About me as a person

I'm a loudmouth and I talk a lot, but that's usually to avoid speaking too honestly.

I'm French Canadian, Québécois en fait, fier de l'être, proud of it. I love languages, I feel lucky that I know French and English so well, les deux solitudes du Canada... I can manage Spanish a bit more than a tourist, I took some beginner's Japanese classes. I recently moved to Amsterdam in the Netherlands, so Dutch will be the next language I will try to learn.

I love to party with my friends.

I live for music, I love going to concerts. I play guitar, bass and a bit of keyboards. I sing, but not so well, so I avoid it and tell people I can't sing.

I have dreams. I'm gonna write this great scenario for a novel/comic/movie one day. I'll be part of the creation of one of the most interesting video game ever. I'll write some of the best music (or noise) ever heard (or seen!).

I read comics. I sometimes draw. I cook to eat and to impress. I looove chocolate chips cookies, but can't stand chocolate itself. I love poutine (the food, not the russian politician).

I bike to wherever I can to avoid public transportation. If I could I'd skateboard again. I snowboard. I river surf when geographically possible.

I completed a Minor in Computational Art at Concordia University. I had the dream of continuing my Major in Intermedia/CyberArts, but life catches on and I chose to invest my time on work.

I've had a lot of jobs: janitor, telemarketer, insurance rep, music store clerk, bank customer service rep. I currently am an interaction designer at Sid Lee Amsterdam, a creative advertising agency based in Montréal.

About me as a professional

Over the last couple of years I have produced interactive works for many clients–on the behalf of the agency for which I worked at the moment of production–, here are a couple:

Please note that the URLs do not lead to projects I have done, but rather to the respective homepages of each client. If you wish to see some of my works, head to my portfolio.

Throughout all the different jobs I have had, I learned and taught a lot. I am as good a team player as I am able to play be myself. I am thorough and organized, sometimes to a fault. I can easily convey and vulgarize information, either to share information or to train others. I'm flexible and tolerant, yet strict and firm when necessary. I am also a good problem solver, even under pressure.

I work with a wide array of tools and utilities such as the Adobe Creative Suite, the over present Microsoft Office suite, Eclipse and many other varied utilities, just as any developper does.

As mentionned in my personal profile, I am apt with many languages, computer languages are no exception:

Also, SVN is now surprisingly a tool that I appreciate and work a lot with. I am quite helpful in teaching Flash developpers teamwork and versionning habits, habits that Java developpers and other coders already have, but that Flash developpers often lack.

About me as a student

Many times has my path changed during my studies, but as the saying goes: "Only a fool never changes his mind."

I originally planned to do media studies, but when I entred college, the government in place at that time thought it was better to axe the program and merge it with Arts and Litterature. Lo and behold, I ended up analyzing poetry–not my cup of tea–, books–a lot better!–, languages and Art History at Collège de Maisonneuve. I have to say I did learn a lot, although not what I expected. Throughout college (and previously in high school as well), I tried to host college radio shows as often as possible.

Then, having all that cultural and artistic background, i though it would be nice to move into an area I quite appreciate, cartoons. I attended a couple of classes at Cégep du Vieux Montréal, where I learned a lot about animation techniques and theory, but ultimately dropped out due to time restraints with work. I like to bellieve that I still use those aptitudes.

A couple of years later, I entered the Computation Arts BFA at Concordia. This program is actually a double major with Computer Science, so I ended up doing high school math classes as well.

At the end of year, a vernissage was held with the students of the Design department. I had an epiphany. People presented all sorts of tactile projects: print, textile and installations. A couple of computers were ligned up on the side for visitors to interact with the work of the graduating students of Computation Arts, but no one was sitting down. I thought to myself: "Do I really want to move into an area of art where people or not even the least interested? Hell, I myself am not interested to leave the crowd and isolate myself with earphone in front of a computer screen."

The next term, I was registered into the InterMedia/CyberArts major, into which we push ourselves to create interactive and tactile arts with installations, robotics and the likes. Ever since, I strive to be able to create works that require a physical space, if possible a soundscape. The computer is still present in my works, but its duties a relagated to the back scene.

About me as an artisan

Notice that I do not use the term "artist." In my mind, there is somewhat of a pejorative meaning to call myself an artist. It either brings to mind the self obsessed person who goes around telling others they are an artist, but with no actual talent, or a more idealized character that attained enlightenment and reached some sort nirvana with art. Neither feel like what I am.

I would like to think of myself as an artisan because I use my skills and techniques in order to create concrete works, whether they are commercial or with personal creative goals. I am not afraid to say I will use my skills to make a living rather. On the side, when money and time permits, I will create personal and emotionnal works that please me.

I am a musician, so sound and noise has to be a part of what I aim to do. I am also a gamer, so there may be a fun or competitive part in my interactive works. I love beautifully designed things, so I may have a slick and minimal design to my works. My family and my friends are important to me, so they may be and influence to or even a part of my works. I love many disciplines, and although I may not master all the disciplines I touch, I reserve myself the right to use all possible technical and artistical means to achieve what I envision.

About Me