GORD BAMFORD
2022 WCMA Excellence In Visual Design WINNER
2023 CMAB Visual Creative of the Year [final nominee]
2022 CCMA Creative Director(s) of the Year Award [final nominee]
2020 CCMA Creative Director(s) of the Year Award [final nominee]
Photography by Phil Crozier
Gord Bamford’s Diamonds in a Whiskey Glass inspired me to create a trompe d’œil mirroring the water surface. This illusion sees Gord caught between two worlds, frozen in a rough diamond-like shape created from an ice cube in whiskey. The title was blended into the ripples as if it was submerged. The surreal effects draw the audience into the artwork and speak to the complex emotions explored in the album.
This collection of songs followed two distinct paths, so I decided to give each a specific visual narrative to further distinguish what the audience could expect from either the more heartfelt vs the drinkin’ songs. We used a series of images shot in and around Alberta for the more meaningful songs and went purely conceptual for the party tracks.
Bamford’s Drink Along Song is a rockin’ good ol’ boy track that needed a show stopping cover. This elaborate composite is an homage to Gord’s #REDNEK brand. The artwork was given a roughed up cardboard texture and stains for a true bar coaster look. It was printed on cardstock in the physical package, so it could be used as a real coaster.
Just Let Go is a party animal anthem reminded me of the Brothers Grimm tale the “Town Musicians of Bremen”, which tells the story of a group of farm animals who run away to form a band and play in the big city. The tower of animals running into the city is an homage to the Just Let Go song narrative. The donkey at the base of the illustration and the colour palette ties directly into the existing #Rednek brand.