Illustrations Only

The Challenge:

I had the opportunity to create a diagram of a geological feature I had visited a number of times. With some background in geology, I understand the lingo and can transform a professional geologist’s sketches and terminology into a clear rendering. This image is installed on a panel designed by Acorn Group in Anza Borrego Desert State Park.

Jenny Rigby, of Acorn Group, engaged me to illustrate several aspects of life in a particular tribe before contact. Contact quickly altered tribal life in innumerable ways. The challenge was to gather enough of the important details still remembered—from the meanings of facial tattoos to the distinct way women of a particular tribe held the grinding stone—in order to be as faithful to the old ways as possible.

The Result:

Creating illustrations for other interpretive designer’s projects not only gives us the opportunity to support her or his endeavors but also expands our knowledge of the world and gives our team—artist, editor, anthropologist, scientist, historian—an opportunity to dive deeply into a theme.