Garnet McPherson

Experience

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  Insight Photographics

  Jan 1975 - Dec 1983

  Studio Manager

  Garnet was the founder and directer of Insight Photographics a commercial photographic studio providing corporate and industrial photography and multi media productions. In 1983 the company became a division of Studio Arts Centre and moved to their Toronto portlands studio.

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  Insight Communications

  Jan 1975 - Jan 1983

  CEO & Creative Director

  I built a successful photography and multi-media company that incorporated a studio on the 401 for commercial photography, a mobile unit for corporate and industrial photography and an aircraft for aerial photography. This company eventually expanded to become part of the Studio Arts Centre on the waterfront of Toronto.

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  Aerial Photographics Of Canada

  Jan 1977 - Jan 1987

  Director Of Aerial Photography

  Garnet McPherson was the founder and CEO of Aerial Photo Graphics of Canada. He covered assignments in Ontario and developed a network of Aerial Photographers available for assignments in all ten provinces and two territories. The company offered both vertical and oblique air photo services and had its own aircraft stationed outside Toronto.

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  Studio Arts Center

  Jan 1984 - Dec 1988

  Founder & CEO

  The Studio Arts Centre was a centre for communications arts developed by Garnet McPherson on the waterfront of Toronto. It was created in a leased 20,000 sq ft warehouse with a full basement main floor for studios and an atrium greenhouse and lounge. Beyond it photographic studios and darkrooms it included 2 sound stages, a car studio, wardrobe, makeup, kraft services, recording studio, gallery, equipment lock up, rehearsal studios, dance studios, maker shop, prop shop, sign shop, graphics centre and marketing resource centre. It was conceived to create a communications arts centre for Toronto that would rival the resources available in New York, Chicago, or LA. It ran successfully for a number of years before the property was sold for development and the centre was forced to shut down. Show less

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  Canadian Natural Health Association

  Dec 1988 - Jan 1998

  President & Director of Education

  Garnet McPherson was invited to sit on the board of the oldest natural health organization in Canada which was at the forefront of Natural Health for over 50 years with thousands of members from coast to coast. Garnet was on the board for 10 years and president for 6 of those years. Under his direction the organization published a national directory of holistic services every year and expanded its educational roles He presided over one of the largest natural health libraries in existence and hosted over 100 lectures per year from the top authors, researchers and practitioners involved with natural health from around the world. " Having personal time with all these brilliant minds has greatly informed my understanding about what creates health and vitality. I also now understand how the cause of most modern diseases boil down to one form of disfunction on the cellular level almost always caused by either toxicity or deficiency or the combination of the two. Knowing this makes it clear the our struggle for optimum health needs to be woven together with our struggle for clean air, water and food. In reality this is the best strategy for your health and longevity." Garnet McPherson giving a talk at the Whole Life Expo. Show less

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  Green Planet Foundation Canada

  Jan 1989 - Dec 2000

  Managing Director

  Green Planet Foundation Canada funded eco expositions, fairs, conferences, and festivals that celebrated all things green. Garnet developed Green Planet Festivals in Toronto and In Eastern Ontario. He also took the lead on the GPF Innovation Centres' work on the electric tractor and electric car projects while also designing low tech passive solar heating and air-conditioning systems.

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  Graphic Exposure

  Jan 1994 - now

  Creative Director

  A Creative Director in a graphic design studio is responsible for the overall creative vision of a project or campaign. I ensure that the work produced by our team is of high quality and meets the client’s expectations. After collaborating with account executives to obtain knowledge of the clients’ requirements. you conceive and implement concepts, guidelines, and strategies in various creative projects and oversee them to completion. It is a role that draws from many facets of art and design, from graphic design, costume design to fine art while one is directing and motivating your team of art directors, illustrators, designers, photographers and copywriters to achieve the intentions of the project. I would overseeing the larger campaign targets, such as deliverable timelines, budgets, at the same time as managing client relationships. Show less

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  Earthwalk - Sustainable Living Centre

  Dec 1998 - Jan 2012

  Eco Media Director & Educator

  As Communication and Educational Director at Earthwalk Garnet did public speaking on all aspects of sustainability and I also coordinate the Earthwalk Speakers Bureau which provides presenters both at the Centre and for collages, universities, schools, community groups, business, government and NGO's. As the Director of the Eco Media Center at Earthwalk Garnet published Sustainable Living Magazine and produces educational documentaries on environmental and natural health topics that are distributed nationally and internationally.Garnet McPherson designed and built the buildings at Earthwalk which still stand as extraordinary examples of forward thinking in sustainable design. The main building incorporated solar heating and cooling technologies as well as many techniques that contributed to a "healthy home" environment. Garnet also designed the Edible Forest Landscape at Earthwalk that has been used to teach about sustainable gardening techniques and technology. He was also the driving force behind Earthwalks electric tractor and electric car projects. During this time Garnet also served as the Earthday Coordinator in Eastern Ontario and the local Ambassador for Al Gores Climate Project.Today though retired,Garnet continues to be dedicated to environmental communication and education in our communities. Show less

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  The Visioneers Group

  Jan 2000 - Jul 2016

  Co-Founder & Project Facilitator

  The Visioneers Group holds a vision of a future that reflects the best of what mankind is capable of. A future that is based on a healthy and sustainable approach to living together in an integrated and progressive society. The Visioneers Group is a think tank focused on creating a sustainable and healthy society but it also assists with incubating social entrepreneurship and facilitates funding for innovative solutions to the social and environmental challenges that we face as a society. The Visioneers Group working with a team of entrepreneurial mentors has developed a campus for the development social enterprise in the industrial park of a small town outside Toronto Ontario. This team of talented mentors is called the Enterprise Development Group or EDG. They have created an entrepreneurial “Innovation Center” complete with meeting space, training facilities, workshops, studios and conference facilities all dedicated to building ethical and successful enterprises. At the Innovation Centre EDG has created an Integrated Enterprise Development System that can incubate a start-up and accelerate an established business that wants to create sustainable growth. www.visioneers.ca Show less

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  Sustainable Living Magazine

  Jan 2001 - Jul 2018

  Managing Editor

  Conceived and created by myself and a dedicated group of volunteers, Sustainable Living Magazine was a non profit journal dedicated to making a positive difference by facilitating eco-culture. Sustainable Living Magazine was all about bringing the tools, information and expertise together to help each and all of us create a sustainable and healthy society while supporting ethical enterprise.Beyond ensuring that our content was free of errors and met the publication’s standards as the editor I was responsible for creating compelling content in the photographs, text, and illustrations to ensure that the publication was cohesive, engaging, relevant and timely. Sustained by its donors and advertisers and the tireless energy of our volunteers SLM focused on solutions to difficult problems. Our intrepid contributors enriched the content and brought new and fresh perspectives on sustainable culture.We identified both opportunities and threats. For years our investigative journalists kept watch on the ever increasing influence of multi national corporations and shedding light on their negative impacts on our environment and our society. We covered how Monsanto was trying to take control of our food system and force farmers to use their technology. We uncovered how big tobacco, big pharma, big sugar, big oil and the cel industry had all mounted massive propaganda campaigns designed to create doubt about the damage they were doing to public health and the environment. We reported on the deep levels of corruption,and massive campaigns of misinformation by the multi-national industrial military complex, designed to manage main stream media, limit our access to information and technology, infiltrate public institutions, secure control our media of exchange all with an agenda to ultimately control every aspect of our society. We received threats to our lives.I remained the Managing Editor until the Journal closed do to a catastrophic fire at its offices at Eco Earthwalk. Show less

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  Earthworks Eco Villages

  Jan 2008 - now

  Eco Village Designer

  Earthworks Eco Villages is a professional incubation and design service providing project planning, design and development for intentional communities.Earthworks' development system integrates the social, ecological and economic needs of each community. We have designed wide variety of intentional communities over the last 30 years, and act as consultants on a wide spectrum of community development projects.A small group of experts from a variety of backgrounds that create a holistic designs for sustainable communities. Called Earthworks Eco Villages these templates were created with the vision in mind of a creating a master plan for healthy community living that addresses our health social cultural and environmental needs within an self sufficient community. One that integrates the best practices for sustainable and healthy living. Members of our team have visited over 100 eco villages to evaluate what works and does not work. They have developed a number of criteria for optimum Eco Community Development."we incorporate eco enterprise development and eco education and natural health services into every community". Garnet McPherson was the lead designer on a number of projects and Earthworks continues to provide consulting and intellectual resources that seed develop of mindful eco communities across the country. Show less

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  Climate Reality Project

  Oct 2008 - Dec 2020

  Presentor / Ambassador

  In the Spring of 2008. a group of nationally recognized climate leaders gathered at a conference in Montreal. The Climate Reality Project, was founded and chaired by former Vice President and Nobel Laureate Al Gore, and is dedicated to unleashing a global cultural movement demanding action on the climate crisis. Garnet McPherson was among the first Canadians selected by Al Gore to be trained to present the current reality of the climate crisis in communities across the country and around the world. Despite overwhelming international scientific consensus on climate change, the global community still lacks the resolve to implement meaningful solutions. The Climate Reality Project exists to forge an unwavering bedrock of impassioned support necessary for urgent action. With that foundation, together we will ignite the moral courage in our leaders to solve the climate crisis.The Climate Reality Project has become a global movement amongst scientific and environmental leaders to break the dam of inaction and raise the profile of the climate crisis to its proper state of urgency. With a global movement more than 2 million strong and a grassroots network of Climate Leaders trained by Chairman Al Gore, we stand up to denial, press for solutions, and spread the truth about climate change to empower our leaders to solve the climate crisis. Show less

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  Photo-Graphics.ca

  Jan 2012 - now

  Creative Director

  As the Director of Photography and Editor for Photo-Graphics Garnet McPherson promotes the power of visual communication in modern culture. Garnet has decades of experience in Visual Communications as a Photographer, Graphic Designer, Producer, Director and Writer for print, display, multi media and video production. He has worked for over a thousand of clients representing every sector and spanning 17 countries and four continents. Garnet has combined the art and science of message design with his talents as a visual artist into a thriving career as a commercial photographer and communication designer.Garnet has contributed to the success of a number of cultural organizations with his talents and expertise and continues to do so to this day. He has taught at Sheridan Collages School of Visual Arts, and served as the creative director for Insight Communications, film director for the Media Arts Centre documentary division and the managing editor of Sustainable Living Magazine. Today Garnet is semi ritired but still helping organizations that make a difference with photography and communications design. Garnet still contributes as the editor of PHOTO-GRAPHICS where he continues to promote visual communications solutions in multiple genres and also has contributed to developing of several curriculum's for The Creative Arts Institute. Show less

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  Our Studio

  Jan 2012 - Dec 2019

  Studio Manager

  Garnet was the founder and director of Our Studio a co-operative communication arts studio that was part of a studio village project east of Toronto. OUR STUDIO was a centre that provided communication and visual artists and community organizations with media production and post-production support and services at accessible rates. Created by and for media artists it provided a comprehensive resource base for creative projects. Committed to providing a broad spectrum of services related to communication arts to support the writers, photographers, journalists, videographers and film producers, Including: workshops, screenings, gallery exhibitions, artist residencies and community partnerships. OUR STUDIO was an artist-run centre that helped to develop emerging artists by providing information, tools and resources that contributed to both career and project development with the added benefit of mentoring and peer support for it members. Show less

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  Mygotoexpert.ca

  Dec 2012 - now

  Key Note Speaker and Consultant

  My Go To Expert is a speaker bureau and consulting agency that is happy to be representing Garnet McPherson as both a consultant and as a keynote speaker. Garnet's expertise in sustainable living and information retention in communications design is now available to a select group of clients of Insights and My Go To Expert. His available time is very limited and he will only work for organizations that he feel make a positive contribution to our society. Garnet has designs communication programs for many organizations and has developed a well earned reputation for getting results.As past president of the Canadian Health Association, Education Director for Earthwalk Eco Education Centre, Eco Village Designer for the Earthworks Eco Villages and Editor of Sustainable Living Magazine Garnet has both deep and wide experience in Sustainable Culture.He was chosen by Al Gore to be one of the first Climate Reality Ambassadors in Canada and is available for Eco Education Events, Sustainable Living Conferences, and for special events for sustainability and environmental presentations.Today Garnet is semi retired though still teaching photography and film at The Creative Arts Institute he spends any spare time developing film documentaries about people who are making a positive difference and organizing sustainable and healthy living events. Show less

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  Media Arts Productions

  Jan 2013 - now

  Documentary Filmmaker

  Garnet was the creative lead behind the development of several documentaries produced by members at the Media Arts studio village. Though his time is quite limited he tries to make some time available for innovative projects. The Media Arts studio village acts as an independent documentary incubator and has assisted many indie productions since it was established. In a mentorship role producers and directors from across Ontario have accessed Garnet McPherson's many years of experience to help develop their projects. Garnets primary interest is in developing documentary projects about unique individuals who are dedicated to making a positive difference in our society and on our planet. Show less

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  MAGI Web Design

  Jan 2013 - Dec 2019

  Creative Director

  As one of the founders of Media Arts Group Inc. Garnet provided a guiding influence over the directions and vision for the MAGI. "At MAGI, we come to work every day because we want to solve the biggest problem in small-business marketing – how to merge small-business budgets with big-business results. We work diligently to bridge this gap & are passionate about empowering our growth-focused clients with the right ingredients for online success. Our growing team of MAGI experts have worked with hundreds of clients across the globe, spanning 17 countries & 4 continents. Through this expertise, we’re uniquely positioned among our competitors to bring you top-quality results typically reserved for Fortune 500 companies in the web space.MAGI Web Design takes the time to find & refine the top talent & technologies to serve our clients. We have worked with hundreds of communications specialists over the years & have selected “the best of the best” as our “A-Team”. As a MAGI client, you have exclusive access to our “A-Team” & top technologies for your projects.To insure your access to the “best of the best” we limit our client roster to 30 spots. This requires us to choose our clients wisely & actively seek those businesses who are at the startup stage, growth stage or are scaling to potential. In this way we’re laser-focused on serving clients at these stages with refined processes that work. We help you create communications that get results." Show less

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  Brighton Centre For The Arts

  Jan 2013 - Feb 2016

  Programing Director

  Garnet was one of the visioneer behind the creation of a Centre For The Arts in Eastern Ontario. The Arts Club became Brighton's non profit centre for the arts which supported over 16 arts organizations while also providing a performing arts venue for the community. As one of the founders Garnet helped design and build the event venue, the gallery and the studios for The Arts Club. He also funded many of its programs that supported arts initiatives in our community, by providing creative space, exhibit space, and educational space for the development of local arts and cultural projects. Show less

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  Creative Arts Institute

  Jan 2015 - Mar 2020

  Dean of Photography & Film Studies

  Garnet McPherson was responsible for developing curriculum for the Creative Arts Institute and was the Dean of our Photography & Film Studies Program. He also taught several programs for CAI and was instrumental in developing the team that made up the Visual Communication Faculty.Unfortunately Due to Covid 19 pandemic CAI has been closed until further notice.

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  Greenzine.ca

  Jul 2017 - Dec 2019

  Managing Editor

  "As managing editor I co-ordinated the design and structure of this new eco lifestyle magazine called Greenzine designed to cover the entire green scene with a focus on environmental solutions. It brought together todays environmental innovators and instigators with elder eco activists and educators in the environmental movement for an ongoing and lively exploration of sustainable solutions to global issues." The journal was growing until several of our senior staff were impacted by Covid 19. The journal has unfortunately ceased publication until further notice. Show less