Earlier this summer, Agency Producer and Arcana Academy Employee #1, Jessica Darke, got the news that her project, 52 Pick-Up would be recognized by Communication Arts in their photography annual. The news came amidst the coronavirus outbreak, social distancing, and WFH. It felt remote and the honor trivial.
"When I was in college, I kept copies of Communication Arts under my bed, I cut out my favorite works by designers, art directors, and photographers and hung them on my walls. I was even so bold as to "borrow" a CA advertising annual from the campus bookstore for a few days so I could pour through the winning work. I later put the annual back on the magazine rack. Only a little wear", says Darke.
Yesterday, the Communication Arts trophy arrived. Her name engraved on the front along with the name of friend and photographer, Shawn Michienzi and the agency, Arcana Academy. The substance of the honor felt real.
"As I flipped through the annual, it occurred to me that some college student might just pin my work on their wall," she continued. "I can only hope readers are inspired by my pictures as much as I was inspired by earlier Communication Arts award-winners."
To all those college students, stay authentically dedicated to your personal passion projects. You might not have a "creative" on your business cards; that does not mean you are not creative; it means you are free to run with your creativity outside the bounds of client or agency mandate. You can do anything at Arcana Academy, except nothing.
View the 52-Pick up project and the rest of the annual here.
Arcana Academy is an independently owned, full-service advertising agency located in Los Angeles, CA.