By Margaret Schell 

I f you’re a visual learner, Brittany Curry (’11) — AKA “Inky Brittany” — has your back. 

A self-proclaimed “graphic recorder,” Curry creates illustrations in real time during presentations and lectures. Her work is shown to audiences as a companion to speeches, highlighting main themes and messages. 

“Seeing graphic facilitation live is so powerful and irreplaceable,” Curry said. “Watching people's reactions while integrating visual communication into their thought process feels so good.” 

Curry was honored earlier this year alongside nine others with a Georgia College & State University Alumni Award, recognized for significant contributions to her field and community. 

When Curry is hired to graphically facilitate a presentation, she either showcases her designs digitally or on large-format paper situated behind a speaker. 

“My illustrations are a democratizing way of ensuring many voices are heard,” Curry said. 

Picture This 

Whether professional or personal — Curry can illustrate almost anything. 

“I love seeing someone’s emotions brought to light when they tell a special story and don’t expect someone to create an image of it,” she said. “It’s inspiring how the power of image transcends another level of understanding.” 

Curry’s illustrations have been used to help award major grant dollars to nonprofits like Healthy Savannah, a public health initiative. In 2016, Curry created a visual to accompany the city’s application for a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. It broke the application down into three visual sections, which outlined the city's vision, challenge and strategy, and the new perspective contributed to the city securing the funding. 

Last year, Curry traveled to Boise, Idaho, to help settle a 14-year class-action lawsuit regarding Medicaid eligibility. 

“That was a high-stakes lawsuit,” she said, explaining how she documented consumers’ feedback visually. “It was an honor to use graphic facilitation as a necessary tool for this long process.” 

Mostly, Curry works with nonprofits at conferences, retreats and more. She has created artwork for the Department of Education, disaster response initiatives, violence-reduction campaigns, small businesses and large corporations. 

“The Keurig-Dr. Pepper merger was the crown jewel of my career,” Curry said. “The company brought me to its headquarters in Burlington, Massachusetts, to describe the merger to the HR staff at this huge corporate event.” 

She also illustrates for the annual TEDxSavannah event. 

“Georgia College gave me the ability to view complex problems from a variety of angles and solve them,” said Curry, who celebrates her 10-year anniversary this year. “Every day I apply critical thinking with an emphasis on civic and public service.” 

Curry has served as chair of the Chatham-Savannah Citizen Advocacy Board and executive director of Oconee Area Citizen Advocacy. Today, she serves on the Georgia Citizen Advocacy Advisory Committee, Administration for Community Living, Association of University Centers on Disabilities and Rotary Peace Builders of Savannah. 

Header Images: "Inky Brittany" Curry ('11) won the College of Arts & Sciences Alumni Achievement Award earlier this year. (Photo: Anna Gay Leavitt) Curry works with municipalities, corporations and nonprofits to document and illustrate events, meetings and even legal arguments. (Photos: Brittany Curry)