Illustrator Edie Medley has found creative inspiration in an unexpected place: behind the bar of her part-time job at a pub. While working as a manager, she began capturing the conversations she overheard from customers and transforming them into a delightful comic series called "I'm Not Listening." The project offers a humorous and honest glimpse into the social dynamics of pub culture while showcasing how creative work can emerge from everyday situations.
Medley's inspiration struck during a particularly memorable incident in a pub garden. She witnessed an argument that escalated to the point where someone threw their drink at a man, who responded indignantly with the hilariously specific retort: "Well this is Gore-Tex, so the joke's on you sweetheart. It's waterproof!" This moment sparked her interest in documenting the snippets of conversation she encountered during her shifts, which she began collecting in her phone's notes app under the title "overheard compiled."
Working behind the bar provides Medley with the perfect vantage point for observation. "Being behind the bar is the perfect place to quietly observe, there are so many different interactions happening around you; friends who haven't seen each other in a while, groups who meet at the same time every day, first dates, etc," she explains. "Honestly, when you're pulling pints or collecting glasses and people are sitting there chatting, it's difficult not to tune in."
Medley's distinctive illustration style brings these overheard moments to life through her unique artistic approach. Her characters feature a recognizable formula of "stuck on noses and conjoined eyes" that somehow manages to convey a wide range of emotions, from shock and smugness to fascination and warmth. The humanity of her illustrations is enhanced by carefully observed details from real people's fashion choices – spotted tops, skirts worn over trousers, curly hair pulled back with hair ties, and visible tattoos on upper arms.
The conversations Medley captures range from lighthearted banter to more serious moments. Some of her favorite pieces include mundane yet relatable exchanges, such as one character saying "I was being a bit of a bitch," to which her friend replies, "It is a full moon tonight in all fairness." However, not all overheard conversations are light-hearted. Medley recalls one particularly uncomfortable moment when she overheard someone considering breaking up with their long-term girlfriend, who then arrived at the pub. "He was kissing her hello, and I was thinking, she has no clue what's going on – I definitely shouldn't have heard that one," she reflects.
Beyond entertainment value, Medley's project addresses the reality many creative professionals face early in their careers. "I've been working in hospitality on and off for years to support my illustration work," she says. "I've not always enjoyed it, but I've always made work about it – it feels satisfying to come away from a long shift and turn it into something creative." The project demonstrates how non-creative work doesn't necessarily drain artistic vision but can actually fuel it.
The "I'm Not Listening" series has fundamentally changed Medley's perspective on her hospitality work. Rather than viewing her pub shifts as merely a means to fund her illustration career, she now approaches them as research opportunities. "By seeing the customers as inspiration, it made a shift at the pub feel like research for a project; I'm cycling in thinking 'I wonder what I will hear today!' instead of thinking 'I've got to go and clean the cellar and maybe deal with some difficult customers,'" she explains.
The project also serves as a celebration of pub culture and community spaces. While Medley has previously created comics about the challenges of working in hospitality, this series takes a more positive approach. "I've loved working on this project because it celebrates the pub as a space for conversation and community. We need the pub!" she concludes. Her work captures conversations about everything from astrology and ChatGPT to chicken wine and phone usage, creating what she describes as "a relatable and highly specific time capsule of social life in 2025."
Medley's illustrations remind us that creative inspiration can be found in the most ordinary circumstances. Her ability to transform overheard pub conversations into charming visual narratives not only entertains but also validates the experiences of other creatives juggling multiple jobs to support their artistic pursuits. As pub-goers continue their conversations over pints, unaware that their words might become art, Medley continues to find magic in these everyday human interactions.
