The European Social Work Research Association (ESWRA) works to create a hub for social work research development, collaboration and exchange across Europe. ESWRA’s vision is to take forward the development, practice and utilisation of social work research to enhance knowledge about individual and social problems, and to promote just and equitable societies. Launched in 2011, the European Conference of Social Work Research is ESWRA’s biggest global event. 

We were approached to create the artwork to feature across all collateral for the conference, from books of excerpts to main programmes, invitations and websites. Utilising a Scottish landscape as the starting point, our research developed to inject this with a vibrancy and dynamism fitting of the eclectic multicultural audience who would be in attendance. 

We settled on an image which illustrates the quiet, reflective nature of care – at once peaceful yet arresting. From here we experimented with colour, utilising collage to add unexpected new developments akin to those of the latest industry research and pushing the exploration of analog vs digital mediums. The finished piece displays a cool, clean colour palette in line with Scotland’s landscapes; this is brought to life with eye-catching, unexpected highlights uncovering unassuming elements of the landscape. These illustrate ESWRA’s work to champion collaboration in an environment at once familiar and understood yet constantly evolving.