Issue link: http://georgiancollege.uberflip.com/i/1310962
8 GEORGIANVIEW FALL 2020 DIGITAL SUPPLEMENT People of Georgian is a series that features students, staff, faculty and alumni of Georgian College in various publications which include magazines, newsletters, website and social media channels. Would you like to be featured in a future story? Please email alumni@georgiancollege.ca. MEET Adam Dagenais "I've always enjoyed monsters" says Adam Dagenais, a 2002 graduate of Georgian's Art and Design Fundamentals program. "I like the creative freedom of a creature design because the sculpture can be anything you want, but it has to be grounded in reality in order to sell it. You have the basic understanding of human and animal anatomy and then you exaggerate those features." Adam works as a Community Animator for Georgian's Centre for Changemaking and Social Innovation, and being a designer is something he always wanted to pursue. "When I was in high school and I met with the guidance counsellor, they asked me what I wanted to do when I grew up, and I was like, 'I want to be in special effects.' I really liked the idea of working with pyrotechnics or special effects, puppetry and animatronics, all that behind-the-scenes stuff," he says. "Being a movie lover, sculpting was kind of this awesome combination of being creative and artistic but also marrying a medium I enjoyed watching." Following his passion is what led Adam to Georgian. Though he didn't end up in the movie-making business, he was able to further develop his design and creativity skills at the college and access resources that sparked a fulfilling career in graphic design. Adam is also the owner of Effigy Design, a graphic design company in Orillia, Ontario, which offers a wide range of services that include design, apparel, print media and signage. Reflecting on the nearly two decades that have passed since graduating, Adam is appreciative of the success he is now finding in bringing his childhood passions to life. "I haven't had time to be creative for myself in a very long time, so the fact that I get to sculpt what I want, when I want, paint it the way I want, and it's for nobody else but me is very self-fulfilling. It recharges my creativity, my soul and my drive."