Beyond reports on the eye-catching work of Yorkshire artist Justin Burns and his use of typography to capture the environments he studies.

The art of words is a beautiful thing and nobody captures that better than Justin Burns whose stunning work has been lighting up galleries across the country.

The Yorkshire based graphic designer and artist who is studying a PhD in Typography and Graphic Communication at the University of Reading, brilliantly combines his passion for art and the written word with such powerful simplicity.

Focussing on how lettering, typography, and graphic design contribute to the development and experience of various landscapes, Justin has brought to life the sights and sounds of everything from rugged Yorkshire moorland to English seaside resorts and in recent years he has collaborated with English poet Ian McMillan and esteemed typographical artist Anthony Burrill.

Last year, his stunning exhibition Signs of the Seaside saw him work with Yorkshire poet McMillan and Burrill to portray the nostalgia of seaside resorts and it was his use of typography which captured the magic of piers, promenades, fairgrounds and theatres so beautifully.

Talking about his work Justin said: “Places can be defined as urban, rural or coastal based on their natural and built environmental characteristics, and typography plays a huge part in that definition.

“While the relationship between lettering and environment is sometimes misunderstood and undervalued, it has been fundamental to the identity and formation of so many locations and nowhere is this seen better than in seaside resorts where inscribed, painted, fabricated, and natural letterforms play an integral role in visually shaping our trip to the coast.”

His exploration of language, dialect and the visual articulation of words along high streets, promenades and in rural settings has been the hallmark of his work and his Signs of the Seaside collaboration with Ian McMillan resulted in Justin typographically responding to Ian’s poetic observations of our coast.

Photographed by Emma Croman

The words are snapshots, literary postcards from the edge, encapsulating some of the sights, sounds and experiences as we wander down the promenade.

These typographic works, draw upon some of the most commonly used typefaces along the promenade and form visual narratives that evoke a day trip to the seaside. They also explore the significance of language and typography at the English seaside, referencing letterforms which are designed to entice, inform and entertain.

Based in Menston, West Yorkshire, Justin is also interested in the typographic representation of natural, rural open spaces, such as Ilkley Moor.

His most recent work explores the rugged landscape through typography and pattern, with a series of prints shown as part of the Written Word exhibition at The Tinker Gallery in Ilkley.

One of his pieces, Mill Stone Grit explores the geological rock forms of the moor, through typographic patterns and a colour palette drawn from the landscape.

This piece, alongside others capturing Ilkley’s natural landscape and its sporting heritage are currently exhibited at the Ilkley Lawn Tennis & Squash Club until the autumn.

Justin Burns is a graphic designer, artist, and Head of the School of Arts at the University of Derby.

You can see his work at Tinker Gallery in Ilkley and follow him on Instagram @jburnsdesign.