This month, we speak to Katie Wilhelm, an independent Designer and Consultant from London, Ontario, Canada, sharing their story as a designer and a proud Indigenous woman from the Chippewas of Nawash First Nation

Tell us about yourself

Boozhoo! Hello! I am Katie Wilhelm (she/her), an independent Designer and Consultant based in London, Ontario, Canada and a proud Indigenous woman from the Chippewas of Nawash First Nation. My design inspiration comes from my artistic practice and the arts and culture of First Nations communities worldwide.

What is the story behind your agency/independent studio? What inspired you and what is the driving force behind it?

My design career journey started after graduating from the Graphic Design program at Fanshawe College in 2008. My roommates and I formed our first business, 379 Collective, a creative production and events management company.

During that time, I also co-founded LondonFuse New Media Collective, an arts and culture publication and new media training program. Shortly after, I became the Co-Director of Artfusion, a contemporary art gallery and mural production company. Founding these businesses in the creative industry formed a passion for design and business that led to a position as Marketing and Design Specialist with the London Economic Development Corporation, where I worked for several years before founding my current practice.

What was the starting point of your career in the design industry and why did sustainability in packaging design appeal to you?

The starting point of my career in the design industry was the creation of my creative industry businesses, but also in my position as Marketing and Design Specialist with the London Economic Development Corporation. During this time, I became a corporate communications expert and learned about all aspects of business development. This experience ultimately opened my eyes to the need for sustainability in various aspects of business and, through a design lens, the need for advocacy in sustainability.

Being an indigenous designer, how do you incorporate your values in design?

As an Indigenous designer, I consistently incorporate my cultural values and ways of knowing and being into my design strategy. One example of this is The Seventh Generation Principle. This principle is based on an ancient Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) philosophy that today’s decisions should result in a sustainable world seven generations into the future. This often looks like sourcing local suppliers for a smaller eco-footprint, sourcing eco-friendly inks and water-safe materials (like glues and coatings), and incorporating sustainability into the design strategy through consultations with colleagues with various perspectives such as First Nations Elders, Artists, and Environmentalists.

Another example of cultural teachings incorporated into all my design work is Two-Eyed Seeing, a term coined by Elder Albert Marshall from the Moose Clan of the Mi'kmaw Nation. Two-Eyed Seeing refers to learning to see from one eye with the strengths of Indigenous knowledge and ways of knowing and from the other with the strengths of Western knowledge and ways of knowing and learning to use both these eyes together for the benefit of all.

Which projects are you most proud of and why?

A recent project I am proud of is my work with Stoic Beauty Skincare and their water-safe packaging line. I worked closely with the founder to create packaging artwork to reflect the brand and the importance of water-safe packaging.

Stoic Beauty

Some other work: Refreshed Logo and Brand, Packaging, and Web Design for Spirit Earth Holistics

The new logo is a clean and elegant design that speaks to the beauty side of the business. The symbol shows a woman with a feather and braided hair design symbolizing Roots and Water and includes Iroquion glyphs symbolizing Water and Land.

Spirit Earth Holistics

A recent project that I am proud of is my work with the London Chamber of Commerce on the book, ‘Shared Waters: London Listens.’ This book involved community consultations with business leaders where I asked the question, what are you doing to protect our local waters as the First Nations people did generations ago for us? The result is the documentation of business stories and experiences from local First Nations community members. The conversations from this project have become a catalyst for important work being done in the London community around water protection.

If you could share one message with the young designers in the packaging design community, what would it be?

The one message I would share with all designers in the packaging design industry is to consider the Seventh Generation Principle in your packaging designs. How can our design decisions create a sustainable world seven generations into the future?

Find out more about Katie Wilhelm here.