Lucy Bellwood on Ocean Science Education with Cartoons

October 4, 2020

The 20s will see more from artists like Lucy!

On this episode of the Beach Shack (recorded on New Years Day), Tyler sits down with Lucy Bellwood at his favorite beach shack in Ventura, CA to discuss the power of cartoons in education, in particular in the areas of science and maritime culture. Lucy is a professional Adventure Cartoonist, author, and educator based in Portland, Oregon. Her work brings enthusiastic tales of exploration to thousands of readers online, in print, and in person.

At 17, Bellwood fulfilled a lifelong dream of becoming a sailor by joining the crew of the tall ship Lady Washington. Three years later she fell in love with making comics at the Center for Cartoon Studies in White River Junction, Vermont and began aligning her passions for art, storytelling, and the natural world.

Since then, Bellwood has brought humor, generosity, and an irrepressible lust for life to a wide variety of projects. Her comics are often written and drawn in the field, leading to immersive snapshots of tall ship sailing and cutting-edge ocean science. Her first graphic novel, Baggywrinkles: a Lubber’s Guide to Life at Sea, collects educational stories from her time aboard the Lady Washington. The book received a starred review from Publisher’s Weekly and opened the door for a new generation of mariners to find their place at sea.

Learn more about Lucy at lucybellwood.com.

Show Transcription
This transcription was generated by a computer. Please excuse any errors.
R. Tyler Buckingham

R. Tyler Buckingham is the Director of Content and Production for Coastal News Today and ASPN. Before launching CNT/ASPN, Tyler worked with Peter A. Ravella Consulting, where he created coastal funding solutions for beach communities. Previously, Tyler worked at Rooftop Comedy where he served as the video and sound editor. In 2013, Tyler worked with Ken Burns' documentary film production company, Florentine Films, where he worked on projects including The Roosevelts: An Intimate Story; I Can't Stop Loving You, a documentary about country music; The Address, a documentary about the recital of the Gettysburg address on its 150th Anniversary; and Vietnam. Tyler also worked on the Ken Burns mobile app, which was released to critical acclaim in 2014. From 2009 to 2012, he was a monitoring and evaluation consultant in the field of international economic development with the U.S. Trade & Development Agency. Originally from Ojai, California, Tyler grew up going to the beaches of Southern California and credits time spent in the tide pools with inspiring an early interest in marine biology and coastal systems. Tyler is the co-host of the American Shoreline Podcast and the host of the Beach Shack Podcast on coastal real estate.