Erin Paul
(She/Her)
My work often takes shape as publications or ephemera, and I’m drawn to the design of systems, objects, and experiences that are part of the everyday – often overlooked, but full of meaning.
I have a particular interest in publishing and TV/film design, where narrative, structure, and atmosphere intersect.
The Huntsville Prison Rodeo
The Huntsville Prison Rodeo was an annual event held at the Huntsville Unit in Texas, where inmates participated in rodeo competitions such as bull riding and bronc riding to raise funds for prison recreational activities. Over time, the event became a major public attraction, drawing large audiences, media coverage, and celebrity performers, while reflecting the complex relationship between entertainment, incarceration, and spectacle in American culture.
For this project, I explored the visual history of the rodeo through the creation of time-accurate ephemera and graphic props inspired by the work of Graphic Prop makers such as Annie Atkins. Using archival research, I recreated materials that reflected the typography, print techniques, and graphic styles of the period. These pieces were designed to immerse viewers in the atmosphere of the event while demonstrating how graphic design can be used as a storytelling tool to reconstruct historical narratives and cultural identity.
I Left My Heart In Amsterdam
This project was inspired by our class trip to Amsterdam and my visit to the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam. One piece that stood out to me was International Graffiti Times (IGT) by David Schmidlapp. I was interested in the way the artwork used colour, typography, and layout to create a busy yet structured composition.
In response to this, I created my own piece exploring a similar editorial style through layering, type, and composition. The project reflects both the influence of the artwork and my experience of Amsterdam, using visuals and layout to capture the energy and creativity experienced throughout the trip.
When Punk Met Paisley
In this project, I wanted to explore a piece of local history that is often overlooked and not widely known. The focus of the project was the period when punk music was effectively “banned” from Glasgow following a riot at a concert by The Stranglers at the City Hall in 1977. During the performance, audience members reportedly stormed the stage, causing disruption and forcing the band to retreat backstage.
After the incident, Glasgow City Council warned venues that their licences could be at risk if similar events happened again.
As a result, many venues stopped hosting punk gigs altogether. However, rather than disappearing, the punk scene moved to Paisley, where the subculture continued to grow and develop.
Through this project, I aimed to highlight how music and youth culture can adapt and survive despite restrictions, while also bringing attention to an interesting part of Scotland’s cultural history.
Good Luck
This project developed from a collection of fortune slips I had gathered over the past year, which gradually became part of a lunchtime ritual shared with friends in the studio.
As the year came to an end, I felt this was a fitting way to reflect on that time and create something meaningful from it. Using the fortunes as inspiration, the project explored ideas of chance, connection, and moving forward, while sending small moments of luck out into the new journeys leaving Glasgow School of Art.
