"Good Work for Good People"

Graphic designer Keir M. Barnett’s tagline is reminiscent of Anthony Burrill’s “Work Hard and Be Nice to People,” and perfectly captures Keir’s people-driven design practice. Amongst my busy saturated design Instagram feed, Keir’s work has always stood out to me for its strong craft and research-driven approach.

Based in Sheffield as a graphic designer Keir works across the arts and community sectors and his impactful visual language carries an authentic warmth through every project. His Forest Nation designs, in particular, showcase a perfect balance between his illustrative eye and beautiful typographic handling across the billboards. 

It was so great that Kier was up for speaking with me. His words give a nice insight into his practice, ethos and how much he adores being a designer, All in A days Work ! 

Name:
Keir M-Barnett

Role:
Graphic Designer

Summary of your work:  
Design for causes that matter is my ethos – I work with good people, doing good things for our planet, society, culture or communities. This could be developing the visual identity for an art exhibition, creating a brand for a progressive digital agency, or supporting an addiction recovery service with their design needs.

Starting the day

What do you enjoy seeing on your to-do list? Meeting new people. A virtual coffee with people or an organisation that I’ve never met is definitely a highlight. You get to have a glimpse into a world you might never ordinarily get to learn about. That, and buying beautiful Japanese stationery that I never use.

Any simple moments of design joy on your morning commute? I work from my home office in leafy Sheffield, so my commute only lasts 6 seconds. However, drinking a coffee at my desk and gazing out the window at the rolling hills before I start work helps gather myself before I get into planning for my day.

The working day

Why are you based in the North & is it important to what you do? I’ve lived in the north (or midlands) all my life, after living and studying in Manchester for 10 years I decided to settle in Sheffield. It’s hugely important to my work. I'm proud of being a northerner and being part of a group of people that have a great deal of resilience and creativity

Do you think that the design/ creative sector in the North is thriving? Absolutely - and there has been a shift of people taking notice of Northern creatives that’s been gathering momentum over the past 15 years. With television producers moving offices up north, councils investing in local creative communities and innovative design studios I think the North can easily compete with London’s creative scene. No doubt.

End of the day

What do you think is on the horizon for the design industry? I’m hopeful that the creative industries in the UK will be given the recognition it deserves. The UK is a world-class leader of creativity and craft and should be funded, supported and championed by the Government. Art and design improves people’s lives through a number of positive well-being metrics, even on an economic scale (not the most important scale, but the suits like money) design contributes 126 billion yearly. I also think a strong creative Union would really benefit all working creatives, one that a range of disciplines can join and feel protected from predatory agencies, or unfair working conditions.

What does a satisfyingly complete day look like? The most satisfying day would be 8 solid hours of design, no admin, no interruptions - just the time to explore and create. The dreammm.

Day after day:

What symbolises the North for you? Resilience and friendliness.

What are you watching on telly? Alien Earth is my highbrow answer. Below Deck Mediterranean is my extremely lowbrow answer.

A piece of everyday design that you adore? Moccamaster KBG 741 (aka the most beautiful coffee machine ever built).

In the North, I’m seeing more studios and designers creating work with a positive and community-based ethos at the core, much like Keir’s vision for his practice. Locally to me in Newcastle for example, Ogre Studio and Sail Creative share this same socially conscious approach to design and are rooted in their ethos.

Community-centred work can often stem from the resilience Northern creatives hold, which Keir mentions and that’s something to be proud of and celebrate. Grassroots organisations like The NewBridge Project and Cobalt Studios champion positive change, leaning into rich Northern communities and giving creativity an accessible and exciting platform. Both organisations give recognition to local places and people, echoing Keir’s point that this kind of visibility and support is something we should hopefully continue to embrace and celebrate in the UK design industry too.

I love that Kier finds eight hours of pure design the most satisfying - the ultimate dream day for any designer. It really highlights how much of our work as creatives is spent on everything around the design not just the design itself. Although as Keir points out meeting new people and glimpsing into a world you might not ordinarily learn about is such an exciting part of the design process. Understanding the context of each project keeps his work empathetic and human, I think that's part of the reason his practice has always stood out to me. I particularly appreciate how his research-driven approach reflects authenticity, warmth, and the thoughtful quality you often find in handmade or analogue design.

Thank you to Keir for an insightful interview for the third edition of All In A Day’s Work! I hope that you have some uninterrupted days of pure design lined up ahead. Check out Keir's Instagram here.

Also, thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed, LMK your thoughts and stay tuned for the next editions of All in a Day's Work by Millie Jobson