A B O U T A R L E N E C O T T E R
I’m a Vancouver design professional who collaborates with cross-functional teams in the design and delivery of socially, environmentally and economically sustainable projects that brand 2D/3D/digital/social spaces, communications and environments in both the public and private sectors. I have a passion for creating order—systems and programs. My work is informed by a capacity to find patterns in abstraction and to distil complexity.
P R O F E S S I O N A L P R O F I L E
Designer | Design Director | Strategist | Consultant
Environmental Graphic Designer
Integrates function with form by synthesizing research and project criteria to create award-winning, multi-platform design solutions for stakeholders.
Design Strategist
Develops integrative design frameworks for scaled systems and programs that brand communications in 2D/3D/digital/social spaces and environments.
Design Director and Project Manager
Connects cross-functional public/private sector teams through collaborative processes that support project goals from the design brief, ideation, budgets, critical path, production and implementation through to completion.
Content Creator
Explores diverse client/consultant perspectives to develop concepts, narratives, proposals, communications and design-driven solutions, that are creative, informed, culturally relevant, innovative and effective.
Whole Systems Designer
Contributes professionally and personally to a socially, environmentally and economically sustainable world.
A W A R D S A N D R E C O G N I T I O N
Partial Listing Only
American Institute of Graphic Arts | Communication Arts Magazine | Eberhard Faber | Georgie | Graphex | Lotus | International Council of Shopping Centers | National Post Design Exchange Effectiveness in Design | Fine Paper Mills | Sappi Fine Paper Ideas That Matter | SAM | Society for Experiential Graphic Design (SEGD) | Studio Magazine | University and College Designers Association (UCDA) | Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) | The Canadian Council for the Advancement of Education (CCAE)
E D U C A T I O N A N D A C C R E D I T A T I O N
Please use menu icon to visit: www.linkedin.com/in/arlene-cotter
Graphic Designers of Canada (CGD™ Certified / Agréé CGD™)
M O T I V A T I O N
A systems thinker, I like big, messy and difficult communication challenges. As a designer, design strategist and writer, I’ve collaborated on countless communication projects in both the public and private sectors.
C O L L A B O R A T I O N
The diversity of my design projects reflects solid experience and an integrative approach to design. I’m always interested in working with people who are passionate about what they do. Please contact me to discuss opportunities for professional projects. I live and work in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
P E R S O N A L P R O J E C T S
Synthesized of words and images, my personal projects reflect thoughts about creativity, healing and transformation.
a r l e n e is a space for me to share creative projects that encourage transformation across the continuum of human experience. I’ve collaborated on countless communication projects in both the public and private sectors. At some point, the volume of professional work has become too cumbersome to share on a website and, frankly, maybe not all that critical.
We live in a world driven largely by economics and the reality is that so many of my favourite projects were significant not for financial reasons but because I really believed in them. From early in my career I focused on projects for the public good—long before design for the public good became fashionable. In fact, I named my first consultancy PUBLIK Information Design Inc. and penned a mandate to serve socially responsible clients, responsibly.
a r l e n e samples recent work as well as archives from past projects that are meaningful for me because the people, the communication challenge and/or the ideas were stimulating. Whether profound or playful, macro or micro in scope, these projects have been catalysts for constructive change.
selfArchive is a monthly column published by arlenecotter.com about being human in the present moment, aka . . . Now.