Business

10 Things about Creativity that Are Still True 10 Years Later

ConverSketch is officially 10 years old today! 

Thank you. You’re the reason I get to write this!

Anniversaries are a great excuse to celebrate and taking time to recognize milestones feels especially important right now as time is simultaneously flying, blurring, interpretive dancing - whatever it’s doing - during covid. 

Every year I like to share things that have resonated or I’ve learned as a self-employed creative. My hope is that you find something useful to try, or that validates what feels true to you, or might push your comfort zone a little bit, in the best way possible. 

10 is a nice number and feels like a big deal! So, here is my list of 10 Things about Creativity that Are Still True 10 Years Later:

  1. Creativity is Not a Talent... I often come back to this quote from Hugh Mcleod: “Creativity is not a talent. Creativity is a drive,” because it moves creativity from the pedestal of Something Only Some People Have to a Skill Anyone Can Cultivate. Do the work, do it to the best of your ability, ask how to get better, embrace the practice of what you get to do every day.

  2. Creativity Requires Rest. Sometimes it’s important to do “nothing”, to move in your body and integrate information, make connections, to disconnect, to rest well, to be kind and gentle with yourself. 

  3. Creativity is Authentic. Be yourself, your unique way of being and perceiving in the world is incredibly valuable and may inspire or make sense to someone in a way nothing else has. 

  4. Appreciation Feeds the Creative Soul. When I’m frustrated or drained, taking a minute to brainstorm what I appreciate in that moment is an energy reset. I remind myself that I have the great privilege of doing this work with people who are making the world better.

  5. Intuition Guides Creativity. In moments when I have felt something deep within, no matter how illogical it might seem, in those moments when I do listen to that inner feeling and go with it, I know in my bones it is the path to take in that time. Maybe not the easiest, but often ease emerges in ways I don’t expect.

  6. Creativity is Fun! Playing, experimenting, laughing, imagining, dropping into flow state, sharing an idea you’re proud of, drawing something silly to tell a story. Creating and holding space for fun sows seeds of creativity.

  7. Creativity is Curious. The more willing we are to ask questions and truly listen to the answer, the more delightfully rich an experience or conversation has the space to grow. What might happen if we say yes? What if I’m…not right? What might emerge if we let go of what we thought we knew and leaned into another way of thinking?

  8. Creativity is Human. We are delightfully imperfect and are fed by connection with others. When designing graphics or the process or questions, remembering that above all else we are humans. Despite the tech, the pace, the everything else around us, we all share this humanness. 

  9. Creativity can be Collaborative. Whether in person or remote, centering opportunities for meaningful connections and relationships and connections opens the way for sparks to ignite. 

  10. Creativity is Generous. There is no limit to our creativity or how we use it. The more we give, the more we get. When I am working in a mindset of abundance and generosity, that often inspires more of the same, creating ripples and waves out into the world.

Thank you for being the reason for this reflection, the Why behind ConverSketch. It’s an honor to partner with you to bring more creativity into the world together! 

For even more reflections and some tips for how to implement them, here are my reflections throwing all the way back to 2016:

Once again, thank you from my heart and soul for your support, great senses of humor, brilliant minds, collaboration and what you're each doing to make the world a better place.

Cheers, 

Where in the Virtual World is ConverSketch?

Filming the Latest NPS Drawing Connections to Climate Video: This video is all about Fort Matanzas National Monument in Florida, and how resilience to climate change is imperative for the unique habitat and wildlife species that call the area home. Stay tuned for the finished video later this year, and watch the  award-winning series here!

RespiraCon: How might we ensure everyone has access to important medical equipment, like ventilators, around the world? Experts explored the challenges and opportunities to leverage open-source technology and practice for more equitable, high-quality equipment on a global scale.

How to Train Your Brain to Be Just Fine when Things go “Wrong”

Partially panted canvas of a river canyon with sky and murky water.

Well…that water doesn’t look like I wanted it to…

Can you remember a time that something went “wrong”? Trying a new recipe turned out…meh. A difficult conversation with a loved one. A creative project didn’t turn out perfectly on the first try.

How did you react? 

The sheer volume of curated feeds can make it easy to fall into a thought pattern that if something didn’t go perfectly right the first time, it failed

This is crazy talk. How can we expect ourselves to instantly be experts without practicing, experimenting, failing, pushing, learning, expanding, playing, falling…and getting back up? 

We’re human. We’re going to do things “wrong”. It’s beautiful! And, with practice, we can shift how we feel when things go sideways. Here are a few of my tried-and-true favorites:

  • Bring the humor. Try not to take yourself so seriously – it’s okay to laugh at how ridiculous mistakes can be.

  • Check your expectations. It’s fantastic to push yourself, and to expect that it will probably take a few tries to improve consistently. 

  • Practice kind self-talk. Imagine a friend is telling you about whatever it is that happened – what would you tell them? Now, bring that same compassion to yourself. 

  • Be curious. What can you learn from the situation if you let go of feeling like you need to defend what happened?  

  • Take five. Give yourself the space and time to take a break – do something you love to reset yourself.

Painting of a river rapid with pine trees on the canyon walls and yellow flowers and driftwood in the foreground.

Ahhhh, yes. That’s what I was going for. Why don’t things turn out perfectly the first time?

Once again, thank you from my heart and soul for your support, great senses of humor, brilliant minds, collaboration and what you're each doing to make the world a better place.

Cheers, 


Where in the Virtual World is ConverSketch?

digitally hand drawn agenda with light blue sky, green grass and gray city scape background and black silhouette people with varying abilities around the agenda topics.

An agenda slide designed for a remote graphic facilitation process.

Special Education System Improvement: Remote graphic facilitation with leaders of education systems to improve systems to better support students with differing abilities state-wide. 

A scene from a storyboard work in progress.

Videos: From invasive species to more (award winning!) Drawing Connections to vets and climate change, the ConverSketch studio is humming along in 2022. These videos are still in various stages but I’m excited to share them with you in the coming months!

A New Decision-Making Tool for Your Team

This week’s newsletter is a quick tool I learned of from the Civic Canopy and I’m curious to try – perhaps while graphic facilitating a retreat next week. 

It’s called The Decider App and uses a series of straightforward questions to help you and your team select a decision-making model that best suits your needs. 

Whether you need support from the entire group but don’t have a lot of time, or you’re not even sure you need to make a decision, this tool helps you weigh your options and offers a quick snapshot of how to go about the decision-making process. 

Try it here.

Here are a few other thoughts about good decision-making with groups:

  • Be extremely clear about what’s being decided

  • As a leader, cultivate an environment where people can disagree to invite different perspectives and avoid blind spots

  • And a list of four useful decision-making processes 

Once again, thank you from my heart and soul for your support, great senses of humor, brilliant minds, collaboration and what you're each doing to make the world a better place.

Cheers, 



Where in the Virtual World is ConverSketch?

Friendly Reminder – On the Grand Canyon October 28-November 24: If you missed it, in August we won a follow-up permit to raft the Grand Canyon! I will be out of the office and completely disconnected during this time, so thanks for your patience! If you need a visual practitioner during that time, let me know and I’ll be happy to connect you with someone in my network.

Photo: Spencer Branson.

Photo: Spencer Branson.

UC Davis Orientation: This session on cultivating an inclusive, just, and equitable learning environment at Davis was nourishing and inspiring. The student voices I heard were poised, thoughtful, and supportive, and the resources on campus are top-notch.

ConverSketch_UC_Davis_Diversity_Program__Session_1.jpg

North Texas Local Food Summit: In preparation for the UN Global Food Summit, local community leaders from across public and private sectors came together to discuss and brainstorm how to create a more robust and healthy network of local food for those who are often underserved. 

ConverSketch_UTA_Food_Summit_Panel_2.jpg

How to Co-Create a High Engagement Virtual Event: Best Practices from the ShapingEDU Community

Every time I get to work with the ShapingEDU community, I’m blown away by the creativity and passion of the team at ASU to positively “shape the future of learning in the digital age” as they say. 

Even in a world of remote meetings, ShapingEDU walks the talk to convene for meaningful work driven by the community, which means it’s then carried on afterward? 

So, what best practices can be transferred to YOUR organization? 

For highly engaged virtual or in-person events, let participants guide content. This was done through crowd-sourcing then voting on nine wicked problems facing education in the weeks leading up to the Unconference. 

Minimize talking at, maximize talking with. Most of the three days was spent in working groups focused on the content participants upvoted. There was a framing plenary panel, then off folks went to share their insights and cross-pollinate ideas. 

Provide some structure. These hours-long working groups were guided by community members who volunteered to facilitate them ahead of time, who had knowledge, expertise, and the ability to step back to let the group do the work when it made sense. Each had their own zoom meeting, and participants were encouraged to work together across Slack.

Infuse creativity and play. The opening reception was a ridiculously well-curated Wicked Mystery Party where participants discovered there were self-guided and team-oriented mysteries to solve by talking with characters in different breakouts, exploring clues in different settings online, and working together. Not to mention a graphic recording “ghost” who floated around to capture snippets of the process and offer sometimes helpful hints. 

The base map for the Wicked Mystery Party opening reception. Participants could click on yellow buttons to explore different rooms, looking for clues!

The base map for the Wicked Mystery Party opening reception. Participants could click on yellow buttons to explore different rooms, looking for clues!

Finally, each day was facilitated with reconvening the groups to share ideas and look for connections, patterns, and insights together. These report outs were graphically recorded in real-time and reflected back to the participants visually and verbally for comprehension, memory boosting, and looking for new ideas together. 

Cheers ShapingEDU – you all are truly remarkable and I’m proud to be part of the community!

Once again, thank you from my heart and soul for your support, great senses of humor, brilliant minds, collaboration and what you're each doing to make the world a better place.

Cheers, 

Karina Signature.png

Where in the Virtual World is ConverSketch?

ASU ShapingEDU Unconference: As you may have read above, the Unconference is a lively event. This year, we created quite a few materials ahead of time, including this explainer video on what Black Swan Events are and why we should care!

Communication and Symbioses Workshop: I’m in the midst of graphic facilitating a two-day workshop for a team of researchers exploring connections between microbial symbioses and signaling and communication.

4 Steps to Great Stories (Even if You’re Not Good at Storytelling)

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Have you ever nailed a pitch? I mean, really crushed it? You saw that person you were talking to light up? 

Chances are, you told a great story, quickly, in a way that resonated with your audience.

I get to work with incredible clients with important stories to tell. And…it can be hard. When you’re working with complex stuff, it takes skill to tell a great story in a minute or less (stoichiometry and microbial symbioses, anyone?). 

Almost without fail, “communicating to the public!” is an outcome I hear regularly at workshops I’m facilitating.  Those groups have spent a lot of time getting really, exceptionally good at what they do, which isn’t communicating to the public. Why do those same people expect to suddenly be great at something they’ve never practiced? 

If you’re not partnering with a professional storyteller or communications firm, and you’re ready to level up your storytelling, here’s a technique I taught last year at IFVP’s online conference to help my peers simplify and get confident with their science communication skills. 

The Feynman Technique

Richard Feynman was a physicist and voracious learner. He also seems pretty humble and down to earth. Gotta love those folks. He developed this strategy to improve his own learning, and it’s a killer way to outline your story. 

  • Choose your topic. What’s your story about? I suggest making a mind map of everything you know about it, then…

  • Teach it to a kid.  Three hot tips to help them understand:  

    • Use plain terms, no jargon.

    • Be quick about it, you (probably) aren’t working with a long attention span.

    • Before you start teaching, clarify and write down exactly what you want them to learn. If that’s hard for you to do, you know you can improve. According to the medium article I linked above, “This is also where the power of creativity can help you reach new heights in learning.” Boom.

  • Fill in the gaps and keep learning. Not knowing everything doesn’t mean you’re dumb, it means you’re human. 

  • Organize, simplify, and use analogies. Try teaching that kid again and get their feedback. Make a new mind map. Draw a picture. And keep iterating until it feels simple, clear, and your audience gets that sparkle in their eye that means they GET it!

Once again, thank you from my heart and soul for your support, great senses of humor, brilliant minds, collaboration and what you're each doing to make the world a better place.

Cheers, 

Karina Signature.png

Where in the Virtual World is ConverSketch?

Adobe Creative Campus Collaboration - Summer 2021: Where campuses from around the continent reflect on what’s working, where they want to focus, and how to support creativity in learning for all!

ConverSketch_Adobe CCC Q3_Welcome.jpg

Facilitating Microbiologists: Working on a grant proposal for microbial symbioses in the environment. Here’s a snapshot of the Miro board we worked in over two days to brainstorm, make decisions, and outline a writing plan.

In the Studio: Working on several videos. Here’s a sneak peek of one I just filmed as a trailer for a virtual field trip for the Park Service in Alaska. It’s about climate change, brown bears, and what they eat!

Alaska Changing Tides Video Watercolor.JPG

Arizona HIV Leadership Academy: Supporting the closing of a program reflecting on what they’ve learned and want to carry with them as leaders in the community.

Creating a Proactive Roadmap, Especially into Uncertainty

You know when you hear a word once, then all of a sudden keep hearing it a few more times in the next few days? And it feels like a sign you maybe want to pay attention to that idea? 

I’ve been hearing the word “proactive” quite a bit lately. As we begin to see the light at the end of the covid tunnel, the way our future will unfold continues to feel uncertain. Will we fall back into comfortable patterns of the Before Times? Will we use this time of disruption as a window of opportunity to evolve and innovate? What will the After Times look and feel like? 

As clients I partner with are shifting their eyes to the horizon of the future, approaching in a proactive way sounds good. Doesn’t it? But what does that mean? How can we be proactive if we have no idea how things will look?

I don’t have the answer, but I do have a suggestion: Imagine different scenarios.

Working through a Scenario Planning session doesn’t give us 100% certainty — it DOES provide space to:

  • Think about our deepest fears for the future and get them down on paper to then let go

  • Imagine different potential futures and brainstorm how we might move forward in each

  • Create a foundation from which to adapt with agility as the actual future emerges

Sounds good, yes? But how do you actually DO scenario planning

Working with a professional facilitator to design the process, hold space, and push your group deeper can be a great idea. If you don’t have capacity for that, or want to give scenario planning a try on your own first, here are my tips to get started.

  • Make four quadrants and label them with elements that are important, something like this: Best/Worst, Lots of XYZ/Very little XYZ

  • Fill in your initial thoughts on each scenario — don’t stress, but DO give yourself time to return to this with different perspectives.

Potential questions to think about in each quadrant:

  • What do you have control over? What is outside of your control?

  • What do you feel like in this scenario?

  • Who’s “on your team”/what resources already exist?

  • How likely is this scenario to occur?

  • How would this scenario impact your organization/life? 

  • Are these impacts acceptable?

  • What might you/the organization do to build resilience?

Tips:

  • Allow yourself space to feel and sit in the discomfort of the worst case scenario (lower left in my image above)

  • Then allow yourself to be relentlessly optimistic for the best case scenario (upper right in my image above)

  • If you don’t know what would go in the other two quadrants, that’s okay – this is a starting point

Once again, thank you from my heart and soul for your support, great senses of humor, brilliant minds, collaboration and what you're each doing to make the world a better place.

Cheers, 

Where in the Virtual World is ConverSketch?

Urban Ecology for Positive Futures: Supporting a new, global, and transdisciplinary network of researchers and practitioners exploring urban ecology in different ways. As they begin their journey, defining HOW to work together, and what they might explore for a positive impact.

conversketch_cary_urban_ecology_workshop_6.8.21_green.jpg

University of New Mexico Tech Days: We covered topics from pro cybersecurity tips and suggestions, to creating a positive environment for women in technology, to a reflection from the CIO of the past year and how the organization adapted.

conversketch_unm_tech_days_women_in_tech_panel.jpg

Visual Storytelling for Impact

Conversketches_Impact.jpg

Have you ever worked on a project for multiple weeks, months, years, even? Then when it’s time to report on your work, or a friend asks you what you’ve been up to, you have no idea where to start explaining? 

For the past year, I’ve had the pleasure of working with a team at Boston University convening a network across the country to change health care systems to better support families and children with complex medical needs. 

As you can imagine, this project is complex, full of nuance…and the core team needs to be able to show how they’ve used the funding. A multi-year pilot working with teams across the US…systems and culture change…collaborative innovation…

Yeah. It’s complicated. And it’s a story that needs to be told.

So, we sat down for 90 minutes and the core team told me their story. They told me about what they heard from families, from care providers, from partners. They shared data in the form of lived experience and from tools they developed.  

The result was messy, but the main messages had become clear. Add in a few rounds of revisions, and we had a one-page illustration that could be used to tell their unique story to funders, families, and so others could learn and improve on what they started.

ConverSketch_BU_CMC_CoIIN_AMCHP_Poster_5.10.21.jpg

What did the team have to say?

I could cry with pride and happiness seeing our family engagement work laid out so beautifully and clearly by Karina. Well done…and many, many thanks!
— Meg Comeau, MHA; Boston University School of Social Work

What’s the story you want to share? How might you map it out visually to illuminate the impact you’re making?  

Once again, thank you from my heart and soul for your support, great senses of humor, brilliant minds, collaboration and what you're each doing to make the world a better place.

Cheers, 

Karina Signature.png



Where in the Virtual World is ConverSketch?

TREETIME: In May, I got to co-create with a brilliant group of ecologists, biologists, and other researchers preparing for a large grant proposal. The goal of the workshop was to build a network across fields of study that will explore environmental changes over different time and phenological scales. We created a massive Miro board that the group fully leveraged!

ConverSketch_TREETIME_Miro Board.png

On the River: Yes, again! Last year we got lucky and pulled a permit to raft through Dinosaur National Monument, but the trip was postponed due to the ‘rona. So we got to go this year instead! Unplugged, refreshed, and ready for June! Here’s a watercolor I made on the river a few years ago - looking forward to making some more!

Number Nine, Feeling Fine -- Happy Birthday ConverSketch!

Happy Wednesday! Why so happy?

Yesterday was ConverSketch’s Golden Birthday, so let’s celebrate together with nine insights from NINE YEARS in business with you!

One of the best parts of being a graphic recorder is that I get to listen to fascinating conversations spanning industries and sectors. From climate science experts, to local governments working to solve community issues, to public health leaders ending the HIV epidemic, to supporting just and fair elections, to neuroregeneration science, to visual thinking in middle school classrooms. I get to listen, distill, design, and offer visuals to support these teams working on important issues around the globe. 

What can we learn from each other and apply as we move together through and beyond the pandemic? What are the things I hear over and over, regardless of the topic? 

Today, I’d like to share observations that span these sectors and might offer an insightful new perspective for you, along with process or reflection ideas for you personally, or your team. 

  1. No matter what you do, figure out how to communicate effectively. In nearly every event I graphic record or facilitate, I hear how important it is to bridge between silos or share our story with our audience. But how? 

    Internally across silos: Create a one-page illustration of your mission, vision, values, and goals for the next 1-5 years. Have each leader walk their team through it and do an exercise to help every person see how they’re contributing to the big picture. 

    Externally to your audience: Tell a story that resonates with them! Figure out how what you’re doing solves a problem, fear, pain point, or question they have, and put your audience at the center of the story you’re telling.

  2. Technology is incredible and provides so many opportunities for access and information sharing. But what is the technology supporting or driving? Human connection! It’s tempting to focus on the technology, rather than the process. Instead, define your purpose clearly, keep it front and center, and select tech, tools, and processes that support that purpose.

    Question: Is our purpose to build networks or share learning? How will we do this? What does our purpose NOT include?

  3. Say yes…and say no. Say yes to opportunities that spark energy in you, even if they take you by surprise or don’t initially seem relevant. Say no to things that fragment your attention or offer the trade-offs if you do that something else on. 

    Framing: “My team can work on this, but we’ll have to let go of this other project. Which do you want to prioritize?”

  4. Listening to a podcast recently, this struck me: “The more wrong you’re willing to be, the better your life will be.” This little sentence combined curiosity, vulnerability, and an open heart – tools we can all deploy every day to let go of defensiveness and create a culture of collaboration. I’m going to call this unconditional curiosity. 

    Question: When do you notice yourself feeling defensive? Why? How might you lean into being wrong?

  5. Stand on the shoulders of giants rather than recreating something that already exists. This ties back to communication. When researching a new project, look to different fields to see what has been successful, then adopt new strategies in your own work. 

    Question: Find an example of a company or organization that has successfully navigated a problem you’re working on. What do they do? How can you learn from them? 

  6. Trust yourself and cultivate intuition. There is more and more research showing the connection of the mind and gut through the microbiome. So when you feel something, pay attention, listen, and learn from your body.

    Question: How am I cultivating trusting intuition in myself or my team?

  7. Social and environmental justice are important to a growing population. Make your Why clear and provide opportunities for your people to engage with causes you care about. 

    Question: How do our organizational values support social or environmental work? How do we tell that story clearly to our audiences?

  8. After a powerful retreat, then what? How do you make sure all the focused work keeps momentum? Returning after an awesome meeting (virtual or not), staying focused can be the biggest hurdle. 

    Action: Figure out how to set yourself up for success, whether it’s setting a 15-minute timer, or setting out supplies for creative practice or a workout first thing, or writing down your top 3 priorities the night before so you can jump right in. 

  9. This world is filled with remarkable humans doing incredible things for others and the planet. You matter and have important gifts to share. This year has been…something. And to everyone who has struggled with loneliness, loss, carrying the weight of too many things…You are a miraculous spark of light in the world and I’m so glad you’re here. 

    Action: Give yourself a hug or quick dance break to a favorite jam – you are amazing!

Thank you from my heart and soul for making NINE YEARS possible! With deep appreciation for your support, great senses of humor, brilliant minds, collaboration and what you're each doing to make the world a better place --

Cheers, 

Karina Signature.png




Where in the Virtual World is ConverSketch?

Northwestern Health Sciences University: For the annual Homecoming conference sharing state of the science and best practice in chiropractic.

Northwestern Health Sciences University: For the annual Homecoming conference sharing state of the science and best practice in chiropractic.

Driving K-12 Innovation Summit: Working with the Consortium for School Networking where educators across the globe shared stories, trends, and ideas for the future of learning. They really know how to host online meetings – instead of panels, p…

Driving K-12 Innovation Summit: Working with the Consortium for School Networking where educators across the globe shared stories, trends, and ideas for the future of learning. They really know how to host online meetings – instead of panels, participants were treated to an interactive gameshow style virtual event!

HIV Leadership Academy: Visualizing stories of participant in this year’s Leadership Academy for community leaders working to end the HIV epidemic.

HIV Leadership Academy: Visualizing stories of participant in this year’s Leadership Academy for community leaders working to end the HIV epidemic.

Michigan Climate Action Network: Creating a thank you graphic for Governor Whitmer for her forward-thinking agenda and legislation to protect Michigan’s clean water and climate for the future! 

Michigan Climate Action Network: Creating a thank you graphic for Governor Whitmer for her forward-thinking agenda and legislation to protect Michigan’s clean water and climate for the future! 

Research to Action: What Any Sector Can Learn from GCSE+Drawdown

Why, yes, you CAN have an interactive and participatory virtual conference with over 3,000 participants from all over the world!

Earlier this month, the Global Council for Science and the Environment (GCSE), and Project Drawdown brought together researchers, leaders, and community members to learn, share, and create solutions for people and planet.  

Some of the most powerful insights can be translated to any sector, so no matter who you are, here are a few snapshots from graphics showing what resonated most with the participants over the course of the week: 

Effective communication is more important than ever. To do so, we need to meet people where they are. 

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Listening to and elevating diverse voices we haven’t in the past. At GCSE+Drawdown, there were several Indigenous presenters who openly shared their research and perspectives.

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Networks and partnerships are needed do the incredible things we are called to do. Working together we can fill in one another’s gaps, offer new perspectives, and share resources.

ConverSketch_Graphic_Facilitation_GCSE_Drawdown_Partnerships.png

Complex challenges require creative solutions, which means looking for systems and across disciplines.

ConverSketch_Graphic_Facilitation_GCSE_Drawdown_Systems.png

GCSE always does an excellent job leveraging the graphics I create with them. Last year they created a stunning Global Sights and Sounds page to share the graphics and highlights from the conference. This year we collaborated to create visuals for social media posts before, during, and after the conference. I also made a massive Conference Synthesis map created over the course of the five-day conference. Scroll to the right and zoom out to see the entire thing! 

Once again, thank you from my heart and soul for your support, great senses of humor, brilliant minds, collaboration and what you're each doing to make the world a better place.

Cheers, 

Karina Signature.png

Where in the Virtual World is ConverSketch?

Middle School: Facilitating a series of professional development sessions on using Adobe Fresco with their students as a creative thinking tool. 

Middle School: Facilitating a series of professional development sessions on using Adobe Fresco with their students as a creative thinking tool. 

US Fish and Wildlife Service:  Graphically facilitating a session with regional leaders to analyze how to create an internship system that is inclusive and supports hiring a more diverse and representative workforce. The outcomes will be r…

US Fish and Wildlife Service:  Graphically facilitating a session with regional leaders to analyze how to create an internship system that is inclusive and supports hiring a more diverse and representative workforce. The outcomes will be refined into a strategic illustration which can be used in tandem with the Hiring Barriers and Biases illustration I created last year. 

Strategic Planning:  With a non-profit focused on supporting our democratic process through data-driven approaches. I can’t share the whole graphic, but here’s a snapshot of the title of a session that really elevated the energy levels dur…

Strategic Planning:  With a non-profit focused on supporting our democratic process through data-driven approaches. I can’t share the whole graphic, but here’s a snapshot of the title of a session that really elevated the energy levels during a remote retreat. Remember to celebrate accomplishments and share kudos for your team! 

A Gentle New Year’s Reflections and Visioning Practice

Happy New Year!

In such a monumentally symbolic time of year, especially THIS year, making time to reflect and visualize feels…a little overwhelming. 

What if I don’t have time to do a deep dive? Taking 15 minutes could be exactly what you need.

What if I don’t ask myself all the right questions? The questions you do ask yourself will be exactly right.

What if I’m not creating something deserving of the gravitas of this moment as we depart from 2020? Sometimes simple is the most elegant. 

Which is why I’ve decided to ask myself the same questions I have for the past few years – and share them with you in a fresh design to fill in:

  • What have I accomplished this year? 

  • What am I grateful for?

  • What am I letting go of? 

  • What am I opening up to?

  • What do I want to attract in my life this year?

conversketches_12_visualizing_2021.jpg

For me, taking any amount of time, whether it’s a few minutes or a few hours, around each new year to reflect and focus my energy for the coming calendar year feels powerful and uplifting. Energy flows where attention goes

It’s an opportunity to create clarity for myself among a world of unknowns. It’s creating space to center – that center we can all return to and tap into during the moments of cray cray. 

If you’d like more ConverSketch ideas for New Years visioning, here’s the archive from 20202019, and 2017. If a template feels too prescriptive, check out my favorite tips for creating your own custom vision board.

If you’re ready for a deeper dive, Sarah Firth has created a gorgeous digital download or printed workbook to fill in throughout the whole year. There are even two different covers to choose from and color!

Once again, thank you from my heart and soul for your support, great senses of humor, brilliant minds, collaboration and what you're each doing to make the world a better place.

Cheers, 

Karina Signature.png

Where in the Virtual World is ConverSketch?

Resting  Happy Winter!

Resting  Happy Winter!

Getting ready for the virtual National Council on Science and the Environment + Drawdown next week. The theme is Research to Action and I’m looking forward to seeing researchers and practitioners connecting! 

Getting ready for the virtual National Council on Science and the Environment + Drawdown next week. The theme is Research to Action and I’m looking forward to seeing researchers and practitioners connecting! 

Ready for 2021? Let’s explore how graphic recording can help make meetings better - even virtual ones!