Art and design

My 2016 in Pictures!

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In my final Blog post for the year I just wanted to reflect on what a great year 2016 was for me and my new creative business, “Picture your ideas“. My goal this year was quite a simple one, to do what I love and love what I do by picturing ideas with people, teams and organisations. I’m thrilled to say that not only did I achieve my goal but I found so much joy and happiness in new creative endeavours, collaborations and communities. A picture paints a thousand words and these photos certainly show my amazing journey this year, including swimming with whale sharks and hanging out at my favourite place, the sea! This is also a time to thank those who support me in all the creative things that I do (…you know who you are!) and for those out there who support small business. I’m super excited about the new creative collaborations I will be undertaking next year, some of which are very close to my heART, including writing and illustrating my kids picture books about the ocean. Stay tuned as YOU too will have the opportunity to draw out your ideas with me! So join me in 2017, The Year of AWESOMENESS, and “picture your ideas”!

Best fishes always, Sue

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You can also follow my creative journey as my alter ego Dr Suzie Starfish on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/drsuziestarfish/) and @suepillans on Twitter and Instagram.

Picturing your ideas in 2016!

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I can’t believe its almost the end of the year and what a year 2016 has been for me “Picturing your ideas“!! I have thoroughly enjoyed drawing out the ideas, issues and information from a diverse group of people, teams, schools and organisations this year. My graphic recording has also taken me to some amazing and far away places starting in the Philippines, to Western Australia, across regional Queensland to Torres Strait and to my beloved hometown of Brisbane! A BIG thank you to all of my amazing clients and colleagues who were part of my visual journey this year, and for supporting small creative business! I just love putting people in the picture and it’s the people that make my job so enjoyable. And as you can see from all of the smiling faces, graphic recording certainly adds another element to group discussions and helps people to see the big picture. A special thank you to my family, friends and creative (scicomm) community who have continually supported me through my new creative journey. I am so very grateful and proud that I am turning something I love into something I live and I just can’t wait for the next chapter in my story! I have new and exciting creative collaborations planned for next year with 2017 being The Year of AWESOMENESS! So here I come 2017, ready to Picture your ideas!!

You can also follow my creative journey as my alter ego Dr Suzie Starfish on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/drsuziestarfish/) and @suepillans on Twitter and Instagram.

Sea-ing the Science!

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I use visual storytelling to capture and convey people’s ideas, information and discussions and due to my devotion to the ocean a lot of my work this year has included helping people, teams and organisations to ‘sea’ the science — through visuals. I think science communication (or scicomm for short) is critical to the future of our Blue Planet as I believe if people fall in love with the oceans they might be more moved to look after and protect them. I have a very simple philosophy when it comes to good scicomm, keep it simple, tell a hopeful story and use pictures where you can. As picturing science is a very powerful way of communicating, I use a range of different visual storytelling approaches from drawings and paintings, maker spaces and creative science in schools to being actively involved in podcasts, Google Hangouts, interviews and social media. In all of my science communications, despite the topic, I always try to provide positive messages and ocean optimism as in my experience a good story is far more relatable and ‘contagious’ than a bad one. For example, my alter ego Dr Suzie Starfish (https://www.facebook.com/drsuziestarfish/) uses art and science storytelling to share the wonders of our underwater world using inspiration, imagination, illustration and information — and creates science smiles in schools!! Weblinks to my recent scicomm discussions across the globe with Dr Mike, Dr Karen(s) and Dr Paige can be viewed here:

Podcast: http://www.drmikeographer.co.uk/podcast/scicomm-episode-22-interview-sue-pillans/

Google Hangout (ACCELN): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WDJTdtTlKgA

Interview: http://www.fromthelabbench.com/from-the-lab-bench-science-blog/2016/10/5/featuring-a-science-instagrammer-suepillans

You can also follow my creative journey as Dr Suzie Starfish on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/drsuziestarfish/) and @suepillans on Twitter and Instagram.

My Blooming Sci-Art Story

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Once upon a time there was a little girl from regional Queensland who dreamed of being by the sea as she was drawn to the ocean. Fast forward 40 years (yes, that’s my age!) and my sci-art story finds me turning something I love into something I live! So how did I do this and what has science and art got to do with the oceans!? My story starts at the University of Queensland (UQ) in Brisbane, Australia, where I did my PhD in marine science and on weekends I started watercolour painting, of course of all things marine. My time at UQ also included my family as my Dad helped me with every field trip into the mud in the name of marine science and I also met and married my marine science buddy for life, my hubby Dr Rich. The two Dr Pillans’ then graduated with their PhDs in marine science on the same day at UQ, which was quite the event! Over the next 10 years whilst I held numerous different jobs from public policy to industry development and research management I always kept up my marine painting.

Then, 18 months ago I took the plunge and dived into a new career, running my own creative business “Picture your ideas” with Dr Sue Pillans, where I combine my skills as a marine ecologist, artist and strategist to provide a range of creative and visual services as a graphic recorder and creative scientist. My relationship with UQ continues to this day in my adjunct role as a Research Fellow. THEN, to my delight UQ commissioned me to paint scenes of this iconic establishment which I entitled “UQ in Bloom”. An honour to create these artworks as a proud alumni of UQ. So my story shows that art and science certainly complement each other and make it part of your life. As my sci-art hero Albert Einstein says, “Creativity is intelligence having fun“, and I’m certainly having fun with my blooming sci-art life! You can see more of my commissioned artworks here https://drsuepillans.com/artworks/ 

You can follow my creative journey as my alter ego Dr Suzie Starfish on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/drsuziestarfish/) and @suepillans on Twitter and Instagram.

Drawn to Help Hack for Health!

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So here’s something I’ve never done before, participated in my first ever Hackathon and what a hack of a time I had at HealthHack2016! HealthHack brings together motivated people from diverse professional and educational backgrounds together to solve important problems in  healthcare and medical research. I love being involved in collaborations that bring different people together as we all have different experiences and skills to contribute and I thought I could help “draw out” the ideas. And what a GREAT reaction I received from the organisers and participants!

I drew some very quick sketchnotes of the opening 3-minute pitches of the HealthHack teams in Brisbane and their final 5-minute presentations, which were judged by an awesome panel of Women in STEM! Pitches ranged from fighting super bugs and helping the deaf enjoy a cinema experience to tracking antibiotic resistant bacteria and helping those with neurodiversity to navigate our urban jungles. You can see how I pictured the HealthHack ideas and solutions and view the fantastic photos from this amazing event via Flickr; which had so much energy and enthusiasm it was contagious. Thanks for having me, I’m now drawn to help hack for health: https://www.flickr.com/photos/100739735@N06/albums/72157671789329624/with/30363559876/

You can also follow my creative journey via my alter ego Dr Suzie Starfish on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/drsuziestarfish/ and @suepillans on Twitter and Instagram.

Illustrating your ideas!

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I’m having a blast this year creating infographics and illustrations for people and organisations to help ‘picture their ideas’! As you know a picture paints a thousand words and infographics provide an eye catching way of communicating your messages and ideas, particularly complex issues. I’m so lucky to be creating unique pictures for people all over the world covering a wide range of issues from coastal and marine planning, oceans and fisheries, conservation and technology through to knowledge management and sustainability concepts. My infographics and illustrations are also being used in many ways including within international conference/workshop presentations, textbooks, annual reports, websites and journal articles. You can see more of my Infographics & Illustrations and you can contact me via my email at sue.pillans@internode.on.net so I can help you to “picture your ideas“!

You can also follow my creative marine journey via my alter ego Dr Suzie Starfish (https://www.facebook.com/drsuziestarfish/) and @suepillans on Twitter and Instagram.

A life of STEAM!

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I’m just loving living my life of STEAM = Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics! Being able to combine my devotion for the ocean and its science with my artworks and graphic recording is my creative dreams come true! As part of my life of STEAM I’m working with schools, teachers, educators and STEM-delivery organisations to provide input and advice on what I term creative education activities and ideas. I am finding that a more creative approach to science engages with many more students and ‘drawing out the science’ is a lot of fun too!! I am now a STEM role model and mentor and you can view my profiles below and on my website (https://drsuepillans.com/education/). I’m a Women in STEM role model for FabFems, which are women from a broad range of professions in STEM who can help expand girls’ career options, dispel stereotypes and spark their STEM interests! And I have just been profiled as a Queensland ‘STEM in action’ Marine Ecologist and Artist. So check out my profiles to find out how our youth can also lead a life of STEAM and turn something they love into something they live!

My STEM role model profiles: FabFem: http://www.fabfems.org/users/sue-pillans Qld STEM Education Network: http://www.queenslandstem.edu.au/steminaction/marine-ecologist-artist/

You can also follow my creative journey and connect with me via my alter ego Dr Suzie Starfish (https://www.facebook.com/drsuziestarfish/) and @suepillans on Twitter and Instagram.

It’s Whale Shark Day!!

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Today is International Whale Shark Day and what a whale of a time I have had over the last two years getting up close and personal with these gentle giants of the sea. I have been so fortunate to be part of the marine research team for the Ningaloo Outlook project, a strategic research partnership between CSIRO and BHP Billiton, which has been tagging Whale Sharks in the Ningaloo Marine Park. You can follow the tracks of the Whale Sharks by logging on here: http://www.seaturtle.org/tracking/?project_id=1112 Through this project, and my recent work with the University of Southern Queensland and the National Girls Collaborative Project (from USA), I have also had the most amazing opportunity to visit with students and teachers to show STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts & Mathematics) in action by using my graphic recording and art – to encourage creative thinking about our BIG ocean issues. Doing ‘shark art’ with primary school kids, sharing tagging technology with high school students and creating BIG MakerSpaces with teachers has to be the best job in the world on this Whale Shark Day!! You can follow my creative journey as Dr Suzie Starfish on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/drsuziestarfish/) and @suepillans on Twitter and Instagram.

Think BIG, draw BIG and create BIG!

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National Science Week was so full of creative activities for me as I got to graphically record, draw and create BIG MakerSpaces with people! I got this amazing opportunity by working with a couple of inspiring women of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts & Mathematics), Karen Peterson the CEO of the National Girls Collaborative Project in the US and Dr Lindy Orwin of the University of Southern Queensland (USQ). My alter ego, Dr Suzie Starfish, facilitated her very own MakerSpace at USQs beautiful Toowoomba campus, with teachers and researchers. The MakerSpace was all about creating BIG thinking for our Living Oceans, by focusing on the biggest shark in the sea, the Whale Shark. The science and technology of tagging Whale Sharks was discussed, along with putting the “A” in STEAM by working with participants to create a life-sized Whale Shark on the glass walls of the MakerSpace! We then discussed ways that science and technology helps protect and manage BIG ocean species and how MakerSpaces could be more girl-friendly when focusing on these BIG STEAM issues. As you can see from the photos there was a lot of BIG FUN and CREATIVITY happening in this MakerSpace for our Living Oceans!

You can follow my creative journey via my alter ego Dr Suzie Starfish on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/drsuziestarfish/) and @suepillans on Twitter and Instagram.

The ART of Science!

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I’m SUPER excited to be part of National Science Week as I will get the opportunity to use my passions in life, art and science! I will be helping to picture how we can create the future for girls’ ESTEAMME (Entrepreneurship, Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics, Maker Education) in rural, regional and remote Queensland. My alter ego Dr Suzie Starfish (https://www.facebook.com/drsuziestarfish/) will be making an appearance to draw out the science of some of our BIG ocean issues. I will also have the amazing opportunity to graphically record a series of exciting presentations and discussions on STEAM outreach and education to rural, regional and remote learners, especially girls. I will be working with two incredible women, Dr Lindy Orwin from the University of Southern Queensland and Karen Peterson the CEO of the National Girls Collaborative who is visiting from the United States. A BIG thank you to Dr Lindy for this amazing opportunity! YOU can join in to the program of events http://goo.gl/hfyvpM, with some being streamed live. You can follow my creative journey via Dr Suzie Starfish on Facebook and @suepillans on Twitter and Instagram.