Ver Sands

Ver Sands is the creative partnership between Hamilton-based artists Jacqui Oakley and Jamie Lawson. Independently, Oakley and Lawson have worked in their respective professional fields for more than 17 years. Established in 2013 as a collaborative venture, Ver Sands brings together their creative expertise to facilitate a broad range of disciplines from fine art, illustration & design, to murals and live art. Past projects have included work with TD Bank, Canada’s National Ballet School, Hamilton Fringe Festival, Donut Monster and Waxwork Records among others. As Ver Sands, Oakley and Lawson’s collaboratively created artwork has been presented in exhibitions in Hamilton and Toronto and internationally in New York and California.

Jacqui Oakley is a professional illustrator specializing in portraiture, hand-lettering and patterned design. Oakley’s work has been exhibited across eastern Canada, and internationally in the U.S. and Shanghai. Her illustrations have been presented with an international roster of clients including The New York Times, Reebok, Penguin Random House, Rolling Stone, National Geographic, Time and Amazon. Over the course of her professional career, Oakley has received numerous international awards, has taught at OCAD University, Toronto, ON; Sheridan College, Oakville, ON and presented as guest lecturer at The School of Visual Arts, New York, NY; Creative Mornings, Toronto, ON; The Design Exchange, Toronto, ON; and WMC Fest, Cleveland, OH among others.

Jamie Lawson (d.b.a. Poly Studio / Jamie Lawson Design) holds over 20 years of experience as a graphic designer, art director and illustrator. Past clients have included work with Disney / Yellow Shoes, O: The Oprah Magazine, The Royal Botanical Gardens, The Art Gallery of Hamilton, McMaster Museum of Art, St. Joseph’s Hospital and Hamilton YWCA among others. Lawson’s work has been presented in numerous exhibitions in Hamilton and Toronto, and he has presented as a guest lecturer at Sheridan College, Oakville, ON; and Creative South (with Jacqui Oakley), Columbus, GA. Alongside his visual practice, Lawson is also a practicing musician.