I created a graphic recording for PovNet’s annual visioning session. PovNet and PovNetU provide important online tools, including facilitated courses, for anti-poverty advocates in BC and Canada.

As a graphic recorder, I work in real-time by drawing 6-foot images. The images are big so people can engage and reflect in the moment, and then afterwards I resize the images for easy online sharing and printing.

One of the challenges with working ‘big’ is the setup.

I need a flat working surface. Painted walls are best. Sometimes hotels will have textured wallpaper which doesn’t work because tape won’t stick to it, and the texture distorts my writing. In this case, I’ll set up with foamcore between two easels.

PovNet had the most creative setup for me that I’ve seen.

The organizers propped up the foamcore against the built-in bookcase, laid two books on their side to extend a mini-shelf, and it created a perfect easel. We put two pieces of tape at the top for extra security and it was great. Their creativity with this mini-problem obviously extends to the great work that they do. Thanks folks!

A sample of the PovNet image is above, and click here to see full image in my portfolio. 

The chapter “Donating to Charity” has five sections, and here’s a mini-summary of what Chris writes.

• Artists empathize: artists are often generous and are approached often for donations for silent auctions. It’s good to consider what types of events you’ll support, and why, from a community-building perspective. From a financial perspective, the decision to donate should also be based on what type of art-buyers may be in attendance. Not all silent auctions attract the right art-buying crowd. If you donate to a charitable organization, you should be receipted for the full value of the work.

• Some Statistics: fundraising contemporary art auctions in Vancouver raise a significant amount of money (case study during 6 weeks in 1999, over $730,000 was raised). Chris raises concerns about the expectation for artists to only donate work (which they cannot later sell to make a living), and about late receipting of the charitable donation. A creative suggestion to address charitable donation: negotiate that the charity publishes the work for the full value, and then the artist sends a cheque for 50% of the value. The artist therefore receives a charitable donation worth 100% of the work, as well as payment for 50% of the work’s value. It’s a great suggestion.

• Terms: Some charitable auctions set minimum prices before the event. Agree to the terms in writing whenever possible. The book outlines good practices to protect artists.

• Attending the Auction: this can be a benefit to the artist, whose presence adds value to the work, and is an opportunity for the artist to network with potential art-supporters later. The book gives an example of how artists can negotiate complimentary tickets so they can attend, especially if they’ve made a significant donation.

• Tips for Artist-Donators: Chris gives many tips  - including ‘donate good work, not work that never sells’. For the rest of the tips, including “Comments by a Tax Expert”, pick up the book.

“May Day traces the development of International Workers’ Day, May 1st, against the ever-changing economic and political backdrop in Canada. Recognizing the importance of work and the historical struggles of workers to improve their lives, with a particular focus on the struggles of May 1st, the comic includes the reader as part of this history, and the story concludes that “we are all part of this historical struggle; it’s our history and our future.”

Want a copy? Only $6.95! Bulk rates for groups (book clubs, unions, etc) available too. http://www.btlbooks.com/book/may-day

Praise for May Day:

- “May Day is history with a twist: entertaining, insightful, informative, and seen through a critical lens. . . . This is both for history buffs as well as lovers of graphic novels, and suitable for both young and old.” - Florencia Berinstein, director, Mayworks Festival of Working People and the Arts

“This fascinating work provides an original, accessible window into the history of International Workers’ Day and the wider story of grassroots struggle for working-class power.”
—Benjamin Isitt, author of Militant Minority: British Columbia Workers and the Rise of a New Left

“What’s impressive about this graphic book is its clarity and its attention to labour history and May Day on both sides of the Canada/US border.”
—Linda Kealey, author of Enlisting Women for the Cause: Women, Labour and the Left in Canada, 1890-1920

“This eminently enjoyable graphic book emphasizes working men’s and working women’s struggle as central to the May Day experience.”
—Greg Kealey, author and founding editor of Labour/Le Travail

The members of the Pearson Residents Redevelopment Group (PRRG) have a vision of inclusive communities for people with disabilities. Their home, a long-term care facility called George Pearson Centre, will be under redevelopment in the future. For PRRG, the redevelopment process is an opportunity for significant dialogue.

“George Pearson Centre (GPC) is home to approximately 120 residents who live with a range of physical disabilities. Some residents have lived at the Centre all of their adult life. Some are relatively new residents, while many others expect to live out their life in the facility. Not all residents want to live at GPC. Many are compelled to live here because there are not enough disability supports like accessible affordable housing and home support to allow them to live in their own homes.” (from www.pearsonresidents.org)

I’m working with PRRG to develop a communications plan and visual identity. Here’s a behind-the-scenes look at the process. The Pearson lands have a vast amount of lush green space, with a working urban farm, community and resident gardens. PRRG wants to demonstrate how important the outdoor space is to residents. The PRRG also wants to communicate caring, and so in the second round of concepts, we played with the idea of hands. In the end, we chose a variation of an early design. It highlights the sweeping expanse of green space with a larger tree and dynamic line for the ground. The light symbolizes sun and warmth, and the diversity of buildings demonstrates there are many ways to redevelop Pearson for optimal health, community, and independence.

George Pearson residents have possibly one of the only websites by and for people living in long-term care. Find them online here: www.pearsonresidents.org.

Below is a sampling of the designs we developed. See more of my branding and illustration work here.

Illustrated map of the Vancouver-Kingsway federal riding with important services

This is a custom illustrated map for Vancouver Kingsway, showing important services and amenities in the area. It is 3 feet by 3 feet and will show people visiting the office what’s in their community easily.

It was made for the Constituency Office of Adrian Dix, Member of the Legislative Assembly. His Constituency Assistant staff play an important role in the community. They’re like librarians, community navigators, and researchers all rolled in to one. Need to locate the nearest neighborhood school if you’re moving? Where are the services for seniors and co-op housing? Or how to appeal a Medical Services Plan decision? The Constituency Assistants receive all sorts of questions, and sometimes the answer isn’t “it’s on Google”. Not everyone has a computer and not everyone has the specific literacy to find what they need.

An interesting thing about this map is that the streets aren’t all on the north-south grid. Wikipedia says around 1891 the interurban railway ran on Vanness Avenue (now the Skytrain line), and there was a Collingwood community at Vanness and Joyce. It only joined up to the sprawling Vancouver north-south grid later on.

The banner at the bottom features the public schools in the Vancouver-Kingsway riding. Schools make up an important part of communities, and the ones in Collingwood are at the heart of many activities-  from night school to afterschool care. It was hard to often find a good photo of a school, and I found Google Streetview was very helpful.

I used a combination of tools to design and illustrate this map. The staff gave me a list of hundreds of map points to locate, verify, and label. Information came from many websites including BC Housing, the Vancouver School Board, City of Vancouver, Elections BC, and the Renfrew-Collingwood Legacies Now map.

You can check out the map in person at the Constituency Office: 5022 Joyce Street Vancouver, BC.

Closeup

Two themes emerged while I drew: Transforming the dialogue means working towards a critical hope, and profound change comes with creating the conditions to take risks.

The online training is facilitated and free for people working in health care: ttp://www.culturalcompetency.ca.

I work in real-time and this helps people ‘see’ what they’re talking about. During the event people see connections and notice new patterns, and visual learners can better focus and engage.

Graphic recording is effective for workshops, conferences, short presentations, and more.

View more images from Transforming the Dialogue in my graphic recording gallery here.

Karlene Harvey from the interim First Nations Health Council and I were on hand for graphic recording. Graphic recording is drawing in front of the room,  in real-time. As people talk, they  ’see’ their ideas develop and fit into a bigger picture.

Here are some photos:

I listened to community workers to create this image

Karlene and I collaborated on this chart

Karlene and I collaborated on this chart

we work big - 6 feet by 3 feet

We had lots of great feedback about the visuals – and there were many, many young artists in the room, too. Youth presentations included videos, drawings, singing,  drumming, skits, and so much creativity. (I could never make a video in an hour!)

Each picture is six feet wide.  To make it easy for communities to share their work back home, edited and professional digital copies of these images will be made into small PDFs and sent out to all of the participants as part of the followup.

Thank you again for the invitation- I was honored to support this gathering.

Check out the vendors here: http://gotcraft.com/vancouver/vendors.

I’ll be selling letterpress prints, cards, and textiles. It will be the launch for two new prints too.

$3 admission- and the first 50 people in line get the infamous swag bag filled with treats from vendors.

2205 Commercial Drive (at 6th Ave).

Not wheelchair accessible, but my farmers’ market dates in summer will be.