Uppercase magazine

Uppercase is a Canadian independent magazine and publishing brand focused on craft, fashion, illustration, and design. The journal was founded and is published by Janine Vangool in Calgary, Alberta. Its first issue appeared in June 2009, establishing a quarterly editorial format centered on visually rich, carefully produced coverage of creative practices, makers, designers, illustrators, and small creative businesses. The magazine’s subject matter spans both contemporary work and the histories, processes, and material cultures surrounding design. The inaugural issue illustrated this breadth through articles on the history of the screw, Finnish fashion designer Heini Koskinen, illustrator Blanca Gomez, and Toronto crafting business The Workroom, led by Karyn Valino. Rather than operating as a narrowly commercial fashion title, Uppercase presents a broader creative-world perspective in which handmade production, illustration, textiles, visual identity, and design history can appear within the same publication. Alongside the periodical, Uppercase has developed a book-publishing program devoted to individual designers and illustrators as well as reference-style creative directories. Its catalog includes The Shatner Show, The Suitcase Series volumes devoted to Camilla Engman and Dottie Angel, The Elegant Cockroach by Martin & Augustine, and A Collection a Day by Lisa Congdon. These publications extend the brand’s editorial approach into longer-form and collectible formats. A notable part of the publishing program is Work/Life and Work/Life 2, directories that document international illustrators through portfolio examples, interviews, and contact information. Contributors are selected through a juried process, giving the books a curated and professional-reference function rather than making them simple open listings. A companion iPhone application for the Work/Life project helped readers move from the printed directory to the featured illustrators’ portfolio websites. Uppercase’s positioning is based on independent editorial curation, design-conscious presentation, and support for creative practitioners. Its business scope therefore combines magazine publishing, illustrated books, directory publishing, and related digital extensions. Publicly available reference material identifies the brand with Calgary and Janine Vangool, but does not provide sufficient detail to establish a broader corporate structure, financial profile, or a complete current product catalog.

Uppercase was established in Calgary, Alberta, by Janine Vangool, who serves as its publisher. The first issue was released in June 2009. From the outset, the publication adopted a quarterly schedule and a broad editorial remit covering craft, fashion, illustration, and design. Its inaugural issue included subjects ranging from the history of the screw to the work of fashion designer Heini Koskinen, illustrator Blanca Gomez, and Toronto crafting business The Workroom. This combination of object history, professional creative practice, illustration, and independent making defined the magazine as a cross-disciplinary journal rather than a conventional single-category title. The brand later expanded beyond the magazine into book publishing. Uppercase issued books focused on designers and illustrators, including The Shatner Show, The Elegant Cockroach by Martin & Augustine, A Collection a Day by Lisa Congdon, and volumes in The Suitcase Series devoted to Camilla Engman and Dottie Angel. These titles extended the publication’s interest in creative individuals into more permanent, book-length formats. Uppercase also developed the Work/Life reference series. Work/Life and Work/Life 2 function as curated directories of international illustrators, combining portfolio samples with interviews and contact information. Contributors were chosen through a juried selection process. The project additionally received a digital extension through a companion iPhone application that directed users to the portfolio websites of featured illustrators. The available reference material presents Uppercase as an independent editorial and publishing venture led by Vangool. It does not document a parent company, public listing, acquisition, major corporate reorganization, or financial disclosures. Detailed information about later issues, current circulation, staffing, and present-day operations is not established by the cited sources.

1. 2011Expansion of the illustration publishing program

   The publisher released Work/Life 2 in February, A Collection a Day by Lisa Congdon in March, and The Suitcase Series Volume 2, devoted to Dottie Angel, in August.

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2. 2010The Elegant Cockroach published

   Uppercase added The Elegant Cockroach by Martin & Augustine to its book-publishing catalog in October.

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3. 2009First issue published

   Uppercase released its inaugural quarterly issue in June, covering craft, fashion, illustration, design, object history, and independent creative businesses.

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An independent, design-led creative publication combining magazine journalism, visual culture, craft coverage, and curated book publishing for readers and practitioners interested in making, illustration, fashion, and design.

• Uppercase magazineQuarterly creative journal2009

  The core Uppercase product is a quarterly print journal about craft, fashion, illustration, and design. Its editorial range brings together maker profiles, design-related research, visual work, and coverage of independent creative businesses. The first issue, published in June 2009, demonstrated the title’s interdisciplinary approach through features on the history of the screw, fashion designer Heini Koskinen, illustrator Blanca Gomez, and Toronto craft business The Workroom.

• Work/LifeIllustration directory

  Work/Life is a curated directory of illustrators that combines portfolio reproductions, interviews, and contact information. The project is designed as both a showcase for creative practitioners and a practical reference for people seeking illustration talent. Selection is juried, giving the publication an editorially filtered character rather than presenting an unrestricted directory.

• Work/Life 2Illustration directory2011

  Work/Life 2 continues Uppercase’s directory format for international illustration. It presents selected illustrators through portfolio samples, interviews, and professional contact details. A companion iPhone application connected users with the portfolio websites of the illustrators included in the Work/Life project.

• The Suitcase SeriesDesigner and illustrator book series

  The Suitcase Series is a book series centered on individual creative practitioners. The documented volumes include Volume 1 on Camilla Engman and Volume 2 on Dottie Angel. The series extends Uppercase’s magazine-style artist and maker coverage into dedicated book-length treatments.

• The Elegant CockroachIllustrated book2010

  The Elegant Cockroach is a book by Martin & Augustine published by Uppercase in October 2010. It represents the publisher’s work beyond periodical journalism and its interest in distinctive illustrated and design-oriented books.

• A Collection a DayIllustrated book2011

  A Collection a Day by Lisa Congdon was published by Uppercase in March 2011. The title belongs to the publisher’s catalog of artist- and illustrator-focused books.

• The Shatner ShowBook2007

  The Shatner Show is listed among Uppercase’s book publications. The available reference material identifies the title but does not provide enough information to describe its contents or publication circumstances in greater detail.

1. Uppercase (magazine)
2. Uppercase magazine official website