NAMI Con Case Study

Format: Onsite graphic recording over 3-day national conference.

The Challenge: Portraying traumatic events posed the biggest challenge for me at this conference. Topics included teen suicide and social media, parents who have lost children to suicide, the murder of George Floyd, racial bias around health care access, disability justice, and more.

My Approach: I framed the imagery around the hopeful messages the speakers presented, and used writing to present the darkest content. Hope came in the form of youth peer support groups. Kenneth Cole gave a keynote about his Mental Health Coalition. A teacher demonstrated games to help kids develop social emotional skills. Two presenters talked about how the Blue Zones theories of longevity inspired them to move past trauma. I also was able to lean on the incredible graphic design of the conference—clever icons like a happy brain hugging a heart or doing yoga. After every keynote or workshop I would illustrate, someone struck up a fascinating conversation with me. Their personal stories are always my favorite thing. I am so proud at these moments to feel how my art helped open people up and feel safe enough to share their stories.

Behind the Scenes: I began with warmer toned paper. It felt nourishing for a mental health conference. I used an elegant roll of cotton rag drawing paper made by Strathmore and stretched it around foam core. This also allowed me to remove, roll, and ship the paper in a shipping tube, but still display the pieces during the conference on easels. I also was able to re-use the foam core and create less waste. I used a squeegee and liquid acrylic paint the night before to make the broad curves so I never had to begin with a blank canvas. I love the added warmth and humanity that the the pink and blue added against the earthy paper.