Project Award 2025

Lester Nelson-Gacal, a designer and illustrator, will produce a set of hand-bound, graphic art books to tell stories about his father’s decline and failing memory after falling down a flight of stairs three days after heart surgery. Nelson-Gacal was his caregiver and came out to his father several times a day towards the end and wishes to say something poignant about his father’s final year through writing, silkscreen and letterpress illustrations, and custom bindings.

When asked what he would like the public to know, Lester responded, “I’m a designer and illustrator who’ll be writing, illustrating, designing and laying out this book. I’ll be working with Texas bookbinding expert Brittany Jones on coming up with custom binding that incorporates materials that are thematically relevant to the story.”

(Left to right) “Nora,” 2024, digital illustration, created in honor of Nora Dimawala, who died in 2024. Nelson-Gacal and his husband grew close with her and her family over multiple trips to the Philippines. The illustration was given to her family after her passing; “Junior Mesa’s Trash,” 2023, digital illustration, depicting singer and songwriter Junior Mesa holding a trash bag for his bandmate to load into their van; “Maha Ko,” 2024, digital illustration, a portrait of Nelson-Gacal’s husband at their wedding in Seldovia.

(Left to right) “Satchel’s Pizza Box,” 2024, digital illustration and silkscreen printing, a pizza box Nelson-Gacal designed for Satchel’s Pizza in Florida. He was inspired by the 1902 silent film “Le Voyage dans la Lune,” or “A Trip to the Moon”; “We Are All,” 2023, digital illustration, the front cover for Mike Borgia’s vinyl LP “We Are All,” featuring a clown and his dog comforting a young runaway; “With Love From Afar,” 2025, digital illustration, cover art for folk singer Buck’s Harbor, inspired by letters sent by suitors stationed in the U.S. Army and Navy during the Vietnam War.