```cv
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```

On a train ride with an old friend last year I asked whether she preferred sunrises or sunsets. Her answer was sunrises, of course, because sunsets are much too sad; they look like the world is ending. I understood what she meant, though my perspective differs from hers. I marvel at the sun as it alights on the horizon, and revel in the crisp air washing across my skin the very second it disappears.

---

```cv
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```

Tadgh Bentley’s [sunset study](https://www.instagram.com/p/CwTbdd7uuI4) suspends the sun over a wine-dark sea. Throughout the composition he uses an oil paint named Iron Violet: straight out of the tube it is an earthy, soulful plum; mixed with white or grey or black, it transforms into an undertone characterized by its [subtle magnetism](https://www.instagram.com/p/CcTmps6jW20/). Iron Violet has a certain allure that defies description—perhaps a form of residual energy from the process that led to its creation. “I believe that inside the material there is an astonishment related to an idea of life,” says [Giuseppe Penone](https://bordercrossingsmag.com/article/the-perfection-of-the-tree-and-other-material-concerns). “This life is in the material and also in the work of art.”

---

```cv
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```

Iron Violet was born out of a multi-year experiment between [John Sabraw](https://www.johnsabraw.com/), artist and professor of fine arts at Ohio University, and Guy Riefler, fellow professor of civil and environmental engineering with expertise in acid mine drainage. The two met by chance over a common interest in converting iron oxide into viable pigment, from which the name Iron Violet derives. 6000 pounds of this raw material is dumped daily into Sunday Creek near Millfield, Ohio due to ongoing seepage from coal mines abandoned decades ago.

Pyrite—a leftover byproduct of coal mining activities—reacts with water and oxygen to create runoff saturated with iron oxide and sulfuric acid. The former compound infiltrates surrounding waterways and renders them all bright orange, while the latter lowers the water’s pH to a point where aquatic life cannot survive the acidity. “You can still run into children who \[when\] you tell them to draw a stream, they reach for an orange crayon,” Riefler notes.

Through his lens as an environmental engineer, iron oxide is a stubborn pollutant and an intergenerational issue worth tackling. Through the lens of an artist like Sabraw, however, iron oxide is also a means of communication: “I think oftentimes the way that we communicate about these problems, how we might be trying to solve them, all these complexities that are involved with it… I understood early on that what might draw people is to do away with all of that, and have their initial invitation come in through beauty, and through colour, and through art.”

---

```cv
youtube
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```

For now, harvesting iron oxide remains a manual community effort. Volunteers step into the waters of Sunday Creek to remove buckets upon buckets of heavy sludge which is filtered through a sieve on-site, processed at the university’s lab, and dried to a powder consistency before being sent to a kiln. Firing the iron oxide at a temperature above 500 degrees Celsius converts its typical orange into a rare and vivid violet. Specialists at Gamblin Artists Colors, a paint manufacturer based in Portland, Oregon, then mix the lightfast pigment with flax oil and zinc to produce the finished product.

The more artists use Iron Violet, the higher the demand for the pigment. Proceeds currently help to fund the construction of a large-scale water treatment and pigment production plant at the Truetown Discharge site in Millfield. Once the facility is fully functional, 100% of the runoff will be purified at the source: wildlife will return, new jobs will be created, and collecting iron oxide sludge by hand will no longer be necessary. “We’ve been able to build a project that sits squarely at the confluence of engineering, art, social enterprise, and watershed restoration,” writes Michelle Shively MacIver, Director of Product Development at [True Pigments](https://truepigments.com). “The more we succeed, the cleaner our streams become.”

---

```cv
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```

Turning pollution into paint echoes the natural history of bearded vultures. Sharing in the spirit of the Sunday Creek volunteers, these birds of prey wade into iron oxide-rich waters high in the mountains to tint their white plumage in the [orange mud](https://4vultures.org/blog/exploring-the-fascinating-cosmetic-behaviour-of-bearded-vultures/). This seems to be an inborn behaviour, with no definitive hypothesis as to why it is performed other than for cosmetic reasons. If rufous feathers are an aesthetic inclination, then bearded vultures may well be artists at heart.

They also happen to be an exceptional clean-up crew. [Feeding on bones](https://jaha.org.ro/index.php/JAHA/article/download/204/168) is their specialty: the gastric juices of bearded vultures are acidic enough to kill most pathogens during digestion, thus mitigating the spread of disease among injured, dying, or dead animals on land. While remediating acid mine drainage is the exact inverse—*raising* pH levels to bring aquatic life *back* to Sunday Creek—both processes create sustenance out of unwanted remains. Reclaiming iron oxide from the contaminated environment turns this residue of a fallen industry into a nourishing marrow instead.

---

```cv
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```

According to a [Lenni Lenape myth](https://bittersoutherner.com/feature/2022/the-other-buzzard), the sun once drew too close to the earth and threatened to scorch everything with its immense heat. The only creature who managed to push the sun back into the sky was a noble turkey vulture. He was badly burned from the ordeal, a sight which frightened and deterred other animals. And so the vulture became a bird of solitude, treated with equal parts reverence and revulsion.

To act in service of life itself whether lauded or ostracized: this too describes the labour of artists. Time and time again they breach the obvious to reveal what more there is to the human spirit. “Society must accept some things as real,” [James Baldwin](https://www.theoverview.art/james-baldwin-the-creative-process/) explains, “but \[the artist\] must always know that visible reality hides a deeper one, and that all our action and achievement rest on things unseen.”

---

```cv
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```

Following cold nights, turkey vultures perch with [wings outstretched](https://www.newyorkalmanack.com/2022/05/sunbathing-birds/) to bathe in the early morning light. I am reminded of my friend’s love for sunrises, and how the very thing that sustains us is simultaneously too intense to behold. We cannot bear to look at the sun; it is achingly beautiful when we catch a glimpse. A painter expresses this feeling on our behalf and evinces the warmth with violet.

Of Vultures and Violet

Dialects of Green

About the Film

Disarming at the Precipice

An essay about [The Work](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8OVXG2GhpQ) (2017), the heartbeat it documents by accident, and how being heard is a necessary salve for the wounds we all carry within us. Commissioned by [Are.na Editorial](https://are.na/editorial) for the Are.na Annual 2025 anthology.

In Pursuit of Clarity

A short piece about Orin standing bells and the ancient casting method still used to produce them. Featuring Nanjo Kobo, a family-owned foundry established in 1839 in Kyoto, Japan. Commissioned by Heartbeat, an upcoming sound and music magazine published by [Broccoli](https://broccolimag.com/).

On nature and art as both inspiration and catalyst for regenerative problem solving.

Concert and Album Reviews

Contributor from 2013 to 2016, writing about contemporary classical music for the award-winning site powered by the American Composers Forum.

A project exploring my affinity for the colour green—and how it relates to a character on The Bear—through writing, music, art, and design.

All Ears: A Journey Through Sound Culture

A paper for an undergrad course called "Sound Culture", weaving together major topics covered throughout the semester.

A Portrait of Tracy

Reflecting on the process behind an experimental short doc I wrote and directed for the National Film Board of Canada and POV Spark.

National Book Award

Non-Profit Website of the Year

MacLean Murray Scholarship

Digital Dozen

Dean's Honour List

Charles E. Freme Memorial Scholarship

Arts & Culture, Social - Nominee

J.W. McConnell Award

Audiovisual piece created for Tiny/Massive. The entire facade of Harpa Concert Hall became a canvas of light upon which conceptual and interactive works by international artists were displayed over the course of four days.

Certain Affinities

A meditation on the practice of soundscape composition, rendering the waning echoes of a cello into an oceanic torrent. Recorded in Högalid Church in Stockholm, Sweden. Produced in collaboration with Robin Rådenman.

Susurrus

As part of the "We The Explorers" open call, our project's audiobook was sent into space aboard NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft while on its journey toward asteroid Bennu.

INVERSES

Featuring 60 exhibiting artists from around the world, Fully Booked was a satellite event to the 11th edition of Art Dubai and the 13th Sharjah Biennial.

APOT and the Otherly films made their festival premiere as part of Festival du Nouveau Cinéma's 50th edition programming.

APOT and the Otherly films were on display at BFI Southbank from February 6-12 as part of British Film Institute's exhibition programming.

BC Psychological Association and the Vancouver Public Library curated a group exhibition on the theme of psychological health and resilience. My photo was one of the selected pieces.

Shelter

APOT was shortlisted for the international non-narrative shorts competition as part of Animafest's 23rd edition programming.

An interactive installation conceptualized and built in five weeks by six digital media students.

The Black Hole Experience

Short film (based on My Face for the World to See by Alfred Hayes) for the inaugural event hosted by BOOK/SHOP at Rio Theater on October 25. Produced in collaboration with Danielle Holmes.

In The Silence Between Us

Found footage short film for the second edition of the festival hosted by BOOK/SHOP. Screenings were held at VSCO New York on October 15 and VSCO HQ in Oakland on October 22.

In My Lifetime...

Anatomy's platform helps streamline and automate healthcare financial operations. While in stealth mode, I worked with co-founders Sasha and Callum King to develop a preliminary visual identity around illustrations from [Anatomia humani corporis](https://anatomia.library.utoronto.ca/islandora/object/anatomia%3ARBAI023), highlighting the engraving technique that early medical art and banknotes share in common.\
\
Anatomy raised $7.6M in seed funding in 2024.\
\
Creative/Art Direction & Design: Joanne Lam\
Communications: Ashley Greer\
Brand Strategy: Emily F. Peters

Brand Identity & Microsite

Launched in tandem with cover designs for the MIPS Manual 7-booklet box set and a "Design Your Own Cover" booth at FemInEM Idea Exchange in New York. Doctors in emergency medicine shared stories they'd like to write; titles were then placed into each participant's chosen book cover template and mailed to them in a postcard format post-conference.

Brand Refresh & Website

Network for Regional Healthcare Improvement (NRHI) and Strategic Health Information Exchange Collaborative (SHIEC) merged to become Civitas Networks for Health, a nationwide platform helping local nonprofit health collaboratives and HIEs to grow and thrive together. Modular brand visuals depict the diverse American architectural landscape as interconnected and data-driven.

Winner of the 2022 Medigy HITMC Award for Non-Profit Website of the Year.

Creative/Art Direction & Design: Joanne Lam
Artist: [Una Di Gallo](https://unadigallo.com) \
Naming & Communications: Ashley Greer\
Brand Strategy: Emily F. Peters

Brand Identity & Website

Intrepid Ascent is an IT consulting partner for community health improvement. This suite of brand artwork represents the emergent "collaborative ecosystem" approach to co-creation between Intrepid, their clients, and stakeholders across healthcare, government, social services, housing, and schools.

Art Direction: Joanne Lam\
Artist: [Elaine Chen](http://elainechen.info/)

Brand Refresh

Conveying DexCare's intelligent decisioning technology through modular visuals inspired by the maxim "form follows function". References to subway maps, Swiss railway clocks, and DexCare's product dashboard encapsulate the theme of helping health systems to find time for the best care.

DexCare raised $75M in Series C funding after the brand refresh.

Creative/Art Direction & Design: Joanne Lam
Artist: [Karolina Ficek](https://karolinaficek.com)
Communications: Kaitlin Rebella
Brand Strategy: Emily F. Peters

A multi-sensory collaboration between six artists in five countries. Comprised of an illustrated storybook, a soundtrack of songs and soundscapes, and a trio of custom scents, all works share a common narrative about the journey of a roving cardboard box. Created in 2013, released in 2015. Edition of 500.

Listen to the project mixtape [here](https://www.mixcloud.com/themixtapeclub/weathering-by-inverses/).

Co-Creator, Creative Producer, Writer: Joanne Lam (Canada) \
Co-Creator, Illustrator: [Kyu Hwang](https://kyuhwang.com) (South Korea) \
Sound Designer: [Robin Rådenman](https://robinradenman.com) (Sweden) \
Perfumer: [Jacqueline Steele](https://goest.us) (United States) \
Singer/Songwriter: [Lindsay Olsen](https://salamirosejoelouismusic.bandcamp.com) (United States) \
Graphic Designer: [Nazara Lázaro](https://nazaralazaro.com) (Spain)

Elation's clinical-first EHR solutions help primary care organizations start, grow, and succeed in delivering the highest-quality personalized care to patients. I served as design consultant during Elation’s brand refresh process with Olivine, then through to and beyond their $40M Series C funding in 2020. I also led branding for Hana Hou Medical Group which was founded in partnership with Elation in 2022.

Design Consulting

A rapid 1-month launch for the Center for Nursing Excellence and Advancement brand and website viewed exclusively on small Samsung tablets. Artwork scenes depict home health nurses in preparatory stages of their work, showcasing the dedication, skills, and heart of the profession.

Humana acquired Kindred at Home which now operates as CenterWell Home Health.

Creative/Art Direction & Design: Joanne Lam \
Artist: [Christy Lundy](https://christylundy.com)\
Editorial: [John Fox, David McLain](https://weareslipstream.com) \
Communications: KT McGraw, Emily F. Peters

"Flatten The Curve" was a graph (adapted from CDC's 2017 community mitigation guidelines report, and based on work by professor Carl T. Bergstrom, Esther Kim, Dr. Drew Harris, and Rosamund Pearce) used at the start of the pandemic to help the general public understand the capacity limits of our healthcare systems. \
\
Given the urgency of the situation, I designed a series of social media-ready, easy-to-follow graphics and coordinated a grassroots public health campaign through Twitter. Volunteers from around the world helped translate the text into 13 languages - with a special contribution from Sharon Choi, director Bong Joon-ho's interpreter during his awards campaign for Parasite.

COVID-19 Social Media Graphics

Uncommon Bold is a brand strategy agency supporting health tech companies and organizations across the US. The artwork portrays community spaces built around medical cues as architectural structures, with jewel tones serving as the foundation of the palette.

Creative/Art Direction & Design: Joanne Lam \
Artist: [Una Di Gallo](https://unadigallo.com)

A global leader for 30 years, FJA offers technical solutions that automate critical activities in the insurance purchasing process. Simple shapes in Hockney-inspired blues and greens form modular patterns—a nod to FJA's adaptability and breadth of expertise.

Creative Direction & Design: Joanne Lam\
Communications: Jessica Cassady\
Brand Strategy: Emily F. Peters

Part of Otherly, a co-production of 7 short documentaries—all originally designed for the Instagram Stories vertical format—between the [National Film Board of Canada](https://www.nfb.ca/) and American Documentary's interactive division, [POV Spark](https://www.amdoc.org/pov/). This marked the first collaboration between the two internationally renowned institutions.

Writer & Director: Joanne Lam (Canada)\
Art Director & Illustrator: [James Lee Chiahan](https://jlee.ca) (Canada)\
Animation Lead: [Una Di Gallo](https://unadigallo.com) (Canada)\
Sound Designer & Sound Editor: [Jonathan Webb](http://jwebb-sound.com) (Scotland)\
Composer: [Vassilis Philippou](https://www.vassilisphilippou.com) (Cyprus)

An anthology of medical humanities created by Emily F. Peters, featuring commissioned pieces, stories, and conversations with collaborators working at the intersection of art and healthcare.

The book's design concept cites instances where health and personal expression overlap, from prescription notepads for doctors' handwriting to ochre pigments used throughout history as both paint and medicament.

Hardcover, 6 x 8.5 in, 232 pages

Creative Producer: Joanne Lam \
Book Production Design Assistant: [Elaine Chen](https://elainechen.info)\
Project Manager: Amber Cooley\
Operations Manager: Claudia Gutierrez-Smith

Artists Remaking Medicine

A print-it-yourself series based on the traditional lunisolar calendar. Each month featured a notable woman of Chinese heritage, with accompanying audio of me interviewing my grandpa in Cantonese about the solar terms.

The Dust of Months

Ten of my photos were published in the zine's first issue by UK-based artist and archivist Craig Atkinson. Edition of 250.

Field Trip Magazine

Back-and-forth email collaboration of ten-minute mixtapes, illustrated by Kyu Hwang and curated by yours truly. Featured on The Fox Is Black, The Strange Attractor, and art4d.

Ten Minutes

5-day forum in Taipei organized by National Taiwan University. Scholars, industry leaders, and student delegates from around the world gathered to exchange ideas and academic knowledge on the topic of globalization.

Delegate

Impromptu audio interview with Michael Metzler - bellmaker, musician, and owner of Der Glockenladen in Berlin, Germany.

Der Glockenladen

Developed the multimedia curriculum and led the 12-week personal storytelling workshop for teens facing barriers to equal access, opportunities, and resources. This inaugural program was funded by Mozilla Foundation's Hive Toronto Learning Network.

Program Lead, Digi Storymakers

A record shop and music spot based in New York. I've been making mixtapes for the site since 2009, and curated the 4-year anniversary contributor lineup.

Contributor

Wind chimes sound logo and soundscape submitted to the festival's Urban Soundscape Competition, judged by Ryuichi Sakamoto. Produced in collaboration with Robin Rådenman.

Fuurin

Poster triptych concept for three of Edward Yang's films.

Desire/Expectation

Shuffle through a selection of tunes inspired by the Chungking Express soundtrack.

Midnight Jukebox

Short audio documentary about cultural estrangement and its effects on language, identity, and the meaning of home. Used as teaching material for an undergrad course called "The Global Ear" at Endicott College (thanks Todd!).

Black Coffee

Produced a series of short-form audio pieces using binaural microphones for Soundry, a now-defunct listening laboratory and magazine. Anonymous secrets were gathered both online and in person, then read by anonymous strangers.

Secrets

Participated in an all-hands workshop to re-articulate the mission and values of Yakima Valley Farm Workers Clinic, resulting in a marketing and communications strategy that helped the clinic create relationships with 76,000 new patients and an estimated $200M in new revenue in six months.

Workshop Facilitator

A winter mixtape commissioned by the Warsaw-based design studio and magazine.

All I Remember

Brand Designer

Clients: ArisGlobal, Bricault Design, Chegg, CCS Medical, Consortium for State and Regional Interoperability, COTA Healthcare, Do Right Music, Global Coalition to Protect Education from Attack, GRID Impact, Lidstone & Company, Pepper (Pomegranate Technologies), Primer&Co., Studio Linear, Wheel

Design & Creative Consultant

Creative Producer

Clients: Anatomy Financial, Blue Shield of California, Civitas Networks for Health, DexCare, Elation Health, FJA, Intrepid Ascent, Kindred at Home (CenterWell Home Health), Leap Orbit, Lyra Health, Manifest MedEx, Osmind