Stuart Ash is a Canadian graphic designer best known for his design of the country's Centennial Symbol. As a founder and principal of Gottschalk+Ash, his work has been instrumental to the development of a Canadian design aesthetic.

Born in Hamilton, Ontario in 1942, Stuart shares, “I grew up with typical Canadian values and evolved through the association of a number of early, mostly European mentors, to appreciate timeless international design and philosophy.”

This paved the way for a celebrated career that saw Stuart and his team at G+A developing design programs for clients such as American Airlines Arena in Miami, Toronto’s PATH and Skydome, the visual identity for Royal Bank of Canada, and a new global brand for Ciba Specialty Chemicals.

“Design is about creating something that is unique, not stylistic, and that has emotional resonance. It is not about ego but rather a search for an inherent idea that functions to communicate a simple message. It is about getting passionate about details like typography, form, colour and iconic images – all maturing into a design concept that addresses a key communications issue.”

For more, visit www.canadamodern.org/stuart-ash/