This winter and spring have been a swirly of painful turbulence and mundane apathy. We’re farther from each other than we’ve perhaps ever been, slowly going blind from constant screen time, paradoxically numb and on fire with anxiety, and desperate for meaning behind any glimpse of interaction we do encounter. Or maybe I just need some sun. All this to say: finding hope and optimism has been a challenging scavenger hunt filled with booby traps. And it’s been all consuming.
Thankfully, temps are rising, my J&J vaccine happened more than two weeks ago (woot woot) camping doesn’t feel like a sentence to hypothermic death, and fishing is back. a few projects have been keeping me going as well, and I’m excited to share some exciting glimpses into what’s ahead:
the Credit River in Ontario is vulnerable to residential and industrial development. Native brook trout use this watershed for spawning, and a sewage treatment facility threatens this sensitive environment. Here’s a page created for the local Trout Unlimited chapter to raise awareness through education.
ECOSYSTEM COLORING: after spending most of my childhood watching things grow and live in the woods, I know observation and education is key to understanding the interconnected ways of our world, and access to these spaces is not always straightforward. In winter months, my mind regularly travels back to watersheds I’ve explored in the warmer seasons, and being able to represent those complicated ecosystems on paper has been a great way to stay connected and share knowledge. As such, ecosystem coloring pages are being added to the growing coloring book project, and hopefully bringing families together to learn about these delicate environments and their inhabitants. Here’s one:
BRANDED COLLABORATIONS: stoking the fire of others is a favorite past time. I’ve been gifted with the opportunity to serve as visually-inclined cheerleader to a few local entrepreneurial projects here in Maine, spanning queer-affirming birthing practices to heart-guided agricultural projects. It’s a friggin blast, and a wonderful opportunity to flex muscles across illustration styles and guide definition of branded identity. While our collaborations are fluid and evolving, here are a few snippets of process that have been particularly fun:
FISHY FUN: revisions to educational resources and illustrated components to support group events is always on the back burner. Thankfully, a few elements were pulled to the font as gatherings in 2021 look more and more feasible, especially in outdoor spaces.
A few simple illustrations have been added to Confluence Collective resources such as a beginner’s questionnaire for gear needs, and branded elements spanning spin casting to fly fishing now grace event materials for the Outcast Camp Out, taking place August 5-8th.
STRIPERS: following along with their east coast migration, I’m working with a group of guides and scientists to advocate for more mindful fishing interactions and call for more research on fishery population. Living on the coast of Maine has meant lots of time surfcasting to stripers and riding the tides through tributaries. I’m infatuated with striper fishing. I’m also very aware of how disconnected slot limits are from state to state, and know the perception of bass being tough fish has resulted in less than gentle handling on many occasions.
COMISSION FUN: this one is taking a w h i l e to come together. Thankfully those receiving this piece are flexible, and as more migratory birds make their way back to the north, details are coming together. Here’s a sneak peek at a favorite element, which might also give a sense of who else will show up in this natural scene.
These are just a few of the many balls in the air. I’m looking forward to more visual projects, storytelling opportunities, and even some editorial work coming up — more on that later. Until then!