An exhibition showcasing artwork created at live music events is set to open at a Bradford venue this autumn.
The display at the 1in12 Club will feature 25 cartoon illustrations produced during performances by local and touring acts.
Artist John Davison has produced more than 600 band portraits drawn at gigs over the years.
Davison first began capturing musicians on paper in 2011 after a friend announced his departure from Lyrically Justified, a well-attended open mic event in Leeds.
Unable to secure a performance slot, Davison remained at the venue and completed an A4 illustration of his departing friend alongside the evening’s regular contributors.
The piece was subsequently shared through a community publication that Davison was editing at the time.
Initially, each piece demanded more than three hours of focused work.
A turning point came when Davison became involved with independently produced mini-magazines, which inspired him to develop a faster approach.
By working rapidly on smaller sheets and immersing himself within the crowd, he produced a series of sketches published under the title Cartoons from the Pit.
The practice has since become habitual, with Davison illustrating nearly every live performance he attends.
His preferred medium consists of a fine-point ballpoint pen on a compact A6 notepad oriented in landscape format.
While he previously worked exclusively on discarded photocopier paper, he now favours charity notepads supplied by the RNLI.
The compact dimensions allow the notepad to remain inconspicuous within a crowded venue.
The appeal of these drawings lies in their dynamic quality.
Davison focuses specifically on the reciprocal energy exchanged between performers and their audience, exploring how each party contributes to the atmosphere.
Dancing attendees provide particularly compelling subjects, with Davison drawn to the variety within a crowd and the spontaneous moments that unfold during a show.
He finds value in depicting individuals as they surrender their inhibitions to share collective joy or emotional release alongside the music being performed.
The illustrations embrace imperfection, featuring wobbly lines and unpolished figures.
Davison does not seek to flatter his subjects but rather to represent them authentically.
Crooked features or unusual proportions are rendered faithfully rather than smoothed over.
Electronic devices and expressions of melancholy are deliberately excluded from his compositions.
Commentators have noted stylistic similarities between his output and the works of Quentin Blake, LS Lowry, or a more irreverent interpretation of the Where’s Wally illustrations.
Davison regards Blake’s approach as parallel to punk music in its accessibility and immediacy, where minimal technical complexity enables rapid communication.
He views each audience member within a sketch as occupying their own narrative space, united in a shared moment of enjoyment.
Beyond his illustration work, Davison maintains a career teaching English and dedicates significant time to fiction writing.
His debut novel has been followed by completion of a second manuscript awaiting publication.
He recently oversaw a short story collection produced by his students, which has now been released.
Profits generated by the exhibition will support the 1in12 Club directly.
An interactive element forms part of the display, with participating musicians contributing recordings that accompany their respective portraits.
Compilation recordings, printed reproductions, and mini-magazine compilations of the artwork will be available for purchase.
The exhibition launches on Friday September 11 and continues through Sunday November 22.
Opening night entertainment will be provided by Rabies Babies, Blue Orchid Reaction, Character Actors, and Lewis Pugh.
A programme of workshops and an art afternoon will run from 1pm to 4pm on Saturday October 10 at the club.
The venue is located at 21-23 Albion Street, Bradford BD1 2LY.
Admission costs £8 in advance with a booking fee applicable, or £11 for tickets purchased on the door.
The exhibition is accessible during standard club opening hours, with current schedules available through the venue’s online platforms.