FINDING ECCENTRIC INTERVIEWEES
Above is an illustrated a poster/advert I designed to find participants for issue Number 1 of Wacky Zine, drawn from a collage I crafted of well-known Eccentrics.

SOCIAL CAMPAIGN AND RESULTS

The promoted Social post generated 300+ likes 20+ organic messages on Instagram, opening up collaborations and 15 interviewees for the first and many future issues of the magazine.

PROJECT PROVOCATION & PROBLEM

In an ideal world we would all feel confident to express ourselves however we liked, without caring about the opinions of others, living our lives as we pleased and doing things we love, right? In reality, many of us are too afraid of standing out or being perceived as not ‘normal,’ ‘quirky,’ ‘weird’ or ‘eccentric.’ As we leave childhood we become more and more self-aware, self-conscious, our desire to be liked, validated and approved of by others often limits our exploration of true authentic self-expression. Most people choose to fit in, follow the crowd or blend into the background, for many different reasons. Some for fear of being perceived as an outcast. Others to be popular and ‘liked’ by as many people as possible. Some because they simply want to be up to date on all the latest television shows and fashion.

I have always sought fewer but deeper connections, and with my lack of confidence growing up I sought my own path, rarely doing something ‘because everyone else was doing it.’ However, even so I sometimes still get caught up in comparison of myself to others and seeking validation. I’ve lost sight of my true self and had to find my way back again many times. But also this comparison and staying in one’s comfort zone stops us from learning and achieving the next stages of personal growth and development.

Trying to squeeze ourselves into society’s mould of us will likely lead us down an unfulfilling road, often resulting in increased anxiety, depression, and even mental illness. From seeing my father deal with Bipolar Disorder, I learned that most of the shame and secrecy behind anxiety mental health problems is due to the fear that other’s will think less of them.

It’s important that we accept, love and express ourselves in order to nurture our sense of self, identity and mental well-being. Tragically, I’ve learned how it can be quite literally fatal if we don’t. Wacky aims to help readers detach from society’s unrealistic expectations, prioritise creative, self-expression, and nurture their mental health. Eccentricity became the topic of the first issue because I believe that nonconformity can save lives.

Read more at Wackyzine.com

Final Illustrations of Interviewees featuring in The Eccentricity Issue (2020). Pencil drawings on paper, colour added in Adobe Photoshop by Heather Waterfield.

Interviewee names: Dr Adam Perchard, Amy Van-Doran, Ffion Campbell Davies, Azua Echevarria, Pomai Taggart, Franceleslia Emilien, Luna Howl AKA Nefi (Michael) Weller and last but not least, Tova Kaye.