Wider Visions Photographs by Mike Hoyle, Words from Quaker Experience £10 ISBN 085245387-6 Quaker Books (UK)

Mike Hoyle offers fresh spiritual insights and surprises by bringing his photographs of London and Yorkshire together with words from Quaker faith and practice, the book that Quakers in Britain use as a guide for living. These words and Mike's pictures create their own dialogue, finding ways to express truth.

a new look at Quaker faith & practice

One of the joys of Quaker faith & practice is the range of meanings it can have for those who read it. Someone with a clear vision of this is Mike Hoyle, who has just finished a photo book illustrating extracts from Quaker faith & practice. Working with designer Roger Holloway, his stunning photographs shed new light on well-known Quaker writings. John Fitzgerald spoke to Mike about his work and his Quakerism.

Mike's images have already been used in a Quaker Life outreach exhibition that is now touring the country. Peter Daniels, publications manager at Friends House, explains: "People would say 'are you going to do a book of them?' - it was a natural project for us to do."

Wider Visions follows in the footsteps of Harvey Gillman's Paths of the Spirit, an earlier book that paired Quaker writings with photos. However, Mike's unique style makes his book quite different. As Peter Daniels says: "It feels quite liberating to pair Mike's images with Quaker faith & practice and Advices and Queries - with their more traditional means of expression, it creates quite a contrast."

Mike initially thought of "purely visual, contemplative images", with a range of possible meanings on broad subjects, such as peace and tranquillity. But he was also "Moved to witness in the Quaker way at the time of the Iraq war." The finished book conveys tranquillity and turmoil, an authentic account of faith in a troubled world.

This balance is very important to Mike: "Quakerism understands and accepts that we all have good and bad inside us…when you can accept both you can begin to love yourself and others." Wider Visions shows that stillness and meaning can exist within a busy world, not just outside it. Many of his most hectic urban tableaux have a still centre.

Mike feels a clear calling to use his art to serve the community. He discounts the "romantic humanist view of artist as an autonomous ego up in their garret", instead seeing himself as a "social producer, working within and for the community."

"Quakerism understands and accepts that we all have good and bad inside us…"

He was educated "in a Postmodern, Marxist way - against humanism and religion. " Although he is now much more humanist in approach, he still uses the Marxist tool of "colliding text with image to give meaning."

Mike sets out to create a meaning for the viewer to understand, but he is ready for people to bring their own experiences to the work: "These are slices of experience. Some people have criticised - 'how can you say that life is just a selection of events?' But it's great to see people look at the work and see them bring their own experience to it, finding a new meaning."

Many of the images show the contrast between the Yorkshire Dales, where Mike originally comes from, and central London. For him, the two places have a very different perspective on life: "Solitude in the Yorkshire Dales can lead to openness. In London, there are many people but there is more mistrust and less time for friendliness. Relationships are felt more strongly in the countryside."

The broad scope of Mike's work echoes his feeling that life has many paths: "There's no specific route - there are many journeys, many religious and mental journeys. Images affect different people in different ways."

Mike's own journey has been difficult at times: "I've been a loner all my life, and I had a motorcycle accident which really accentuated this feeling of being different. I stand out in a crowd, being 'slow' as a result of a brain injury. I was doing exhibitions after my accident to prove that I wasn't disabled, that I had a vision that I could share."

" ...it's great to see people look at the work and see them bring their own experience to it, finding a new meaning..."

He has found Quakers in London to be a welcoming community. "When I went to Quaker Quest, I really felt this power - this humanness, and togetherness. The Quaker acceptance of difference was a real help." For Mike, becoming a member of his meeting means "I'm now part of a greater thing."

He sees his book as a contribution to the Quaker community, "repaying the immense pleasure I've got from the Quakers". He is excited to see how others might respond to his work.

"We all come with questions. We're different but connected. When I produce a body of work, this is my experience. You derive your meaning from your journey, what you find along the way."