The latest issue of Australian Options is out. To subscribe click here.
Below is a cartoon drawn to illustrate one of the articles in this issue: ‘Policy in the wake of the banking crisis: taking pluralism seriously’ by Sheila Dow.
As the article states ‘There is a limit to how far economists can understand a complex reality, far less predict the future. But fostering a range of perspectives and analytical methods would make economics much more robust in the face of unexpected developments …’
Health SA’s Tobacco and Mental Illness Project has produced many resources for people with a mental illness – who are more likely to smoke, and smoke more heavily than the general population. For example a study has reported that 60% of people with schizophrenia smoke.
More information and links to some of the resources can be found at: http://www.quitsa.org.au/aspx/mental_health.aspx
and details of the Project at:
http://www.quitsa.org.au/aspx/quit_sa_programs.aspx#6
The resources have used cartoons and graphics to help explain the project’s aims of awareness, practice change and reduction. Cartoons can (I hope!) connect with a reader, empathise, and help them through the text.
Here are some examples.
Stages of Change
The Melbourne branch of the School for Social Entrepreneurs http://www.sse.org.au/ had the evaluation of their 2011 program on November 24th. The 16 participants reflected and shared significant stories with the help of a History Trip Activity.
I was there to illustrate some of the stories in cartoons.
The photographs show the History Trip spreading across the wall, along with stories, notes, jottings and cartoons – a visualisation of the participants’ 2011 experiences.
Below are a few of the cartoons.
Unfortunately there isn’t a solution to the Konigsberg Bridge Puzzle. Such is life, there isn’t always a neat resolution, or one right answer.
Andrew Rixon of Babelfish Group http://www.babelfishgroup.com got me to draw the puzzle for a section of his book Complex Systems: thriving in complexity.
So, if you could cope with having the puzzle in your head for a few hours (or a couple of days in my case) and eventually realising that there was no solution, well, maybe we all are better prepared for other stuff that doesn’t resolve itself neatly. Or maybe not….
Why people keep fish in aquariums QED
Independence Educational Publishers, based in Cambridge, publish resource books on social issues for students. Cartoons are a feature of each issue – usually 15-16 in each book. Three of the four regular cartoonists are Australian: Bev Aisbett, Don Hatcher and me. What does that say?
The Independence website is: http://www.independence.co.uk/
Here are three of my cartoons for the recent Vegetarianism issue.
Free Run Press, South Australian publishing house, produces a range of publications.
http://www.freerunpress.com.au/
One of their magazines, SA Kids (formerly South Kids), launched in 2010, provides parents with practical, up to date, local information about raising children. An ongoing series by John Kruger reports on the highs and lows of being a parent, through the growth of baby Stone. Like the magazine, Stone had his first birthday recently…
Stone's first birthday party
Some of my first cartooning jobs were for publications about ‘disability’ rights, in the lead up to the International Year of Disabled Persons (it would be worded better these days). It was an important learning experience for me. One publication from that time was Into the Streets:
Disability Resources Centre Vic, 1981
The MS Society has a number of ongoing campaigns on a range of issues. Here are cartoons illustrating some aspects. How far have things come since the International Year …?
The 88th and final issue of The Rationalist, journal of the Rationalist Society of Australia, has been published.
The Rationalist has used a number of cartoonists in each issue so, for cartoonists, this is one less opportunity to demonstrate our craft.
Editors are moving on and the cost of publication has gone beyond the financial capacity of the Society. The Society will continue publishing in other ways and on its website.
The 88th Rationalist can be found in news agents; pdfs of earlier issues, and more information on the Society at www.rationalist.com.au
One issue that the Rationalist Society has been strong on has been the Constitutional legality of the Government’s school chaplains program. Here is the cover of the 87th issue:
Here is a cartoon from the last issue, illustrating the article ‘Inside the great Fairfax fiasco’.
Esool Gnah is a character that emerged in a group story in one of Andrew Rixon’s (Babelfishgroup) Fairy Tale Workshops. The story of Esool Gnah can be found in Andrew’s Opening Up: Creative Storying at Work.
Esool was a shepherd who wanted to develop leadership skills among his sheep. Despite working on his own facilitation skills he found it frustrating work …. you’ll have to read the story but a clue to how Esool Gnah learned – after some reflection – to live happily ever after lies in his name.
Esool Gnah inspired a number of full page comic strips, here are a couple of his adventures ….
Simon Kneebone - cartoonist and illustrator 