We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Karl-Frederic Anctil a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Karl-Frederic, appreciate you joining us today. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

When I was 4, my mother showed me a book listing all the classic professions – firefighter, policeman, baker, astronaut and so on. I calmly browsed through the pages, closed the book and declared that there was nothing in there for me – I wanted to be an artist!

Following that, in elementary and high school, even though I did well in most subjects, I was always happier in art class. I always excelled in those classes.

So even from really early on, I always knew that I would want to work in a creative field.

Karl-Frederic, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I have always been fascinated by brands that put creativity forward in their brand platforms and ads. I was that kid in the 90’s that collected the different Fido Dido labels from the 7up packaging (go check it out if you were born after 2000). I loved the character and the simple approach of black and white visuals in a world that, at the time, was dominated by fluorescent color schemes. I was also really inspired by the work of Keith Haring, which brought art outside of museums. This allowed an unprecedented accessibility to the public – you could even own an artist’s t-shirt. I also used to redraw logos when I was in high school and loved collecting CD’s, sometimes more for the artwork than the music.

So in a sense I was kind of destined to go into a creative field. I chose to go through graphic design rather than art in college, because it was a safer way to get a paycheck using my creativity, and inadvertently found a passion for design and branding. After 6 years of study in graphic design, I worked for a year in an ad agency as an art director, followed by two years at Just for Laughs in the design department. I also did an internship in Montpellier (France) to broaden my horizons… and also to miss, for the only time in my life, one cold Canadian winter…

After all of that I decided to start my own design studio with friends in order to be able to have more control in selecting my projects. At Featuring, over the last 19 years, we have been able to build bold and impactful projects and brands for a wide range of clients including Cirque du Soleil, Frank and Oak, Opéra de Montréal, McGill University, the City of Montreal, various microbreweries, a few Napa Valley vineyards and many more.

For a while I didn’t create much art, focusing instead on design and communication work. Then, 10 years ago, my wife booked me a mini art show in a clothing shop in Montreal as a present for my birthday. It was the push I needed to go back to drawing more and doing art just for the fun of it and not necessarily to satisfy a client’s brief and taste. At first, it was difficult to draw with no brief – it took me a long time to acclimate myself. However, after a while I was drawing non-stop and practicing my line work and composition skills. I approached it as I would a graphic design piece.

My art style and subjects have evolved over the years but I can say, in retrospect, that I got back to the line work I loved so much in my youth. The work of Keith Haring and the Pop art movement still resonates with me – its accessibility, and colorful and playful visual language. Featuring’s branding and design work has also consistently reflected this influence.

I discovered that it is important for me to fulfill my creative need to make art. Having that outlet to express my creativity is not only necessary for my personal fulfillment, but it is also beneficial to my creative work at the office. And thankfully, sometimes the stars align, and I can use my illustration and design skills in projects at the agency.

I always find meaningful time to be present with my family, but balancing art projects and my role as a Chief Creative Officer is challenging. With the support of my business partners, our team, and my wife, I’m on a promising path to managing both my art and design careers, fulfilling my dream of becoming “an artist”.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

Around the third year of the agency, I did a week-long Masterclass with Stefan Sagmeister, a renowned graphic designer based in New York. It was an eye-opening experience. When I came back to the office, after a full week of pure creativity, I came to the conclusion that 90% of our portfolio was not what I had intended creatively when we started the company. We took projects to pay the bills, which was great, but the corporate clients we were working with didn’t lead to the great creative projects we wanted to be working on.

So, in a matter of a few months, we started to look for small clients that would give us an almost creative “carte blanche” to explore really creative designs. We managed to rebuild our portfolio, which led to bigger clients that wanted real creative work like Montreal’s Festival du Nouveau Cinema, Igloofest, Frank and Oak and Cirque du Soleil. We continued to work with corporate clients, but we started to see a real shift in the way we were expected to bring more creativity into corporate environments. That pivot was the starting point of where we are today. That brought us recognition in international design competitions, but most importantly, we got more confident in what we could bring to the table as a creative partner.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

Creative field is important and valuable. Without all those creatives, the world would be pretty boring. Imagine no music, visual arts, film, tv series, VFX, architecture, light engineering, literature, design of all kinds (game, fashion, graphic, web etc.). It would also be important to recognize that there is a real economic value to all creative fields. Artists and creatives are entrepreneurs and often the people in organizations that help change the world everyday. Try to listen a little better, they can bring so much more to the table.

On an individual level, take the time to follow, like and leave positive comments, buy artworks or art prints from artists that you love instead of, you know, an international store that sells the same 30 prints all over the world! You will be supporting an individual and have something unique to show off at your next home gathering, setting you apart from your friends. Well, unless all your friends bought an UULTRAA piece of art… then that’s ok. That you can do ;) lol.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://featuringagency.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uultraabydesign/ | https://www.instagram.com/featuring_agency/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/uultraabydesign
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kfanctil/