Sir Mark Jones, Publisher, Golden Hare: A gifted designer with an intuitive feeling for the individual character of each project and a strong practical approach to getting the right result at the right price – working with James Brook is a real pleasure. 

Sorcha Carey, Director, Edinburgh Art Festival: We have worked with James Brook on a number of different festival design projects since 2014, ranging from substantial exhibition catalogues, smaller interpretation booklets and leaflets, through to devising bespoke identities for discrete projects and initiatives. He has a wealth of knowledge of typography, graphic design, print and book production, is incredibly thoughtful and considered in his approach, and always responds to a brief with creativity and rigour in equal measure. I can’t recommend him highly enough. 

Gavin Everall, Co-Director, Book Works: James has a long history of involvement with Book Works, as a former valued colleague and friend, but this was the first time we had worked with him as a freelance designer. And it was a complete pleasure to work with someone who really understands artists, artists’ books, and the role of a designer in the publication process. Not only is he meticulous in his approach and delivery, but it was also a pleasure to be reminded of what fun he is to work with. 

Andrew Mummery: It was a pleasure to work with James on the Carol Rhodes monograph. His design proposals were sensitive to the brief and to the artist’s work and his knowledge of the practical and technical aspects of the printing process were also enormously helpful. I was impressed by his attention to detail and the time that he took to arrive at an understanding of Carol’s work and the issues involved with its reproduction and presentation. The final form of the monograph benefited substantially from his input and involvement. 

Sophia Hao, Curator, Cooper Gallery: We have worked with James on several major projects in Cooper Gallery’s programme. James always responded to the design brief with an appropriate flair and rigour which resulted in stunning designs with a strong attention to detail. What impressed me most is how brilliantly James’ artistic background and well-versed knowledge of contemporary art contributes to his exquisite and intelligent interpretation of the conceptual focus of the artwork and the curatorial intention of the organisation. James is a pleasure to work with, extremely professional and importantly always sticks to deadlines. He is also very patient and always endeavours to find the best solution. I cannot recommend him highly enough. 

Ruth Ewan: Working with James on the artist’s pamphlet Sympathetic Magick was brilliant. He engaged with the concept of the project and really took on board my ideas for the publication as well as sensitively bringing his own suggestions to the fore. His patience and attention to detail was much appreciated by everyone involved. I hope we can work together again in the future. 

Kate Davis: It was a total pleasure working with James on my publication Eight Blocks or a Field. I really appreciated James’ exceptional design expertise and thoughtful and supportive approach to the project. 

Robert Williams, Professor of Fine Art, University of Cumbria Institute of the Arts: I have had the privilege of collaborating with the fantastic designer and artist James Brook on two major book-based publications: Cumbrian Alchemy (2013) and Calvariae Disjecta (2017). Both these books owe their success to James’ brilliant vision. Cumbrian Alchemy combines text and image to produce a work that underpinned our vision for a complex project that ranged between ideas of nuclearity, folklore and culture. Of course, for the next project, there was no question that James would be the designer for Calvarie Disjecta: The many hauntings of Burton Agnes Hall, another book work that needed an astonishing level of collaboration and sensitivity in balancing text, image and concept. Working with James is a dream, he generously gives of his advice and his ideas in a working relationship that is truly collaborative, and it is for such reasons that rather than being the anonymous ‘designer’ for these works, we acknowledge his proper role as part of the collaborative endeavour that makes art. I am truly grateful to have worked with James, and will do so again in a heartbeat.