Laura Barrett illustrates the Bard for Texas Co-op Power Magazine

Laura Barrett was commissioned by Texas Co-op Power Magazine to create an illustration to accompany an article about a Shakespeare performance in the beautiful historic centre of Winedale, Texas, focussing on the authors memory of As you like it.

Inspired by photographs of the author and her peers rehearsing, Laura also used the opportunity to research the play further, watching a 1936 film version as well as researching costumes and the setting of Winedale.

Working with the senior designer at Texas Co-op; Jane Sharpe, Laura tried a few different drawings of the Winedale barn from different angles before eventually settling on a straight on view, allowing the viewer to see through the barn doors to the stage. To give a sense of the play’s “performance”, each character in the illustration is drawn in action, giving some indication as to each of their roles in the play. At Jane’s suggestion, Laura set the image in front of a full moon, adding to the dramatic and ethereal atmosphere of Shakespeare.

Representing the work of the Bard has been on Laura’s to do list since a trip to Verona a few years ago;

“…this was the perfect opportunity to try my hand at it. I would absolutely love to work on more- perhaps a whole book of images inspired by his plays!”