CLIENT PROFILE: Anna Geyer
Nearly Two Decades of Trust: How Tools and Support Shape Visual Practice
It was 2008 when I was first introduced to Neuland products. I was about to take on a national contract that involved listening to the experiences of family members who were caring for people living with dementia.
By that point, I had been using visual practice since 1997 to gather the experiences of people using services. We relied on sticking pieces of paper to the wall and gathering people around that space to understand what mattered most about the support and services they received.
But this piece of work was different.
We didn’t know where we would be working. There was no guarantee that the venues would have walls suitable for sticking paper to. And there was a real risk that we wouldn’t be allowed to use the walls at all.
Some research led us to Neuland products.
It felt like discovering a treasure trove. A company that provided products specifically designed for graphic recorders and facilitators.
At that time, my company, New Possibilities, employed six people with graphic recording skills. Until then, we’d been buying educational supplies – classroom box sets of chisel tip felt‑tip pens.
Our first purchase of Neuland products was an LW-X GraphicWall and three sets of pens, that we shared.
We were immediately converted.
The (LW-X GraphicWall) graphic facilitation wall… It was a game changer.
No longer did we need to worry about venues not having suitable walls, or being told we weren’t allowed to stick anything up for fear of causing damage.
It also meant that we could gather people in a space that felt right, rather than huddling in the only place where paper could be stuck. When you’re facilitating conversations that are sensitive, the space needs to feel safe.
The graphic facilitation wall gave us far greater control over that – and completely changed how we worked.
As for the pens, no more classroom box sets of pens for us!
The quality of the inks on paper was amazing. The records we created had far more impact because the colours held strong on the paper.
It wasn’t only the quality of the inks that impressed.
The fact that the pens could be refilled felt genuinely genius. If you’re anything like me, you get attached to the tools of your trade. Being able to top them up, rather than throw them away, felt both practical and respectful of that relationship.
Then I discovered that you could also change the nibs. That discovery is the reason I’m still using some of the pens I first purchased back in 2008.  Can you imagine how many pens have been saved from landfill!
Over the years, I’ve added steadily to that original collection of twelve chisel tip pens. I now own the Neuland No.One® pens in both chisel and brush nibs. The Neuland FineOne® pens in round and brush nibs. The Neuland BigOne®. The FatOne. Acrylic markers. TwinOne pens with various nib options.
In fact, it’s probably fair to say I’m obsessed!
Every time a new product is launched, I feel a very real need to add it to my collection.
The ability to choose the right pen, for the right moment, on the right surface, is part of the craft.
What Neuland offered wasn’t just better pens. It was a system designed around the reality of graphic practice – durability, adaptability, sustainability, and care for the work itself.
As my practice has grown, so too has my reliance on the people who supply the tools I depend on.
In the UK, Inky Thinking Shop have become a leading supplier of Neuland products, and the support they offer has been exceptional. Their service goes far beyond simply processing orders. Nothing ever feels like too big an ask.
At one point, I noticed that castors were available for the model of graphic facilitation wall that I use. By then, I owned three sets of LW-X graphic walls, and it immediately struck me how much this small addition could increase the versatility of our work.
When the castors weren’t listed on the Inky Thinking shop, I made an enquiry. Without hesitation, an order was placed for two sets to be dispatched from Neuland. That level of responsiveness is characteristic of how they work. Orders are often dispatched the same day, and there’s a real sense that they understand what it means to be delivering live work, with real people, in real time.
Knowing that kind of support is there, especially when you need something a little out of the ordinary, brings a quiet confidence to the work I do. I can’t recommend them highly enough.
Today, nearly two decades on from that first discovery of Neuland products, the tools I use remain deeply connected to how I show up in my work. They are no longer novelties or upgrades, but trusted companions that support me to listen well, respond thoughtfully, and help me honour the experiences people choose to share.
What has perhaps changed most is my awareness of how much the right tools, and the right suppliers behind them, quietly shape confidence in the room. When I’m not worrying about whether something will fail, run out, or be unsuitable for the space, I am freer to focus on what really matters: creating the conditions for meaningful, humane conversations.
In many ways, this story isn’t just about pens or walls. It’s about trust, longevity, and being supported to do values‑led work well. And that, for me, remains as important now as it did back in 2008.
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Anna Geyer, Director of New Possibilities
Instagram: @thenewpossibilities
LinkedIn: Anna Geyer
Website: www.newpossibilities.co.uk
