Wander Mag

40 CREATIVES FIND INSPIRATION IN ISOLATION
SUMMER 2020

the first half of 2020 has been challenging
for everyone. People who make their living
doing something creative are among those
most heavily impacted by a quickly changing
work landscape, instability, stifling
fears and a soul-sucking lockdown.
As an antidote, we invited some of the
most talented people we know – who also
happen to be women – to contribute to a
magazine about finding inspiration during
the pandemic.
What follows is a collection of musings
from our stellar group of illustrators,
designers, photographers and fine artists
from around the world.
We're hoping you'll find their work as
inspiring as we do!
Suzette Moyer
Sara Quinn
Kris Viesselman
Cover illustration by Cristina Byvik.

Wesley Allsbrook | California

Jing Li | China

Joanna Grochocka | Poland

Melissa Lyttle | Washington, D.C.

Bethany Bickley | Georgia

Ellen Weinstein | New York

Haika Hinze | Germany
INSPIRATION
We count among the many women working in the creative departments at the weekly newspaper DIE ZEIT.
Of the approximately 30 full-time employees in the art, photo, editorial design and infographics departments, two-thirds are
women. We’re a great team and we inspire each other.
SOURC ES OF
MALIN
KATRIN
DOREEN
ANNE
LYDIA
HAIKA
M
ECHTHILD
MELANIE
SINA
ANNETT
F
RANZI
J
UTTA
DELIA
J
ULIKA
VERA
J
ULIA
LARA
ANJA
J
OHANNA
AMELIE

Gabriela Salem | Argentina

Kris Viesselman | Minnesota

The persistence of voice • It began with 8 minutes and 46 seconds of earth-shattering sounds – the sounds of George Floyd and witnesses to his killing pleading for his life. This piece
addresses how that voice gave birth to others raising their voices, by showing protesters’ faces within the waveforms of the audio of Floyd’s last moments. And now, the protesters’ voices
perpetuate the process. They are prompting others to speak up, self-examine, and have deep, nuanced conversations about what the future of race should look like.
May-Ying Lam | Texas

finding new perspectives on the same old thing.
Nicole Dudka | New York
the color palette of our apartment. where we are all of the time now.
living room bedroom deck kitchen bathroom
home office,
also new home gym

Susana Sanchez | California

Nuri Ducassi | Florida

Sherry Peters | Connecticut

Cristina Byvik | California

Regina McCombs | Minnesota
If you have to wear a mask ...
it might as well be fun
I started making masks early on
as a stress-reliever, then decided
to challenge myself to make them
from materials I had at home.
These are functional masks with
filter pockets and a nose wire,
from a U of M pattern (natch).
Long-forgotten scarf found in a drawer
Dress that’s just a little too low cut for comfort Scarf hand-dyed by a close friend Favored dress with sleeves that always annoyed me Cute top, but sequins? So not me. Loved the lace, tho.
Top left: The base is a scarf, then I started playing with top stitching.
I made about five versions of this. It isn’t my favorite, but it photographed
best.
Immediate left and far right: Homer Hankies from Twins World
Series runs. Right: It was fun to play with the idea of bandanas, even
if they came from scarves.

Katie Viesselman | Minnesota

Adriana Bellet | Sweden

Nora Paul | Minnesota
Van Gogh, “Olive Trees”
Alcohol ink on dried gourd.
Mosaic on stucco garage wall.
Jean Trumbo, 10’ Mural
Dry needle felting.
Colored pens on paper.
Dry needle felting.
Emma, my muse
Do I come up with my own original images and ideas?
Do I find inspiration in other artists’ work?
Do I work in one particular medium and perfect my skill?
Do I have a muse that inspires and energizes my work?
Antoni Gaudi, Park Guell
Do I look to other artists for their approval?

Monica Edwards | California

BLUE DOORS | CARRIE GEE
Carrie Gee | New York
hen I think about what inspires me...so
many things come to mind. The small
W
mirror-ball on my dresser that catches
the light just right in the afternoon to
turn the room into a sunshine disco-tech. Finding
faces and hearts in the sidewalk, imagining
how they came to be. Learning to play guitar,
marveling at the music your hands can make. A
fresh baked Dutch baby coming out of the oven
like a magical breakfast-y orb. The flower market
in NYC transforming the floral district into a tiny
forest before the sun comes up.
But I think the most consistent way I find
inspiration involves awareness and appreciation.
How the little things I see over and over contain
magic and are in themselves — treasures.
Blue doors have always been one of those things
for me. So many doors are black or brown or red
or white. When I see a bright blue door, I am filled
with joy and my imagination takes flight. Who
painted the door blue? What’s behind the blue
door? Do the people who live there love it as much
as I do? And how many can I find? I am inspired
by the possibility of the story lines and that creates
a kind of magic I can inject into work, life and
everything in between.
How many blue doors will you find today?

Sawsan Chalabi | Washington, D.C.

THE
REBECCA RAN
BAY RIDGE
BROOKLYN BRIDGE PARK
MADNESS
RUN COMPLETE
TWO BRIDGES BROOKLYN + MANHATTAN
LONG BEACH
KRISTIN LENZ
RUNNING
RAN MORE MILES
NOTES
REST DAY
CEMETERY LOOP
TWO BRIDGES WILLIAMSBURG + MANHATTAN
PROSPECT PARK / PERIMETER
RANDOM ROUTE
WILLIAMSBURG
THROUGH
IRENE RAN
RED HOOK
PARKSIDE
THE
REBECCA RAN
BAY RIDGE
BROOKLYN BRIDGE PARK
MADNESS
M T
KRISTIN LENZ
RUN COMPLETE
W T
F
RAN MORE MILES
CEMETERY LOOP
TWO BRIDGES BROOKLYN + MANHATTAN
S S
NOTES MARCH 13: Breonna Taylor is TWO shot BRIDGES to death in WILLIAMSBURG her home by plainclothes + MANHATTAN
police.
LONG BEACH
200 MILE CHALLENGE BEGINS
RANDOM ROUTE
MARCH 2
The now-unoffical New York City Half-Marathon
M T W
T F S S
MARCH 2
M T
M T
MARCH 11: My office at 7WTC/NYC announces a positive COVID test and we begin working from home.
W T
F S S
200 MILE CHALLENGE BEGINS
W T F S S
MARCH 13: Breonna Taylor is shot to death in her home by plainclothes police.
M T W
MARCH 20: Gov. Cuomo officially announces “New York is on pause,” and our shelter in place begins.
T F S S
M T
W T
F S
S
The now-unoffical New York City Half-Marathon
MARCH 11: My office at 7WTC/NYC announces a positive COVID test and we begin working from home.
16
M T
W T F S S
M T W T
F S S
MARCH 20: Gov. Cuomo officially announces “New York is on pause,” and our shelter in place begins.
M
T
W T
F S
S
23
APRIL 6
M T
W
T F S
S
M T W T
F S S
The “virtual” Allstate Hot Chocolate 10k
30
M T
W T
F S S
M T
W
APRIL 15: NYC confirms 8,021 new COVID cases, its’ single-day record. APRIL 19: 1,221 people die in one day due to COVID.
T F S
S
APRIL 6
The “virtual” Allstate Hot Chocolate 10k
M T
W T
F S S
13
APRIL 15: NYC confirms 8,021 new COVID cases, its’ single-day record. APRIL 19: 1,221 people die in one day due to COVID.
M T
W T F S S
M T
W T F S S
20
M
M T
W T F S S
T W T F
S
S
Originally scheduled to run the Yosemite Half Marathon with a group of friends
M
Video of Ahmaud Arbery being shot to death while running on Feb. 23, goes viral. So we #runwithmaud.
The now-unoffical Brooklyn Half-Marathon
W T F S S
27
M
T
T W T F S S
+ Irene completes 200-mile challenge
Originally scheduled to run the Yosemite Half Marathon with a group of friends
M T W T F
S
S
M
T W T F S S
Kristin Video completes of Ahmaud 200-mile Arbery challenge
being shot to death while running on Feb. 23, goes viral. So we #runwithmaud.
The now-unoffical Brooklyn Half-Marathon
M
T W T F S S
11
M T W T F S
S
+ Irene completes 200-mile challenge
M
The killing of George Floyd, 8 minutes, 46 seconds.
T W T F S S
18
M T W T F S S
Kristin completes 200-mile challenge
463: The number of people killed by police, so far, in 2020
25
M T W T F S
S
M
T
W
T F S
S
The killing of George Floyd, 8 minutes, 46 seconds.
JUNE 1
M T W T F S S
M
463: The number of people killed by police, so far, in 2020
JUNE 13: Black Lives Matter 5k. Grand Army Plaza to City Hall
T W T F S
S
2,455,351
COVID CASES
M
The Supreme Court upholds law that gay and transgender workers are protected from workplace discrimination.
T
W T F S
S
M T W T F S
S
119,226
289.07
COVID DEATHS
MILES
JUNE 13: Black Lives Matter 5k. Grand Army Plaza to City Hall
317.06
MILES
JUNE 26: 30 days of continuous peaceful protest throughout the five bouroughs.
199.40 MILES
M T W T F S
S
15
2,455,351
COVID CASES
The Supreme Court upholds law that gay and transgender workers are protected from workplace discrimination.
22
M T W T F S
S
119,226 COVID DEATHS
Kristin Lenz
289.07
| New
MILES
York
317.06
MILES
JUNE 26: 30 days of continuous peaceful protest throughout the five bouroughs.
199.40
MILES
MAY 4
MAY 4
JUNE 1
9
16
9
23
30
13
20
27
11
18
25
8
15
8
22

Deborah Withey | Wales

Gayle Kabaker | Massachusetts

Tonia Cowan | New York

Amy Ning | California

Color is a power which directly influences the soul. — WASSILY KANDINSKY
Sara Quinn | Minnesota

PH
—
—
13
03
20
—
Anna Thurfjell | Denmark
TION
INSPIR-
Photo of glove Charlotte Dahl | Illustration of cross Erica Jacobson
| Typefaces Caslon Ionic & Brunel by Commercial Classics.

Suzette Moyer | Washington, D.C.

Marta Sevilla | Spain

Dian Holton | Washington, D.C.

Marysia Machulska | France

CRACKING THE
INSPO
CONUNDRUM.
Julie Elman | Ohio
Words + illustrations by Julie M. Elman • @joodlesbyjulie
Always drawing, always doodling — that’s what
I love to do. Through teaching and doing, here’s
what I’ve gleaned over the years, about this
elusive thing we all crave: inspiration.
Ready. Set. Go. Working with a prompt and a time limit can be
freeing and result in the unexpected. Above is an excerpt from a larger piece I created, working with the overall theme “the ties that bind.”
Look.
There’s so much out there. It can be overwhelming.
When seeking inspiration, I take note of when my
inner creative self lights up. I curate and tuck away the
good stuff I find. Photos, illustrations, type treatment,
packaging, you name it. Anything goes.
Reflect. Make. Repeat.
Tapping into my initial instincts is important when on the
hunt for inspiration. Sometimes, though, I find it useful
to take a more user-experience approach and imagine
purpose, intent, and audience on any given piece I’m
curious about. I ask myself “why?” a lot.
The cliché of “just do it” always comes in handy here.
Staring at a screen, or mulling it over (whatever that “it”
might be) till I think something is ready to be created
means there’s a damn good chance it won’t happen.
So I make stuff — the good, the bad and the ugly.
Practice is where the rubber meets the road. If I don’t
continue doing and making, I lose momentum. When I
keep at it — without waiting for inspiration to strike — I
find myself getting more confident with sharing works in
progress. “Repeat” is the antidote to perfectionism.
It’s my party … When it comes to creating my own stuff,
I like what I like. I try my best to keep the “shoulds” at bay.
Work it out. Sketching helps to jumpstart my process.
I made the drawing, above, in a doctor’s waiting room.
Nope! I don’t suck, and neither do you. Don’t think about
“making Art.” Think: ideas, expression, process.
Precious? No thanks. I sketch on whatever’s around:
a napkin, scraps of paper, wood. It’s all good.
♥
Some bits of inspo: @artist_mikef_msdt (insta) • Hobonichi Techno cousin (planner) • @messengerbird (insta) • @qme_creative (insta) • “Death Wins a Goldfish” by Brian Rea (book) • “The Creative Habit” by Twyla Tharp (book) • @thenearsightedmonkey (insta)

Isabel Espanol | France

I CAUGHT A GLIMPSE of the bins piled high in my
guest bedroom closet. I could see silver, gold and
glitter spray paint cans through the plastic of the
bottom container. My tailored golden, blue and red
satin Wonder Woman cape was strewn across the
top of the highest one.
In New Orleans, almost everyone has a
costume closet. If not a full closet, there will be
a chest or boxes in a spare room, shoved under
a bed or in the attic. Inside, you’ll find bodysuits,
spray paint, jewels, feathers, wigs and random
props such as fins, alien antennas, tangles of
LED lights, random material, fake flora and fauna
(sometimes live). In this city, you never know when
you’ll need to whip something together for a party
or parade.
By the end of March and through May, I was
losing track of the days. My existence boiled down
to working, sanitizing, eating and sleeping (even
if for a few hours). It was no different for many
journalists working during the pandemic in hot
spots all over the world. We were covering the start
of a global disaster, documenting frontline workers
and funerals amid an economic collapse.
The sight of those bins a month or so after
Mardi Gras and weeks into the pandemic was
jarring. New Orleans had transitioned from a time
of indulgence, connection and life, to an empty
city, shrouded in uncertainty, fear and death. I
thought of all the money I spent on what in that
moment felt like frivolous things just weeks before
so many would die.
Two months later, I’ve been able to slow down
a bit, process and reflect. I’ve done my best to
settle into this new world, and I can look back at
Mardi Gras with fondness and less shock. This city
encompasses the best and worst of humanity;
its rich cultural beauty is interwoven with deeply
rooted systemic inequalities and divides, which
the pandemic is laying bare just as Hurricane
Katrina had done.
For all of the pain endured by the people of
this city, healing has always been manifested in
expressions of music, art, faith and togetherness.
We can’t do that fully right now. And I know it may
be a long time before we have any semblance
of how things were. But I’d like to believe that
someday we’ll find our way back to dancing in
the streets with strangers and sweaty cheek-tocheek
embraces with old and new friends without
reservation or fear. I’m gonna hang on to that hope
for now. And my bins.
Kathleen Flynn | Louisiana

Nicole Medina | Pennsylvania

Jennifer Orkin Lewis | New York

Lucy Lacava | Quebec

Lisabeth Mertins | California

Index and bios
01
Wesley Allsbrook | California
Wesley draws and writes for fun and
profit. Find her work at
wesleyallsbrook.com.
@wesleyallsbrook (insta & twitter)
02
Jing Li | China
Jing works as a freelance illustrator in
Beijing. Find her work at jinglistudio.
com and marlenaagency.com/
jing-li-illustration.
@i_am_jingwaa (insta)

03
Joanna Grochocka | Poland
Joanna is an illustrator and visual
artist, specializing in editorial and
book illustrations. Find her work at
marlenaagency.com/
joanna-grochocka.
@joanna.grochocka (insta)
06
Ellen Weinstein | New York
Ellen is an award-winning author/
illustrator whose books include
Recipes for Good Luck and Yayoi
Kusama: From Here to Infinity for
MoMA. Find her work at
ellenweinstein.com.
@ellenweinsteinilloz (insta)
@eweinsteinilloz (twitter)
04
Melissa Lyttle |
Washington, D.C.
Melissa Lyttle is a D.C.-based
photojournalist. She is also a
goddamn cheetah. Find her work
at melissalyttle.com.
@melissalyttle (insta & twitter)
07
Haika Hinze | Germany
Haika is the art director at Die Zeit,
working with super creative designers,
picture editors and infographic
designers. She is always looking for
innovative ideas.
@haikahinze (insta)
05
Bethany Bickley | Georgia
Bethany is an illustrator/designer who
is inspired by color and texture; she
believes it is all about detail. Find her
work at bethanybickley.com.
@b.b.creates (insta)
@bethanybickley (twitter)
08
Gabriela Salem | Argentina
Gabriela Salem is an illustrator,
designer, visual artist, writer and
university teacher in Buenos Aires.
Find her work at gabisalem.com.ar.
@gabitasalem (insta & twitter)

09
Kris Viesselman | Minnesota
Kris is a creative director, designer,
editor, illustrator, painter, singer and
traveler. She can usually be found in
Minnesota, California, Washington,
D.C. or Oslo.
@krisv (insta & twitter)
12
Susana Sanchez | California
Susana has been an art director/
visual journalist for 22 years.
When she became a mother, she
started creating art inspired by
her culture. Find her work at
thedesigningchica.com.
@thedesigningchica (insta)
@designingchica (twitter)
“The persistence of voice”
It began with 8 minutes and 46 seconds of
earth shattering sounds — the sounds of
George Floyd and witnesses to his killing,
pleading for his life. This piece addresses how
that voice gave birth to others raising their
voices, by showing protesters’ faces within
the waveforms of the audio of Floyd’s last
moments. And now, the protesters’ voices
perpetuate the process. They are prompting
others to speak up, self-examine and have
deep, nuanced conversations about what the
future of race should look like.
10
May-Ying Lam | Texas
May-Ying is a freelance photographer/
creator. She was previously a features
and magazine photo editor at The
Washington Post. Find her work at
may-ying.com.
@mayyin9 (insta & twitter)
13
Nuri Ducassi | Florida
Nuri is an art director and illustrator
who has led award-winning design in
some of the top newsrooms in the U.S.
and Canada. Her work appears in the
Minneapolis Star Tribune.
@nducassi (twitter)
11
Nicole Dudka | New York
Nicole is a freelance art/design
director who can frequently be found
exploring the city on her bike. Find her
work at nicoledudka.com.
@nicoledirectsart (insta)
@NicoleDudka (twitter)
14
Sherry Peters | Connecticut
Sherry is a family documentary
photographer and a former
photographer and photo editor at the
Hartford Courant. Find her work at
sherrypetersphotography.com.
@sherrypeters_photography (insta)

15
Cristina Byvik | California
Cristina is the graphics director at The
San Diego Union-Tribune. She lives in
Encinitas with her husband, son and
golden retriever.
@byvik_ink (insta)
18
Adriana Bellet | Sweden
Adriana (aka Jeez Vanilla) is an
illustrator in Stockholm who delights
in drawing spirited faces and painting
colourful spaces. Find her work at
jeezvanilla.com and marlenaagency.
com/adriana-bellet-illustration.
@jeezvanilla (insta & twitter)
16
Regina McCombs | Minnesota
Regina McCombs teaches visual
journalism at the University of
Minnesota, after working in radio,
newspapers, television and the
Poynter Institute, and is a freelance
photo editor.
@reginajmc (insta & twitter)
19
Nora Paul | Minnesota
Nora is a recovering college
professor, early adopter, wannabe
artist but mostly crafter, infomaniac,
and firm believer in things that can't
be seen.
@npaul (twitter)
17
Katie Viesselman | Minnesota
Katie is a senior graphic design and
photojournalism student from Bethel
University in St. Paul, Minnesota.
@katievdesign (insta)
20
Monica Edwards | California
Monica Edwards, a resident of
Silverado, finds inspiration for her
art in the local coastal sage scrub and
chaparral.
@medwards610 (insta)

21
Carrie Gee | New York
Carrie is a colorful lady. She loves cats,
caffeine, creativity. She is also a senior
design editor at the New York Times.
Find her work at carriegee.com.
@carrielynnegee (insta)
@cgee (twitter)
24
Deborah Withey | Wales
Deborah is an artist who believes in
people and treasures and tells stories
made of paper, pixels, paint, and
natural finds. Find her work at
cheeseandpickles.carbonmade.com.
@deborahwithey (insta)
@cheeseanpickles (twitter)
22
Sawsan Chalabi |
Washington, D.C.
Sawsan is a Lebanese-American
illustrator. Music and musings in
nature are her #1 go-to source for
inspiration. Find her work at
schalabi.com and marlenaagency.com/
sawsan-chalabi.
@schalabi.illustration (insta)
These days of being home even more than
usual, I often find inspiration on my walks.
Sometimes it’s light reflecting off the trees,
how the wind blows the tall grass, and often
I pick wild flowers on my way home and paint
them, as I’ve done here. Painting flowers is
usually soothing for me. I am inspired by the
shapes of the flowers and leaves, but not
trying to paint exactly what I see.
25
Gayle Kabaker |
Massachusetts
Gayle is an award-winning painter,
writer and visual storyteller. Traveling
to paint and draw is a big part of her
life, and she uses her sketchbook to
document her life. Find her work at
gaylekabaker.com.
@gaylekabaker (insta & twitter)
23
Kristin Lenz | New York
Kristin is a runner. She runs products,
she runs people, she runs this city and
she runs the world. Find her work at
kristinlenz.com.
@kristinlenz (insta)
@klenzdesign (twitter)
26
Tonia Cowen | New York
Tonia is an artist who lives in the city
and works at the Wall Street Journal.
She draws people because "You're all
really interesting."
@teeceeto (insta)
@ToniaCowen (twitter)

27
Amy Ning | California
Amy is a Long Beach-based artist,
born in Tokyo. She immigrated to
Los Angeles in 1972. Find her work
at amyning.com.
@amyningvisuals (insta)
@amyning1 (twitter)
30
Suzette Moyer |
Washington, D.C.
Suzette is a senior design editor at
The Washington Post. She is lucky to
have worked with many of the women
in this magazine. She likes all kinds
of flowers.
@scmoyer (insta)
@suzettemoyer (twitter)
28
Sara Quinn | Minnesota
Sara is a designer, illustrator, educator,
researcher who is easily distracted by
wonderful visual things. … Look! Isn't
that beautiful?
@saradq (insta)
@saraquinn (twitter)
31
Marta Sevilla | Spain
Marta works in Madrid on her
colorful and quirky illustrations. Her
focus is editorial illustration, children's
picture books and illustrated book
covers. Find her work at martasevilla.es
and marlenaagency.com/marta-sevilla.
@martasevilla (insta)
@martasevillaart (twitter)
29
Anna Thurfjell | Denmark
Anna is a Swedish news design
consultant living in Copenhagen. Her
passion is developing type and identity
for news and magazine brands. Find
her work at annathurfjell.com.
@annathurfjellstudio (insta)
@annathurfjell (twitter)
32
Dian Holton | Washington, D.C.
Dian is an art director at AARP, artist
and stylist. Her background includes
fashion, footwear design publishing,
philanthropy, and travel. Find her
work at dianholton.com.
@dianholton (insta & twitter)

39
Lucie Lacava | Quebec
Lucie, based in Montreal, is a design
consultant for Lacava Design Inc.
She is a part-time lecturer at UQAM
University and a self-proclaimed
photographer. She loves blue.
@lulucrezia (insta)
40
Lisabeth Mertins | California
Lisabeth is a career commercial
illustrator for books, magazines and
newspapers. Recent years find her
loading her kiln or creating a
watercolor. Find her work at
lisamertins.com.
@lisabethannm & @mertinsillos
(insta)
Credits
Founding editors
Sara Quinn, Suzette Moyer, Kris Viesselman
Production assistant
Katie Viesselman
Creators
A million thanks to all the contributors for
donating their beautiful work.
Type
We used these typefaces, designed by
women: Abril Fatface, Lusitana & Signika.
(The logo is derived from Ziggurat italic by
Hoefler&Co.)
Future projects
If you have an interest in
participating in a future issue of Wander,
please message us at:
WanderMagazineInfo@gmail.com.
Note: The creators maintain the rights to their own artwork
outside of this project's context.