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March 1996

March 04, 1996

The Art of the 1996 Census
(Vancouver) – Well known Vancouver artist Barb Wood has created colourful posters, bookmarks and tent cards to heighten awareness about Census Day on Tuesday, May 14, 1996. Artistically enhancing the traditional census message, Wood’s use of primary colours and detailed, stylized figures has been accurately described by critics as “whimsically intriguing, charming and filled with warm appeal,” while also “containing a witty, well-researched quality.”

Reflecting on her participation in the past three censuses Wood remarks, “The posters and related materials were a challenge to produce, requiring a real team effort. However, I thoroughly enjoyed working as an energetic and cohesive group to meet the demands of producing ‘user-friendly art’ that would appeal to a wide audience of all ages and backgrounds.”

A long-established and familiar artist on the west coast, Wood grew up in the Maritimes and received her fine arts degree (with majors in book illustration and advertising) from the University of Waterloo. Moving to vancouver in the late 1970s, she went on to tackle such diverse commissions as a calendar for Vancouver City Savings and children’s social studies textbooks. Other commercial work includes clients such as Dairyworld Foods, CP Hotels, Coopers & Lybrand, Vancouver Parks Board, the Bank of Montreal and the Royal Bank.

“The census artwork, I believe, is an effective graphic tool for Statistics Canada and an artistic effort that I will proudly display in my corporate portfolio,” says Wood of her attractive sensus contributions. Barb Wood’s artwork will be used to promote the census throughout B.C. and the Yukon until mid-May.