When designing this website via wordpress.com, I quickly realized that it would be a good idea to create a personal Logo. I have always thoroughly enjoyed visual media such as logos, cartoons, images, and videos in particular. Following the recommendation of my good friend, Tim Gascoigne (of the renowned onlineteacherdude.com, more on this later) I went to Canva.com in search of a logo. “Canva” is a design platform that has both Free & Pro (paid) options.

*Please note, that I do not collect any royalties from any of the companies linked above. Rather, this blog exists to share my experiences and resources in order to help educators continuously grow in their personal practice in order to inspire the next generation of leaders. So, I shared the resources above and now am detailing my experience in order to help You expedite your process of personal improvement & professional growth.*

Creating my logo with Canva was easy and enjoyable. To my eye, the logo turned out quite nicely. It is the image at the top of this post and at the top & bottom of each page on my website.

Here is break down of the inspiration behind the logo:

1. Adventure

One of the themes of this website is to reflect on and share some of the adventures that I have been blessed to have in my life. That is why the backdrop of the logo is a landscape of rolling mountains.

For this same reason the blue jay in the foreground of the logo is on an adventure. His adventuring is made clear by the backpack (a good adventurer is never without their backpack), map (rolled up because that’s how maps should be handled), and compass (handy, cool looking, and essential gadgetry for any self-respecting adventurer).

2. Canada

I understand that blue jay birds are not distinctly Canadian. Rather, they are North American. However blue jays are commonly seen in Canada. Not to mention that this species of bird was even voted as one of the most Canadian birds by Canadians via Canadian Geographic’s “The National Bird Project” (2015).

Since I teach internationally, I wanted something to represent being Canadian. And, of course, the Toronto Blue Jays are Canada’s only Major League Baseball team having been in existence since 1977.

3. Personalization

Firstly, I made sure to stamp the logo with my initials “J.M.” in large enough text to be visible yet not interrupt the image itself. My parents, Andy & Beth-Anne Marr taught me to be proud of the name Josiah, which they gave me. Josiah is an ancient Hebrew name from Biblical times and means “God supports, heals”. I am very thankful to them for my name, I love you Mom & Dad.

Secondly, I love bright and vibrant colors. In nature, clothing, sports equipment, household items, and artwork. Especially regardless of matching and recency of being worn. My love for wearing bright colors is often in direct opposition to the tastes of my colleagues, students, and family members. Hence the variety of beautifully bright colors in the backdrop of the logo.

There you have it, a comprehensive breakdown of a foundational part of my website. Thank you for taking the time to read this post. I hope that you have a brilliant day.

Peace & Blessings,

– Josiah