activity book
business writing for youth customers
project transformation
A colleague came up with the idea of creating a booklet of activities to give kids who attend the farmer's market. The original concept was made using clip art and activities found on-line. My colleague left the organization before the projet was completed. Spencer Olsen of Meow Wolf appeared, requesting to volunteer, so the project was re-born.
I started by creating a list of farming and nutrition terms for each letter of the alphabet. Then I found or created an activity for each word, with activities appropriate for different aged youth. The artwork was hand-drawn by Spencer.
Several volumes were planned, but sadly, only one was completed. It's awesome, though. You can download a high resolution PDF below. It prints on 8.5 X 11 paper.
writing
wrote all content
design
art + design by Spencer Olsen (Meow Wolf)
research / planning
facts used for each page
gallery
The deer has economic and spiritual significance in both Choctaw and Scottish cultures. It is the deer that provides sustenance, clothing, and a means of trade. For the Choctaw, the deer also signifies compassion. And both cultures see the deer as a reminder of cyclical patterns, regeneration, resilience, restoration, healing, growth, and guidance.
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And though both cultures hold these ideas of the deer, I chose the name Deer Heart specifically because the Choctaw people embody these ideas. They walked the Trail of Tears knowing they would face hardship and death but they had a vision of health, balance, and rejuvenation for the Choctaw people. They show us what is possible when you are resilient through dark times and develop an ability to quickly adapt to change. A mere 4,000 people survived the walk. But the Trail of Tears did not destroy them. It made them more compassionate and giving. And now they are the third largest tribe in the United States, with over 200,000 enrollees located around the world. Their resilience and adaptability, combined with compassion and love of fellow man, allowed the Choctaw Nation to thrive despite the great adversity they faced.
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I try to follow in my ancestors' footsteps by having my work begin from a place of compassion. My intent is to help small business owners find resiliency and develop strategy that allows them to adapt to change. I want to help members of my community overcome the struggles they face, restore their passion for their work, and develop the tools they need to not just survive dark times, but come out of it stronger.