalities of all kinds!
My business strikes a comfortable balance between creative direction, reviewing products (design, technology, and cycling-related), and attending events. These three elements of my business tie in well with networking and social media. Many of my clients have been with me for years. I also receive referrals and am grateful to introduce new clients to my services.
When not working or attending events, I spend time with my husband. We travel a lot and get out as much as we can. We’ve just returned from three weeks in Belize. Talk about a change in culture to mix things up a bit! Kayaking, photography, playing with gadgets, art, and music are favourite pastimes.
2. What did you like best about working with Linda and how have your photos benefited you?
Our session never felt rushed or forced. Linda’s a focused pro and kept a sense of humour going throughout the day. We enjoyed chatting about music while my iPod was playing. Found out we like a lot of the same bands!
3. If you could pick one favourite shot Linda took of you/for you, which one would it be and why?
The one currently on my website. It shows a fun, improvisational version of me that’s not staged-looking.
4. What is your philosophy or approach to life?
Never look back or compare yourself to others, live for no regrets, and never stop learning!
5 What’s new in your life? What’s next for you?
This year, I re-branded my business to include product reviews and events. These are now tied into the ariane c design brand and the combination has been working well thus far. I’m near completion of a copy editing certificate from Simon Fraser University’s downtown campus and now offer copy editing and proofreading services to clients.
