Over one-hundred people packed the 5-Points Theatre on July 19th for PK Jacksonville’s 14th volume. If you’ve never heard of it, Pecha Kucha (Puh-cha-ch-kuh) was originally developed in Japan, hence its meaning: “chit chat”. Devised by Klien Dytham architecture as a method of helping artists get to the point, this is a presentation format that rotates 20 slides that last for 20 seconds each.

6 presenters were invited to share their passions, projects, or stories.

Our host, Jeff Knapp (humanities professor from FSCJ) kicked things off with introducing Jessi Bruton to the stage.

Jessi presented on her emerging business venture: Bruton’s Macarons. She explained that macarons are a delicate, labor-intensive treat from France. And after she experienced them overseas, she couldn’t wait to tackle the challenge. Now Bruton’s Macarons come in a variety of flavors and colors. Contact Jessi to experience one of these little pieces of heaven.

Jim Ward & Stephanie Soden were up next with a tandem presentation on Networking: the not so dirty word. They shared their stories of making friends and getting involved in the community— a positive take opposed to those who attend events purely for personal gain.

Tayloe White took the stage with a presentation on how she discovered the connection between artistic engagement and neuroplasticity. For those of you that slept during Biology… that means the more we stimulate our creative side, the more we bolster the processing power of the rest of our brain. Essentially… art makes you smart!

Birdie Birdashaw came up next with his presentation on his experiences as a comic artist. He showed us the process from his very first comic, to what he’s known for today. Birdie is also a haiku enthusiast that brings his passion for poetry into his comics. He also draws for Urban Jax and other online publications.

Tommy Hobin wrapped things up with presenting his findings on internet trends. As an Internet Marketer with a Masters in his specialty, we all believed him when he said there was one thing that has emerged as a mecca search term on the internet: Cats. After his breakdown of Cats vs. Bacon on social media sights, I’m sure we’ll never look at the internet the same.

The night ended with the special Improv Pecha Kucha – in which four brave volunteers take the stage to give impromptu presentations with slides they’ve never seen before. The volunteers did a fantastic job and left the audience in stitches.

Pecha Kucha Jacksonville would like to thank the 5 Points Theatre team for being such a spectacular venue. Jeff Knapp for being a terrific and entertaining host. Jenny Kubiki for creating the stunning Pecha Kucha 15 poster. Also our 6 wonderful presenters for sharing their time and inspiration to the crowd. Katie Smith for taking such beautiful photos, and the rest of the PK Volunteer team that made this event possible.

Keep an eye out for the next Pecha Kucha in September!

Contact Stephanie Soden if you’d like to be a presenter or volunteer!

~Steph, Membership Co-Director