This year’s exclusive Navy Bike Ride technical T-shirt and cycling jersey have a special story behind them that connects art, community, impact and respect for our Royal Canadian Navy (RCN).
Designed by Ottawa-based digital and generative artist EEPMON and Project In-Kind founder Tanya Woods, the shirt and jersey are bold and full of pride—pride for the history of our RCN and pride for the RCN’s present and future as a steady protector.
EEPMON and Tanya are the inaugural Navy Bike Ride National Ambassadors. In this role, they are helping elevate our event’s visibility, expanding participation across the country, and amplifying our impact for the three charitable causes we support: the Navalis Foundation, Support Our Troops, and Soldier On.
Together, EEPMON and Tanya also collaborated on designing this year’s Navy Bike Ride technical T-shirt, cycling jersey and challenge coin, as well as a hero flag. A small number of special-edition hero flags will be on-site at the in-person event to celebrate and recognize Navy sailors currently deployed. Attendees will be encouraged to engage with the flags and write messages of support.
EEPMON and Tanya have been collaborating since 2017. Their first project together was the permanent art mural “Yours to Discover” at the Canada Science and Technology Museum.
How this collaboration began
This new collaboration between EEPMON, Tanya and the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) began during EEPMON’s Arne Bengt Johansson Fellowship at the 2024 Banff Forum, where he met RCN Commander Vice-Admiral Angus Topshee.
“I was deeply inspired by his panel discussion and saw a unique opportunity to build bridges between the Royal Canadian Navy and the public through the power of art,” said EEPMON. “I then asked Tanya if she’d be interested in joining me once again on this important endeavour. That meeting sparked what has become a wonderful relationship with the RCN.”
Tanya remembers meeting Vice-Admiral Topshee at the Banff Forum and “being totally proud to see such a great leader with a bold vision for our Navy at such a critical time.”
It was an easy decision to combine their talents, energy and passion to support the Navy Bike Ride and RCN.
“For me, art has never been about a piece simply hanging on a wall; its true power lies in its ability to connect, engage, inspire, and heal,” said EEPMON. “I believe art is a fluid medium whose strength is found in its capacity to reach across all spectrums of life. As a digital artist, I see this as my greatest strength—and if I can use my craft to support our service members and their families, the people on the front lines of our sovereignty and peace, then you bet I’m on board (pun intended)!”
Tanya’s interest in supporting the Navy Bike Ride and the Navy community initially came from wanting to recognize our service leaders who put their lives on the line for our freedoms every day, but it was a visit aboard the HMCS Harry DeWolf that really solidified her commitment.
“Aboard, I was able to spend some time with members of the Navy and listen to their stories,” she said. “I left with a much deeper understanding of their role—not just as protectors of Canadians, but as people deeply connected to communities across the country. What became clear to me was that most Canadians don’t fully realize the scale of the Navy’s reach or the many ways it serves beyond defence operations.”
Tanya says she was especially moved by the humanitarian and community-focused work the Navy undertakes—supporting remote and Indigenous communities, helping repatriate people to their homes, and stepping up in moments of crisis and challenge. She also learned there’s also a major connection between the Navy and Canada’s economy through trade and global routes, something many people rarely think about.
“Supporting the Navy Bike Ride felt like an opportunity to help tell those broader stories of service, resilience, and community impact,” she said.
What stayed with Tanya most from her visit was the human side of life aboard a Navy ship.
“I remember speaking with crew members and chaplains and seeing small reminders everywhere of family, friendship, and community—libraries, notes, personal touches that brought warmth into a very tough environment,” she said. “That experience really reinforced for me how much sacrifice is made not only by those serving, but also by their families. The charitable causes connected to the Navy Bike Ride help support those human connections and ensure Navy families feel seen, supported, and cared for while their loved ones are away. Supporting the Navy community, to me, is about recognizing both the strength and the humanity behind the uniform.”
What went into the design
Before coming up with ideas for the shirt and jersey design, EEPMON and Tanya spent a lot of time talking to Navy members to get a sense of what they wanted to share.
“Every project begins with a deep immersion into the community,” explained EEPMON. “For me, this ‘warm-up’ phase is essential to catch the pulse of the organization. Through focus groups and interviews with Tanya, the insights shared by Navy members became the foundation of my intuition. I didn’t put ‘pen to paper’ until I felt I understood the Navy’s land, sea, and air dimensions. I wanted to celebrate the future of the RCN by featuring the upcoming River-class destroyer, surrounding it with ‘dazzle’ patterns born from the intersection of generative code and hand-drawn motifs.”
A core theme EEPMON wanted to convey was protection.
“Integrating my ‘mecha’ aesthetic allowed me to treat the T-shirt and jersey composition as a piece of technical equipment—almost like a suit of armour for the wearer,” he said. “This sense of resilience is anchored by the silhouette of the River-class destroyer. I chose to depict it cutting through aggressive waves to represent the Navy’s ability to navigate potential dangers with precision and strength. It’s a visual narrative of foresight and protection, showing that even in the face of a volatile ocean, the RCN remains a steady and innovative force.
“The goal was to create a piece that represents a ‘blue ocean future’—one that feels empowering, innovative, and resilient. Ultimately, the design is like a puzzle piece: when participants stand together, their jerseys merge into a larger dazzle motif, symbolizing a shared commitment to service.”
Tanya’s goal is to raise awareness of the role and needs of the community and enhance charitable support for members who need it, and she believes impact is best designed when one starts by listening to community members, being curious and asking questions, and seeking to partner to ensure that needs can be met in the most efficient and effective ways possible—and ideally, in a manner that will put an end to the need itself.
“For impact, the starting point in a visual work is considering what visual cues will draw attention and spark curiosity for a bigger conversation,” she said. “In this case, we added dashed lines, which symbolize trade routes you might see on old maps. I also worked with EEPMON to create the Impact Leader badge that places the heart and anchor together, drawing attention to the combined nature of purpose and service. The central positioning of the River-class destroyer is to highlight the core place of work and home for our sailors, and the rough waters it is forging through should evoke pride and empathy for the difficult working conditions that can arise and that our Navy sailors overcome each day.
“Finally, the mecha styling EEPMON uses is one of my favourite elements. On the back, what looks like armour can also be interpreted to look like angel wings—we really are fortunate to have such an incredible community of bike riders and supporters wearing these jerseys to support our Navy members and their families.”
Why it matters
The Navy Bike Ride means so much to EEPMON because “it represents the ultimate intersection of art, technology, service, and health.”
“As an avid runner, I participated in the 5K last year and enjoyed every moment of the event,” he said. “I’ll admit I was a bit nervous showing up the first time, but I quickly realized how wonderful and welcoming this community truly is.
What began as an inspiring conversation at the Banff Forum has evolved into a dedicated mission to use my digital artistry to support those who serve. Designing this year’s T-shirt and jersey wasn’t just about aesthetics; it was about creating a ‘suit of armour’ that embodies protection and resilience. Seeing a ‘sea of dazzle’ emerge when the community stands together is incredibly moving—it proves that while we all have our own journeys, we are ultimately connected by the seas and a shared commitment to one another. Being welcomed into this community is one of the greatest honours of my career, and I like to think we’re just getting started.”
Tanya describes this project as “a learning experience I could not have imagined.”
“I am active in community service and have been for over 20 years, and this is a new community for me, a very special community, and one that I hope many more Canadians will get to know in the months and years to come,” she said. “We are so privileged in Canada to be a safe, peaceful, and sovereign nation. People all over the world look at our country in admiration. But this happens because we have a strong government with a commitment to prioritizing Canada’s democracy and freedoms. The Navy plays a major role in this effort, and this is a chance to say, ‘we see you,’ ‘we are going to raise our volume cheering for you,’ and ‘thank you for all you do.’”
