The Grand Brainstorming – Alex Hogue, BRDD Illustration 2026

Hello! I’m super excited to update! Over the past couple of weeks, I have gotten into a good rhythm with The Grand Adventure; I’ve learned a lot more about the organization and its various programs, and I’ve been brainstorming what form my project should really take!

I’ve made quite a few smaller illustrations over the past weeks and explored visual communication related to my interests in scientific illustration, but I haven’t quite felt like my work was as impactful as I wanted it to be. So, I’ve started really thinking about the organization’s program and what might make a tangible impact in the program and the children’s experience. What has really stuck out to me is the impact that can be made through the act of art making itself…  

The in-person programming hasn’t quite begun yet for the summer, but “Boundless” has been in full swing. Boundless is the virtual pediatric program with interactive patient-directed experiences and flexible programming that support children who are unable to travel due to ongoing cancer treatment. This program involves partnering with various local organizations based in Jackson Hole and Yellowstone such as the National Elk Refuge, Avalanche Dogs, The National Museum of Wildlife Art, and much more. For kids who may be “bound” to their hospital room or home due to treatment, this program is incredibly accessible.

However, even though this program is quite engaging with the interactive staff who guide the children through the virtual experience, there are certainly limitations to this virtual format, and I’ve been brainstorming ways to make this program more interactive and hands-on for the kids. Inspired by one of the children who spontaneously decided to create an illustration of the wildlife during one of the Boundless sessions (see pic in my last post), I’ve come up with the idea to create some sort of coloring book that relates to the Wyoming landscape and topics of the programming. I think art can be a powerful tool, and this way, the children can engage with the program more actively and even continue to engage with it once a session is over!

Another exciting thing I was able to be a part of was celebrating one of the kid’s final cancer treatments! I was able to meet her on the Boundless sessions, and she has been a part of The Grand Adventure programs for the past couple of years. It was so exciting to see the impact that this program has had on her and the network of people in the organization who care about her and have supported her throughout the years. To celebrate the end of her treatment, she chose her favorite organization to do a special celebratory program just for her! She chose the Teton Raptor Center, which makes sense because she knows so much about raptors!! (meanwhile I didn’t even know what a raptor technically was before this… but it is a bird of prey, like hawks, eagles, falcons, and owls) Anyway, I once again learned so much! But to celebrate, I made a little raptor illustration for her, which she loved – again art can make an impact.  

I look forward to continuing being a part of The Grand Adventure this summer and working to bring art to their amazing programs!! I will be traveling to the mountains for the in-person program– Inspiration Point– this week, and I look forward to updating with everything I see and do and exploring how this might shape the work I create in the future!