Pinwheel Communication Design » what’s new?

Design books galore

Dean Gallant — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 01:47:54 +0000

In order to continue my growth and development as a designer and to add to my available resources, I recently purchased a load of books—including the new Pantone Plus colour guides! Exciting stuff.

Now: Will I find time to read any of them?

Design books galore

I made the Canadian Design Resource!

Dean Gallant — Sun, 16 Jan 2011 20:47:11 +0000

I’ve been a big fan of this site for a while now. The Canadian Design Resource is a constantly expanding library of Canadian design and material culture. It’s a blog/archive of Canadian Design—product, graphic, craft, etc..

The 2011 Halifax Canada Games torch was posted yesterday. I’m thrilled to see it up there. A little piece of Canadian cultural history.

Pinwheel business cards

Dean Gallant — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 01:21:05 +0000

I had not updated my business cards since we’ve moved—over a year and a half ago. But I can now say that I’ve kept a new years resolution. I’ve designed and printed new cards.

These are double sided, digital colour, printed locally by Minuteman Press.

Pinwheel Communication Design business cards

Pumpkin Regatta

Dean Gallant — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 00:30:56 +0000

This weekend I had the opportunity to realize a dream of mine. I participated in the Windsor Pumpkin Regatta. If you don’t know about this, it’s the most ridiculous small town event in Nova Scotia. People carve out giant pumpkins, paint them thematically, parade them through town, put them in the water, climb inside them and row/race them across the river.

Windsor has the claim to fame of growing some of the largest pumpkins in the world. Howard Dill the “Pumpkin King” was kind of famous for developing a new pumpkin seed (the Atlantic Giant) and winning four straight world pumpkin growing titles in the early eighties. Nowadays the Dill family farm is run by his son Danny. It’s great place to visit in the fall and to see the giant pumpkins. I’ve been there a few times and I’ve been to the regatta as well, and I just think it’s great, and hilarious, and totally unique.

So, when the opportunity came up through the Halifax 2011 Canada Games for us to have a pumpkin in this year’s regatta, I jumped on it.. Then in it. A few coworkers and I went to the Dill farm to paint the pumpkin and I have to say it looked excellent. Nathalie, a translator from the Games rowed with me, and we did pretty well considering we weren’t sure if it was even going to float! We made it half way then we tipped the boat. I had a blast, and the goal of promoting the Games was definitely achieved.

And now I can say that I did it!

Our pumpkin

The paint job

Nathalie and I in the water

The race is on!

Backyard chickens!

Dean Gallant — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 12:57:15 +0000

I want to introduce the new members of our family, our backyard chickens!

They are a heritage breed called Rhode Island Reds. They’re about a month old and they’ve spent the last few weeks in our house in a plastic bin. Yesterday I had a great time building them a coop and we moved them outside.

We want the chickens primarily for egg laying—though we are planning to eat the Roosters. We didn’t know what sex they were when we got them.. We have five and we’re fairly convinced now (unfortunately) that four of them are roosters.

It was a rude awakening to the outside world, as they spent last night in a thunderstorm! But as of this morning, they’re doing great.

the run

the coop

the ladies

the chicks

A new home!

Dean Gallant — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 22:43:12 +0000

I’ve got a new website and a new home! We’ve just moved into a new house a few weeks ago in Hatchet Lake. Very happy and excited to be back in Halifax.

Our new home in Hatchet Lake