The story of an ordinary man’s life, and the people who loved him
Illustrator Sarah Lippett’s new book is a sweet, heartbreaking and captivating narrative about a man she’s been fascinated by all her life, but has never met – her Granddad, Stan.
Simply entitled Stan, the book tells the life of Stanley Burndred, pieced together with the help of letters from his widow, Lippett’s Nan.
Lippett explains, ‘I never met him, as he died when my Mum was just a teenager, but his art has always covered the walls of my Nan’s house for as long as I can remember.
Around three years ago, Lippett wrote a letter to her Nan asking for more information about her late husband, and in response received what she describes as ‘three beautiful letters that told of her love of my Granddad, and detailed the various milestones in his life.’
Using the words from this epistolary exchange alongside snippets garnered from speaking with her other relatives, Lippett has spent the past year illustrating Stan, creating intricate, naïve works that detail his time in the war, some avian adventures and a lot of tea-making.
The limited-edition book is accompanied by a website where people can access the archival material that informed Stan, such as his own artwork, photographs, letters and interview transcripts.
Lippett says, ‘[It’s] the story of an ordinary man’s life, and the people who loved him.’
RCA graduate Lippett is one half of illustration and web design duo Crayonlegs. You can view more work of their work here.
Stan can be seen at the RCA graduates show until 29 June at the Darwin Building, RCA, Kensington Gore, London SW7
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