To commemorate this milestone, the GDC showcased the graphic design of Canada in three very special ways.

First, Canada Post launched a commemorative GDC stamp on August 16, 2006. The Official First Day Covers read "TORONTO ON", where the GDC originated as the Typographic Designers of Canada. The stamp was designed and illustrated by Ion Design's team of David Coates FGDC, Rod Roodenburg MGDC, and student Len-Nard Yambot, located in Vancouver BC.

"Our intent was to create an icon that represents the Canadian graphic design community using type and image, and the beaver seemed a natural," says David Coates FGDC. "Sir Sanford Fleming recognized that when he designed Canada's first stamp. And we drew upon his original design for this stamp." "Our approach,” adds Rod Roodenburg MGDC, "is a sobre and clean, more restrained design. One of our self-imposed directions was to combine typography and image in a clever way that epitomizes what graphic designers strive for when creating a successful icon or image. The abstract typographic construction of the beaver captures this essence, and conveys to some degree the psyche of the Canadian designer: enterprising, hardworking and in tune with their environment."

The August 10, 2006 Canada Post press release stated, "The 51-cent stamp measures 32 mm x 45.5 mm. Lowe-Martin printed 2,500,000 stamps which will be available in panes of 16. The stamps were printed using lithography in six colours and P.V.A. gum on Tullis Russell Coatings paper. They are general tagged on all four sides.

A case study of the stamp development process can be seen at www.iondesign.ca The firm has received more than 200 local, national and international design awards and articles on the firm have appeared in Print, Applied Arts, Step-by-Step, Studio and How Magazine.

For it’s second GDC@50 initiative, the GDC showcased some great and truly classic Canadian design in their 2005-2006 Annual Report, Designing Canada for 50 Years. "The work of graphic designers is an integral part of our daily life, and of Canada's visual landscape. It is fitting that on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Society, we celebrate this important aspect of our country’s heritage, culture and economy," said Peggy Cady, Past President of the GDC. The annual report honours the art of graphic design in Canada by showcasing individual logos and their designers, acknowledging their impact upon Canadian society and  economy. This annual report is a valuable reference for designers and students.

The third GDC@50 project was the 2006 tours of two GDC exhibits. Both exhibits toured major cities in Canada during 2006-07. The Graphex Exhibit tour, was an exhibit which showcased the very best of Canadian design along with publication of the Graphex Awards Catalogue. The tour allowed GDC chapters and others to celebrate this special occasion with us. The tour opened in May 2007, hosted by the SDGQ as part of the Mois du design in Montreal. the exhibit ran for a month in the Marché Bonsecours. It was shown in Seattle, Victoria, Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Saskatoon, Regina, Hamilton, Halifax, Moncton and at Holland College in PEI.

To listen to radio journalist Chris Lee’s review of the exhibit in Vancouver as heard on CBC Radio One’s Vancouver By Design on April 3, 2006, click here.
 

The GDC asked its Fellows to develop posters commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the Society, and the elegant and striking GDC 2006 Fellows Posters Exhibit was the result. The exhibit is of special interest to students and design lovers, and includes a statement and rationale from each of the 20 designers.

Click here to view the posters. To order the exhibit, email info@gdc.net.