Stephanie
Sauvé
artist / writer / marketing creative
I developed my skills over 25 years—working with creative agencies, nonprofits, corporations, entrepreneurs, educators, and more—often choosing the longer, less-travelled path.
it all started with
storytelling
From a young age, I was captivated by the power of a good story, more than any one story itself. How does a story inspire action? Start a conversation? Become timeless? I studied writing, narrative structure, and related cognitive psychology, including throughout my master’s degree and still today. I traded well-paying jobs and easy opportunities for adventures that dropped me at the centre of human experience, where all stories begin.
My talent for finding the storyline in a swath of ideas landed me contracts in writing/editing, workshop facilitation, and marketing and branding. I became a narrative expert just as “story” was hailed the cornerstone of marketing and communications, and I brought this expertise to all sectors and creative agencies. However, I yearned to wield both the verbal and visual crafts of storytelling, and technology would soon help me with that.
&
brands
words
talk
images
Ironically, as a writer, I felt that some things were best said without words. I loved the minimalism and depth of meaning that came from the perfect combination of language and imagery. While I tried to follow solely a writer’s path, I felt like I was leaving half of myself behind. The advent of online art schools, digital tablets, and website-building platforms allowed me to expand my storytelling toolbox to include illustration and design. I learned how the mechanics of the visual story are as fascinating and complex as for the verbal story—and a superpower in today’s online communications.
divide
the
bridging
I’m one of those people who finds respite in an analogue world—a classic watch, some vinyl LPs, a book in my hand at the end of the day. So it was surprising to find myself designing websites and largely digital marketing tools. I was knee deep before I realized what held me there: a desire to bring more humanity to a digital world that is here to stay. With the suite of skills I had developed, I could help people see inside themselves, express it digitally, and truly be seen. The greatest rewards came from working with solopreneurs and very small businesses, with ideas born from their being and the conviction to bring these to life. If a story, an image, a brand, a website can help people come together in a meaningful way, then I have done my job.