Summer Internship at Sonic Bark Vinyl Co.
When I first heard about the practicum internship opportunity through UFV, I was excited to find a graphic design place that aligned with my identity as a designer and artist. As I approach my final semester at UFV, I have been grappling with the daunting questions, “Am I doing the right thing? Am I even on the right career path?” I logically decided that an internship would help me find the answers I needed.
When I came across Sonic Bark Vinyl Co., I wondered if they would be interested in having a practicum student. To my relief, they were open and ready to make it possible for me to do my practicum with them. This summer, I had the incredible opportunity to intern as a graphic designer at Sonic Bark Vinyl Co. in Chilliwack, BC. Sonic Bark is a small, artist-run print shop composed of a team of graphic design professionals (and now, five dachshunds!). They specialize in transforming traditional and digital art into popular physical products such as stickers, t-shirts, posters, and more.
Initially, I was uncertain if I possessed all the skills needed to excel in my internship, but Kerri and Curtis have been exceptional mentors. They consistently answered all my questions and shared tips and tricks for achieving results more efficiently. Both provided valuable and constructive feedback on areas for improvement and offered their professional opinions and support when creating designs for clients. Kerri and Curtis have helped me gain the design confidence I didn’t know I was missing, and for that I am eternally grateful. During my third shift at Sonic Bark, I was offered a job starting in September!
One of my favorite aspects of working here was bonding over our mutual love for mini dachshunds, as Kerri and Curtis have two, and so do I! I am incredibly grateful for my time at Sonic Bark, as it significantly increased my comfort level with using Illustrator. I learned the entire t-shirt production process, helped finalize and print sticker orders, and even created my own designs for several clients. Notably, I designed custom stickers for Urban Jungle and a bus bench design for Rennie, a real estate company in Chilliwack. I had my first client meeting with Kim, one of Rennie’s owners, who provided feedback and requested minor changes to the bench design. The owners of Rennie were so impressed with my design that they decided to rebrand using my style.
A special highlight of my internship was attending two vendor markets this summer. The first was the Science World market, for which Kerri asked me to create a few of my own stickers specifically for the event. Although the market was not as busy as we had hoped, I learned a lot about how Sonic Bark sets up their booth, manages sales, and creates a welcoming atmosphere. The second market was the Fraser Valley Pride Market, where Kerri and Curtis entrusted me with running Sonic Bark’s booth independently. They trusted me to represent their company, sell products, and organize the booth.
Overall, I would rate my experience a 10/10. I loved every moment at the office and always looked forward to coming in and getting work done. My Illustrator skills have definitely improved, though there is always more to learn. This was exactly what I needed to confirm that yes I am definitely in the correct career path! I am eagerly anticipating September, when I can continue to learn, grow, and improve alongside Sonic Bark. I am immensely grateful for this opportunity and highly recommend fellow students to consider internships in their chosen field of work. Thank you!
Slinky, Archie and Mala
