Small but perfectly formed: Seb Lester’s Tiny series

In the remote Yorkshire village of Settle, you’ll find one of the world’s smallest galleries. The town’s old red phone box has been turned into an art space, which was the setting for hand lettering artist Seb Lester’s latest show. Entitled Tiny, the exhibition ran earlier this month and featured a series of pieces inspired by vintage script and historical typefaces.

“Tiny came about as part of a broad appraisal of my life,” Seb explains. “Losing a parent affects people in many ways, but it often brings one’s mortality to the fore and makes you assess what is important to you in all aspects of life and how you might make changes to make the best of your time. I’ve wanted to do a solo show for a while, and this was the main impetus.”

Each piece in the series begins with a word or phrase, rendered by Seb in various types of lettering and surrounded by ornate swooshes and flourishes – often featuring organic elements such as vines, leaves, flowers and fruit. Richly colourful, textured paper is juxtaposed against glowing metallic inks, the characters rising from the surface via crafted embossing.

“I wanted to show versatility, so the work ranges from simple to complex, with contemporary takes on five different lettering styles, from Victorian Display Face to Late Medieval to Eighteenth Century Formal Scripts. The tone of voice also varies, from the profound to the profane, whimsical to serious,” says Seb.

For example, Pax conveys a peaceful sentiment for troubled times using medieval letterforms Seb discovered in Westminster Abbey. Its roses hark to heraldry and antiquity, and a tiny sun symbolises life, energy, and spirituality.

Another piece in the series articulates a prayer for serenity – again, with a message calling for peace and acceptance. “It encourages us to find the courage to change what we can, the serenity to accept what we cannot, and the wisdom to know the difference. This prayer has inspired countless individuals seeking solace and strength in challenging times,” adds Seb.

There are playful and sweary pieces that celebrate sharing a bottle of fine wine with friends. While the physical exhibition lasted only a week, Tiny continues on Seb’s website, where the card-sized, limited edition pieces can be viewed and purchased for £24.

“I always start working very roughly with pencils, paper, and pens. I then took the work through to Procreate to refine it, and then I vectorised and refined the work further in Glyphs and Illustrator,” says Seb. “As a response to AI, I have consciously decided to emphasise my work’s human and craft aspects more than ever and have shown it in a physical gallery space.”

If you want to find out more about how Seb works, he is holding a calligraphy workshop at the London Mural Festival in September, speaking at Outside The Lines at St Bride Foundation in London on 2 September, and at Luvin Letters in Design in Dublin on 4-5 October.