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Folk Alliance poster channels Sgt. Pepper’s

It’s been great doing graphic design for the Folk Alliance over the last 16 years. Creating something different each year without repeating visual themes has been a challenge and a lot of fun. In 2013 the Folk Alliance makes a brief stop in Toronto for it’s 25th conference.

I wanted to come up with something special for the 25th. A design that would stand-out and make people talk, look at it repeatedly and see something different every time, even get an emotional reaction.

For almost 20 years I have designed albums or designed for music. One of the holy grails of album design has always been the Beatles’ Sgt. Peppers cover and for a long time I’ve wanted to pay homage to it in an appropriate fashion and voila — I found it.

It was a monumental task but I loved it every step of the way. Many deserving people from our community, living and dead, in the spotlight or behind the scenes, some friends, some acquaintances, some clients, some strangers, legends and near-legends — all worthy of being honoured — made their way into the mix.

Obviously it would be impossible to include everyone that should be so honoured, and I did my best to cover a large demographic, but everyone will notice deserving people who aren’t there.

My hope would be that everyone gets a kick out of who IS there.

Follow the link to see more of A Man Called Wrycraft‘s work, including an extra large version of this poster. Spot any familiar faces? Let us know in the comments below!

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5 comments

  1. char 8 February, 2012 at 13:37

    Will there be a ‘silhouette poster’ with all the names listed (I have no idea what else to call it) so those of us who don’t know everyone can put names to faces??
    I hope so!
    It’s a fantastic piece of art Mr. Wrycraft!
    Char

  2. Beverly Kreller 8 February, 2012 at 22:23

    Totally awesome poster Michael!
    I see Bob Snider and James Keelaghan and Ken & Chris Whitely and Mitch Podolak and Paul Mills and Gordon Lightfoot and Bob Dylan and Joni Mitchell and Stan Rogers and Serena Ryder and Gillian Welch and Kate & Anna McGarrigle…..LOL … romper room……

  3. Eric Thom 11 February, 2012 at 12:50

    You know what? This is such a great poster and idea that it should be made available for sale, with proceeds going to….the Folk Alliance (assuming that they own it) or some designated worthy cause. It’s a great idea – and the fact that the Beatles’ ‘borrowed’ the concept themselves, why not?

  4. Michael "A Man Called" Wrycraft 11 February, 2012 at 16:34

    hey eric
    great idea though louis has an even better idea
    i’m sure there are other plans afoot but they will be giving away a few hundred of the full final poster (it’s actually a full size poster now with a more sky and the single line – “it’s about the music”) for free at the upcoming conference in memphis. after the conference i’m sure it will be made available again.
    also it is going to be made available as a wallpaper/screen bkgd for folk’s computers.
    so happy with the reactions to this work. it took a few years off of my life i swear but boy oh boy was it fun!
    cheers, michael

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