Have you ever been somewhere you didn’t speak the language? How did you get around and communicate? One of my favorite things about graphic recording is the power of visuals to help tell a shared story, even if a group consists of people who speak different languages.
In December, I went to Huaraz, Peru to graphic record in Spanish for Hatun Tinkuy, which is Quechua for “Big, Important Gathering”.
Convened by Indigenous people and researchers from mountain communities all over the world, the purpose of Hatun Tinkuy was to connect, build relationships, and share work and resources to cultivate more resilient social and ecological systems in the mountains of South America. The workshop was held in Spanish with English and some Quechua translation, and visuals were captured in Spanish with English and Quechua translations in the works.
One of the most exciting aspects of this workshop was the opportunity to connect with and mentor two local artists who were interested in graphic facilitation. Liz and Huandy are talented and brave – they jumped right in and co-created with me over the course of the workshop!
Thank you for your collaboration, humor, and what you do to make the world a better place.
Cheers,
Where in the World is ConverSketch?
Huaraz, Perú: Here are more pictures from the beautifully held workshop and community.
Veterinarians and Climate Change: A few years ago, I worked with a delightful professor at Colorado State to create a series of illustrated videos about how climate change and vet practice are related. Here’s an article outlining work by a related non-profit, which links to one of the videos.
Not working: When an idea keeps appearing, it’s usually something to pay attention to. Here’s what I’ve been noticing: while the new calendar year is often a time of ambition, resolution, goal setting, and energy, that feels more like spring energy. So I’m exploring the idea of embracing the long, dark winter nights here in the northern hemisphere, and resting until the seasonal energy awakens. I mean, as much as one can with two-year-old twins.
