Everyday Rituals with a Creative Director Who Reads Library Books to Switch Off
How Glasfurd & Walker’s Phoebe Glasfurd applies her design-driven mind to the execution of the everyday.
“When it comes to work, I’m very disciplined. I’m a structural thinker who enjoys that creative process. But in my personal life, I’m not particularly good at everyday rituals,” says Phoebe Glasfurd as she sits across from me in her downtown office.
It comes as no surprise that Glasfurd, who is the Creative Director and co-founder of Glasfurd & Walker, is highly driven by her business. In the early days of the Vancouver-based studio, which Glasfurd launched with partner Aren Fieldwalker, it was tricky to switch off ‘work brain.’ To remedy this, she’s recently acquired a nightly reading habit at home.
“I always make sure it’s non-industry related so I’m getting outside perspective.” At any given time, she’ll have three books on the go, along with several bookmarked articles. She also joined the library recently. “With the algorithms of things like Instagram and Pinterest, I feel like everything I’m looking at is the same. The library’s got really great books,” she laughs.
"With the algorithms of things like Instagram and Pinterest, I feel like everything I’m looking at is the same. The library’s got really great books”
Glasfurd and Fieldwalker’s thoughtful approach to branding and design has influenced some of the city’s most creative, not to mention successful restaurants, including Kissa Tanto, Savio Volpe and Ask For Luigi. Their work can also be seen on the likes of food, fashion, beauty, and hospitality brands.
As partners beyond the confines of the office, working and living together does not come without challenges, says Glasfurd, and allotting time apart is something she values highly. “I get up early, make a proper coffee then walk to the office. I’m by myself for at least half an hour to an hour. If I don’t spend that time, it completely messes up my day.”
“I get up early, make a proper coffee then walk to the office. I’m by myself for at least half an hour to an hour. If I don’t spend that time, it completely messes up my day”
Since launching in 2007, the firm has since evolved well beyond just the two of them and currently consists of a 10-person team. Glasfurd feels fortunate for their growth, and says the ability to bring on new designers and artists has only enriched the company. “We’re able to work with these amazing people who can do illustration, or things I could never have brought to projects.”
Glasfurd’s role in the company has always weighed heavily on the creative side, applying her design-driven mind to guide the execution of every project. She meets with each of the design team individually on a daily basis, briefing them on their work and communicating the process constantly. It’s this meticulous dedication that is evident in everything Glasfurd & Walker touches.
Ambitious as she is, Glasfurd is mindful not to take work home, “Although Aren would argue otherwise,” she says, grinning. She divides her downtime between eating at any of the restaurants they work with, cooking Southeast Asian curries reminiscent of her home in Australia, and riding her bike around the seawall. “It’s such a Vancouver thing to say, but it really is quite nice!”
When it comes to sources of inspiration, Glasfurd puts her clients high on the list. “Though they may not think of themselves as creative – I think they’re all really smart, individualistic people,” she says. “Every job we do is influenced by who they are and what they do.”
“Though [my clients] may not think of themselves as creative – I think they’re all really smart, individualistic people. Every job we do is influenced by who they are and what they do”
While some design studios will sell a certain aesthetic to their clients, Glasfurd & Walker’s process is about figuring out how to make the client feel like they thought of it, says Glasfurd. “I try and make sure that we have a certain amount of empathy and really listen to people’s point of views, because they are the things that make it different.”
Since day one, this people-focused ethos behind their business remains the same. “By our nature we would never go and do corporate work, it’s not what interests us,” she says. “I think hospitality naturally creates a DNA within the places we live, hang out, and meet interesting people.”
As the company grows, Glasfurd wants to continue to be creatively fulfilled, by working on projects that are meaningful. “As you grow, you have to be able to articulate the process of how you think and how you work so that everyone around you gets it as well.”
Photo courtesy of Glasfurd & Walker.
This post is tagged as:
You may also like...
The Latest
People & Places
Creating Value Through Community in the Face of COVID-19
Fearing for the safety of the Diné community in the face of COVID-19, a collective of women took the wellbeing of their people into their hands.

Better Yourself
How to Feel Empowered Through an Abundant Mindset
Adopting this way of thinking is an act of generosity to ourselves and others.

Better Your Werk
Unlocking Your Next Career Move Post-lockdown
6 ways to turn job uncertainty into opportunity.

Do Good Werk
6 Ways to Make Gen Zs Feel Welcome in the Workplace
Generation Z, or ‘iGen,’ the generation born between 1996 and 2010, are entering the workplace in full force.

Better Your Werk
Goal Setting You Can Actually Feel Good About
A how-to guide on how to find the satisfaction you're searching for.

Better Your Werk
Is LinkedIn Losing Ground?
It’s not pretty to look at or friendly to use, so why do we keep logging in?

People & Places
When Something Golde Stays: An Interview with Golde’s Co-CEOs
“For us it was never a question,” says Issey Kobori, speaking of the decision to build a business with his partner Trinity Mouzon Wofford. At just shy of 27, Kobori and Wofford have secured a host ...

Better Your Werk
How to Make Working from Home Work for You
The staying sane strategy you may need, whether you like it or not.

Better Yourself
Keep Calm and Activate the Vagus Nerve
Easy and actionable practices for slowing down your system with psychologist Hiroko Demichelis Positive psychologist, Hiroko Demichelis believes that as a society, we have mastered the art of the h...

Better Your Werk
In The Era Of The Side Hustle, Is The Hobby Dead?
Why we should resist the pressure to constantly optimize for profit.

People & Places
Dr. Sarah Hill: Could Your Birth Control Pill Be Affecting Your Ability to Do Good Work?
When the first oral contraceptive pill was approved by the FDA in 1960, it changed the world. The pill enabled women to have control over how and when they got pregnant, and thus to discover what ...
