By Christine Hamelin
with photography by Bernard Clark
Designer and letterpress printer Vincent Perez describes himself as an aesthete, “someone who cares about beauty.” He also defines himself as a community artist; he is a collaborator whose talent, vision and thoughtful attention to detail fuel a multitude of beautiful projects in Kingston. He developed his craft through a mix of formal education, informal mentorship and a preference for working with others rather than alone.
An only child, Vince was born in Kitchener-Waterloo to Vincent, a machinist who had emigrated from Spain, and Carmen, from Colombia. When Vincent was vacationing in Florida, he met Carmen, who was there studying English. After they exchanged letters for some time, he convinced her to move to Kitchener-Waterloo, a thriving immigrant hub. After Vince was born, the adventurous pair, although they enjoyed Canada, wanted to return to their countries. The family moved to Colombia for a few years when Vince was a preschooler, and then relocated to Spain a few years later. “We gave it a go,” he says, but eventually they returned to Canada.
Spanish was Vince’s first language, although he briefly lost his fluency after they returned from Colombia. “I was what people call a no sabo kid,” someone who grows up around a language but can’t use it comfortably . . .
