Nothing Has to be Boring
During the summer of 2026, I had the pleasure to work with Sonic Bark — an artist-run print-shop located in the downtown area of Chilliwack. Sonic Bark has the motto ‘Nothing Has to Be Boring.’ and it is a motto they surely stick to! The shop, the people, and the art all reflect the fun vibrant energy that I’ve always loved about design. Pushing boundaries, discovering what is possible, and the passion that keeps us creating are all beauties of Sonic Bark.
Sonic Bark does an amazing job at welcoming and including you in their workspace culture, and trusting you to work with them. They provided a great mixture of encouraging words and realistic advice that really made me feel ready to take on the workforce. Though I felt nervous in the beginning, Kerri trusted me with projects. Her trust and encouragement reminded me that despite my nerves (and our well known imposter syndrome), my 3 years of schooling have prepared me for this environment, and anything I don’t know, I am in a space where I can ask and continue learning. Being given the space and security to keep on learning was very important for me.
Throughout the weeks I was handed a variety of projects ranging from social media, merchandise design, logo design, and merchandise printing. The variety really allowed me to recognise where my strengths lied, as well as what I could work to improve on. My favourite project was the Big Red Golf Tournament – there were simply so many assets to be created, and using an established brand in so many fun ways is one of my favourite parts of design. I was also entrusted to create social media graphics for sonic bark themselves, as well as some logos for clients.
One of my favourite things though was that every day was different. Some days I was working at my laptop on art proofs and designs alike, other days I was printing and pressing t-shirts and picking vinyl. The variety alone made the experience that much more rich and exciting.
Another thing that stuck with me was being around so many people who are as passionate as I feel. Kerri, Curtis, and Brett all have such a love for what they do and it’s clear from the way that they move around the work space. They are all such wonderful people to talk to and work alongside. Their open arms really encouraged me to pour more of myself and my passion into my work, because that is what I’ve always loved. People are at the heart of my design practice, and the people are what make Sonic Bark. I am so grateful to have had this experience with them and wish them nothing but the best!
This practicum experience has made me excited to enter the workforce by allowing me to grow in a professional setting – getting used to deadlines, using existing brand guidelines, and taking on client feedback – and has shown me more of the design world outside of UFV. I would highly recommend this experience to any students eager to create.
