6:30 to 7:00: Networking and refreshments

7:00: Program

Abstract:

What I've learned from 50 years of trying to explain a variety of things (some of them pretty complicated) to a variety of audiences.

Bio:

Born in England, Nigel Holmes studied illustration at the Royal College of Art in London and then freelanced for magazines and newspapers for 12 years in London before moving to New York in 1978 to work for Time Magazine. He became graphics director and stayed there for 16 years.

At Time, his pictorial explanations of complex subjects gained him many imitators and a few academic enemies who thought he was trivializing information. But he remains committed to the power of pictures and humor to help readers understand otherwise abstract numbers and difficult scientific concepts.

Since 1994 he has run his own business, Explanation Graphics, explaining all sorts of things for a variety of clients. These have included American Express, The Smithsonian Institution and United Healthcare. He also does graphics and illustrations for publications such as Scientific American, National Geographic and the New York Times (including a series of drawings about the Higgs Boson that won a gold award at Malofiej in 2014).

In 2009, the Society for News Design gave him its Lifetime Achievement Award. Retrospective exhibitions of his work were shown at Stevenson University, Baltimore in 2011, and in Munich and at Ohio University in 2016.

He has written eight books on aspects of information design, including Wordless Diagrams, in 2005.

With his son Rowland, Holmes makes short animated films. Clients have included the TED conference, Fortune Magazine conferences, Good Magazine and the National Geographic Society.

Volunteers Needed:

Two attendance takers: Come a half hour early and take attendance.

One videographer: A camcorder will be provided and someone else will edit and upload the video.

Please reply to Naomi Robbins if you are willing to help in either of these positions.