What should have been a project to create a single image to illustrate a book ended up becoming a haunting and touching series of life-size figures, each with their own story to tell.

An exhibition of annotated silhouettes, depicting historical characters, has gone on display at the Manx Museum.

’Story from Stone: The Strangers of Ballure Chapel: features 11 life-size figures created by illustrator Jo Davies and based on people featured in the book ’Story From Stone’, a collection of short stories and historical record, written by Kim Kneen and Vicky Lloyd-West about people buried in what was known as the ’Stranger’s Graveyard’ at Ballure Chapel, in Ramsey.

Jo created the outlines and filled the figures with details and images of their lives and stories, creating what she feels are images which help reflect on the lives of the people rather than their deaths.

’What we found, in writing the book, was that each of the graves represented these really rich lives of these very interesting people,’ said Vicky.

’They did have a bit of apprehension about what was the truth and what was the fiction of their stories and in a way, I thought that these images were a representation of that.

’The shadows cast by the figures, to me represent the transience of life. They are an important part of the exhibition

The figures on display represent people, such as Nathaniel Ireland, a captain of a slave ship, a school governess and an image representing a child feature, with an image of John Hannay, a ship’s fireman, being Jo’s favourite.

’I live in Ramsey and this made me think of the essence of our island, seeped with the history of these people and in Ramsey, you could imagine him still there, shovelling coal onto his ship.

’I like to think that these people are still around in a way as the things that they saw and the experiences that they had are still part of our lives now.’

Jo said that she began with a brief to create just a single image, but soon found herself immersed in the project.

’They approached me to create one image that they could use in their performances. I got a bit carried away and it became a labour of love.

’ I think I have done over 38 images now, with these 11 having been made life size.

’The authors hold performances of the story and they take some of these figures along for a backdrop & visual prompt.

’I made something that was a silhouette of somebody’s life. But they were also about the transience of life, that moments can be passing and fleeting.

’The idea is that people exist and leave traces behind. Our lives are here and gone in a minute at the things that people leave behind.

’And what we who come after what we make of their lives.

’The fear was that we would produce a book about death, but in the end, we have created a book about life, the intricacies of people’s relationships, the things that they saw and the things that they did.’

The exhibition of Jo’s images will remain on display until Sunday, March 14.