The Ottawa Design Club (ODC) hosted its end-of-summer party, called “Hands-On Vibes”, at Club SAW on August 22nd. This event ran from 6pm to 11pm and kept the guests entertained with engaging panel speakers, music and activities. The co-founder of the ODC, Izzy Poirier, discussed the importance and intent of the event:
“It’s really important to celebrate craftsmanship — how we can mix the digital and hands-on, and maybe find new ways to explore creativity. That’s the intention for tonight,” said Poirier in an email to Apt613.
Painting at the Ottawa Design Club’s Hands-On Vibes night. Photo by Vasileios Tselios.
The “Hands-On Vibes” event is the latest of a series of events that the Ottawa Design Club has put on over the years. Starting in 2020, the ODC was founded with the goal of providing safe spaces for local artists to network and share their work. The club invites all creatives, whether they are an artist or not, to come out to the events and meet other like-minded individuals. The events are typically speaker events; however the “Hands-On Vibes” was different, as it included both a panel and an interactive art party.
“We believe that everyone is a creative. If you’re creative or even design-curious, we will welcome you with open arms. Another thing we say, whether you are starting your own creative journey or about to retire, we want to hear from you,” said Poirier at the event.
Starting early, the guests had an opportunity to have drinks and chat with everyone before the speaker’s panel. The panel was hosted by Ramzi Estephan, host of TheCreatives Podcast, and featured four panellists: Hailey Wyatt, Pooja Pawaskar, Stephanie Babij and Andrew Doxtater, who all discussed their creative processes and their experiences in creating tangible works of art.
The panellists touched on various subjects surrounding their work, like Wyatt, a fashion designer, who talked about sustainability and upcycling. She went on to state that “unfortunately sustainability is now being packaged up and resold to us, which is contradictory—sustainability is not a product, it’s not something you can buy, it’s a way of living and being.”
Partying at the Ottawa Design Club’s Hands-On Vibes night. Photo by Vasileios Tselios.
After the panel was over, the guests got to enjoy the interactive art party. Accompanied by music from DJs Jared Lebel and Matfroninja, the party came alive as people were participating in all the different interactive art works.
At one station, there was a 60-by-48 inch canvas where guests would paint along with Steph Babij. Right beside that station, folks were cutting up fabric and pinning it on to a long jacket, created by Hailey Wyatt. Pooja Pawaskar provided wooden sculptures that could be shaped with sandpaper (a task that is much tougher than it sounds). Last but not least, Andrew Doxtater brought one of his famous oval chairs that guests could decorate with different patterns and pictures.
Stephanie Babij’s painting. Phoot by Vasileios Tselios.
These stations were crowded all night long, with folks adding their own creativity to all the different artworks. Alongside these art stations, there were food and drinks provided by Lil Z’s and Sweetcheeks. The ODC also set up a desk where their collaborative zines were up for sale. These zines are only published twice a year, making them a unique and special souvenir for the guests.
Speaking to Poirier, she described the event as a “success” and it is evident to see why. The party was bustling until its eventual conclusion at 11pm and the preceding panel was sold out.
Hailey Wyatt’s jacket. Photo by Vasileios Tselios.
“In the era of AI, it’s important to get our hands working,” said Poirier of the event. “This event is a little bit of a gift to myself because I mostly work digitally, to the point where I was sketching a logo and I caught myself doing a command-Z as I was drawing—for sure I’m not the only one who this happens to!”
Feeling like you missed out on the fun? Don’t worry—Poirier said that the “Hands-On Vibes” was the first of a two part event, with the second event happening soon. Additionally, she confirmed that the Ottawa Design Club will be hosting another event in mid-October, which would follow their regular format of speaker events.
For further updates on these two events, you can visit the ODC’s website or Instagram.
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