CAnadian Independent Booksellers Day
Founded in 2020, the Canadian Independent Booksellers Association (CIBA) offers programs and services to Canadian independent booksellers and advocates to support the strengthening of the independent bookselling sector. Each year in April they put on the “Canadian Independent Booksellers Day, a day that celebrates and encourages the support of small independent and local book stores. They were in need of a “poster” of sorts for the 2023 event. I use quotations because the poster was just one application of the artwork. The elements of the poster needed to be pulled apart for use in other contexts like marketing material, social media content, merchandise, etc.
Above is the artwork in it’s entirety. The full scene with all the individual elements in place. And below are some examples of how the artwork could be pulled apart for use by the client how they see fit.
I was told I was chosen for this project based on my poster work. Often times I look at my posters as if they are stills from movies, or moments within a story. So it was quite validating to hear that’s why this job was offered to me. And it was a fun experience working in reverse in a sense. Instead of drawing something and basing a story around it, I was given stories to pull drawings out of.
the CIBA wanted artwork that reflected a independent bookstores place within a community. They wanted it to express that these places aren’t just the brick and mortar equivalent of the .com bookstores people are used to. These stores are staples of a community that are welcoming and inclusive, and aim to better the community they’re in.
I thought that a fun way to express this idea would be to just simply show it. Show the people engaging with the stores in direct and indirect ways. And I formatted it in this lovely streetscape inspired by early 20th century illustration, and influenced by a recent trip I took to London, England, where I was charmed by every little building on every little street.
Of all the details in this drawing, my favourite is this chic young character, also inspired by the incredibly fashionable Londoners walking these beautiful streets.
