The Spirit of Westgate
Street Poet and performer Jonny Fluffy Punk, asked me to devise a set of drawings to illustrate the collection of poems The Spirit of Westgate created as part of his HSHAZ residency.
I loved doing this. Taking an original and intuitive approach to each piece of writing, the drawings are honest and direct. I wanted to capture the ‘off-the-cuff’ bard-like nature of Jonny’s performance poetry, and neither over-work or intellectualise the illustrations more than necessary. My intention was to maximise accessibility.
To embed and connect with a wide range of Westgate everyday moments from ghost stories to drunken nights out, the process of imagining and drawing people’s poetic experiences was a brilliant introduction to the central Gloucester community mindset. The illustrations are intentionally rough and ready, whilst employing my strong design aesthetic to consolidate a visual cohesion throughout the book.
The Spirit Of Westgate book is a snap-shot legacy of and for the local Gloucester community, and a perfect example of co-production.
