Believe it or not, Camp Sketchapod started as a regret between two friends! The co-organizers, Brian McCornack and Erin Hodgson, studied together at University of Minnesota to earn their doctorates in Entomology. When looking back at their graduate experience, they continue to regret not taking the Scientific Illustration of Insects class taught by Ralph Holzenthal who has since retired.
Fast forward in time, McCornack and Hodgson find themselves at Jacki Whisenant’s scientific illustration workshop where they are reminded of their regret. Whisenant didn’t know it, but their workshop would be the catalyst our co-organizers would need to finally right the past all those years ago. The team began ideating a 3-day camp experience that not only allows for deepening campers’ skills and perspectives when it comes to scientific illustration, thinking, and communication but also a fun, diverse environment! Armed with their plan, they enlist the talents of two bug-tastic artists, Whisenant and Hailey Shanovich. With camp instructors acquired, Camp Sketchapod was born!
