I’m Sam Johnstone, a graphic designer and illustrator living in Toronto. I’ve recently joined with Natasha McDiarmid to start the design studio Night Shift. For work samples and inquiries, email hello@nightshiftstudio.co or go to nightshiftstudio.co.
I also operate a small clothing brand called Muro, which I run independently. You can check Muro out at its online store, on Instagram or Facebook.
I previously worked at Virgin Mobile Canada & J Walter Thompson Canada, and was on the board of directors for Inkubate Art Exchange. Brands that I’ve worked on include Air Canada, Listerine, Mazda, Nestlé, Peace Collective, Tim Hortons, University of Toronto, and Walmart.
Ethos
Design is a cultural practice. The context, intention and end result of any design work should be judged based on how it affects people, and how it contributes to our cultural landscape.
I believe in the idea of gesamtkunstwerk in that all designed material should aim to a cohesive, considered whole. I believe that every piece of design should answer to logic, by either submitting to a practical foundation or subverting one.
I believe that design should strive to beautiful, and that the search for beauty is not at odds with any other desired outcome. And that beauty is quiet, and requires patience, grace, and confidence.
Examples of Beauty
Investigating what we see, commitment to form, narrative empathy, virtual bands, patterns, graphic archeology, New York in movies, Mount Eerie, making bad bets, recognizing yourself as alien, grey crew-neck sweaters, stories about foxes, self-imposed solitude, the art of James Jean, the art of Teagan White, truth, work that reflects the human scale.
Experience & Education
Partner, 2017-Present
Graphic Designer, 2015-2017
Board of Directors, 2016-2017
Designer, 2013-2015
Web Design Intern, 2012
Intern, 2012
Visiting Student in Communication Design, 2012
Graphic Design Intern, 2011
Bachelor of Design in Graphic Design, 2009-2013
Exhibitions
Salon of Inclusiveness III
Black Cat Artspace, 2016
The Drawing Show
Gerrard Art Space, 2016
Salon of Inclusiveness II
Black Cat Artspace, 2015
Ligatures at Black Cat Artspace, 2015
Cocoon Art Exchange
OUT/AUT Gallery, 2015
The Isolation of Samuel Morse
Solo exhibition at Album Gallery, 2015
By the Pound VI
Goodfellas Gallery, 2015
South Asian Visual Arts Centre, 2014
Salon des Inclusivité
Black Cat Artspace, 2014
Ligatures at Black Cat Artspace, 2014
Kinship: A Social Exhibit
Gallery 1313 (Curator), 2014
98th Graduate Exhibition
OCAD University, 2013
By the Pound II
Sleeping Giant Gallery, 2010
Selected Features & Awards
Featured Member
Featured Member, Illustration / Shop
Merit Award Winner, 2016
Interview, Digital Publication
Featured, Volume 5/2015
Featured, 2015 Design Annual
Digital Feature for ‘The Hunter’ & ‘Swim’
Digital Publication Feature
Digital Publication Feature
Digital Publication Feature, The Isolation of Samuel Morse
Adobe Creative Jam Toronto 2015
Best Motion Design (with Kemar Lawrence)
Advertising & Design Club of Canada
Merit Award Winner, Directions 2015
Complete Design Promotion Winner, 2015 Design Awards Issue
OCAD University
