The OPC Register was searching for an illustration to accompany their feature article on “leading student achievement”. They wanted the art to play with words like reflection, networking, contribution, and improvement. Avoiding the visual cliches that go with academic illustration such as apples, school bells etc., Lorraine had a vision of various birds creating a nest to symbolize what the Register wanted the article to visually convey. The birds were drawn in multiple colors to help along the idea of different parties and areas all working together, while creating a nest was the appropriate kind of image to represent nurturing.

Art director Dale Vokey loved Lorraine’s image so much that he asked Lorraine for additional background textures and some illustrated leaves so he could separately work them into the design of other pages and sidebars. She was more than happy to oblige. Dale praises Lorraine’s finished product by saying, “It is beautiful! You have simply made my day.”

The National Magazine Awards Foundation is a bilingual, not-for-profit institution whose mission is to recognize excellence in the content and creation of Canadian magazines through an annual program of awards. Lorraine Tuson produced this beautiful illustration of a phoenix for Canadian Business magazine.  It made such an impression that Lorraine was given the Silver Award in the Spot Illustration Category.