Illustrating Nature
We are excited to partner with CSU Monterey Bay’s Science Illustration Program and the Arts Council for Monterey County to bring Illustrating Nature back for another incredible year at the Museum!
Join us for a special opening on 5/17 from 6-9pm, and see the show on display from May 17-June 16. Check back here on May 1 to see a sneak peek of this year’s incredible work, and come to the Museum in the meantime to explore Beyond Illustrating Nature, a rotating exhibit of program alumni work!
Brynna Reilly (she/her)
@brynna_illustrates
@brynnareilly
B.A. (Environmental Studies, Education and community outreach concentration)
Cal State University Monterey Bay, Monterey, CA
I have always been intrigued by the natural world and growing up in the Monterey bay area has allowed me to have many fantastic experiences in nature. I began seriously pursuing art in college and the classes I was able to take allowed me access to expand my knowledge, skills, and passion for art.
I began exploring scientific illustration at the end of my undergrad experience at CSUMB. My undergraduate work allowed me to pursue the unique field of environmental studies. Through the wonderful projects in my major studies I was able to forge connections between environmental education and the application of scientific illustration. Now, through the course work and various opportunities and projects in the Science Illustration program, I hope to grow my comfort and skills in freelance and commission science illustration work.
Tessa Wells (she/her)
B.S. (Communication Arts and Design: Studio Art and Wildlife Biology, Minor in English)
Lees-McRae College, Banner Elk, NC
I want to capitalize on the relationship between art and science, in order to showcase the wonder of the natural world.
For me, photography was the first step into this connection. Going to school in a biodiversity hotspot, I spent my free time outside of sports and class out in the field photographing wildlife. I learned how to better identify species, and trained my eyes to pick up on minute details within an organism or landscape. As a visual learner, being able to reference my own photographs and experiences with an organism has helped me to better visually communicate a subject within my artwork.
Education and educating about the natural world is very important to me, and the visual outlet art allows science is instrumental in communicating concepts to a wider audience in a beautiful way.
Margaret Gleason (she/her)
B.S. (Biology concentrating in Ecology and Evolution, Minor in Chemistry)
Saint Mary's College Notre Dame, IN
I have always been drawn to observing and expressing what I see through a visual medium. In my studies and research experiences, drawing out the concepts and diagrams was the best way for me to retain the information and communicate the information to those around me.
My main focus in college was Ecology and Evolution specifically studying animal behavior and bioacoustics. I studied bioacoustic behavior in Northern Short-tailed shrews. Through trial and error, I designed and developed protocols for trapping, care, and data collection. I was also fortunate to be a part of travel abroad programs to Ecuador and Belize, and participated in an internship working in the field in Wisconsin. In each of these experiences, I was inspired to visually communicate what was around me to others.
I am thrilled to continue to pursue my two passions, science and art, in this program.
Parker Wong (he/him)
@pkwongs
@wongs_draft
B.A. (Indigenous Studies, Printmaking, Animation)
The Evergreen State College, Olympia, WA
I started drawing from a very young age. Going to museums as a child I was always equipped with a pencil, watercolors, and a sketchbook. While I have been making art since before I can remember, I didn't really grow to love it until My final years of high school when I discovered printmaking. I was raised by an architect, so my favorite drawing tool is a ruler.
In College I gravitated towards classes that incorporated both science and arts. I strengthened my foundations in watercolor, and developed skills with colored pencil and ink. While I am not as well versed in digital media, I have used it extensively for creating designs for serigraphy (screen printing).
I am obsessed with learning how things work, and am looking forward to learning new approaches to drawing.
Emma Regnier (she/they)
B.F.A. (Fine Art) and B.S. (Environmental & Sustainability Science, Biological Sciences minor)
Cornell University, Ithaca, NY
Whether wandering the halls of the Field Museum of Natural History or searching for eagle eyries in the Snake River canyon, I’ve found joy in my curiosity for nature. I love creating engaging and stylized science illustrations that capture the charisma of a chosen species and invite the viewer to learn something new.
I’ve been a field ornithologist studying Golden Eagles in the high desert of Idaho for the last three spring seasons. Art has always been central to my identity. After years of moving around for seasonal biologist jobs, I’ve filled dozens of sketchbooks with drawings and field notes from stints at research stations across the country. Illustrating the wildlife I study enables me to share my observations and the research’s significance with a wider audience.
Arin Vasquez (they/them)
B.A. (Fine Arts, Spanish Minor)
University of San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
All my life, I have loved the natural world. My dad is something of an amateur naturalist, and he taught me everything he knew (and when he didn’t know something, he helped me find it out). Art has been a lifelong passion, too – about as soon as I could hold a pencil, I was drawing. To be honest, I’m amazed that I didn’t stumble into the field of scientific illustration sooner. In college it started to click – this could be the focus of my career: I could be the person making the displays I used to marvel at in museums or the artwork I pored over in science textbooks. I want my art to be the point of entry for anyone and everyone who wants to learn. In my opinion, that’s what it’s for – science is the room beyond, but art is the door.
Ken Naganawa (he/him)
https://linktr.ee/ken_naganawa_
M.S., B.S. (Biological science, Animal ecology)
Tokyo Metropolitan University, Tokyo, Japan
From a young age, my interest was to play around in nature and to draw anything I was interested. I studied animal ecology in the University. The phylogenetic class was the first time to know about science illustration, and I found out that it could be an ideal job for me.
In Japan, problems with exotic species and environmental issues are severe, but some people doesn’t even recognize the problem. Visualizing the scientific evidence will help people to understand and would allow me to contribute to the society.
I was born and grew in Japan, but lived in New York for 3 and a half years during elementary school days. I am also in the middle of studying English, it would be great to have conversations with everyone.
Lauren Richelieu (she/her)
B.F.A. (Illustration, Sustainability Minor)
Massachusetts College of Art and Design, Boston, MA
I grew up along the coast of Maine, where I spent most of my childhood outdoors creating potions out of muddy water and weeds, and hunting down little salamanders that make their homes under piles of dead leaves. It was in these moments that my interest in the wilderness flourished.
For me, nature and art have always gone hand in hand. Merging these two curiosities became a way for me to process and communicate with the world around me. Driven by a desire to represent natural history in a realistic and compelling way, my portfolio consists of careful renderings of life and death unfolding in the wilderness.
I aim to pull inspiration from the environment surrounding me to create meticulously rendered visual narratives of scientific subjects and vanishing ecosystems. My love for living things and my desire to protect them is what drives me to work as a scientific illustrator.
Josie Nelson (they/them)
B.A. (Psychology, Forensic Entomology)
University of California, Davis, CA
Wildlife and art have always been my two loves. Outside of school and work, I am usually hanging out with animals or making art of animals for my own enjoyment. A career in science illustration never occurred to me until I was studying entomology at UC Davis and realized how much I enjoyed taking detailed anatomical notes on the insects.
I'm especially fond of ""creepy crawlies"" — the more different it is from a human, the more I'm into it. Convincing others to feel the same way can be a difficult task. To inspire widespread compassion and respect for the natural world (and its weird-and-wild inhabitants), and to facilitate a healthier relationship with our planet, I believe art is the most effective tool available. My goal as a science illustrator is to create inclusive educational media that will connect people to nature.
Christina Weatherford (she/her)
B.S. (Biology - Ecology Emphasis, Environmental Studies Minor)
University of San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
My experiences in fieldwork have provided me with opportunities to see firsthand the incredible resources and organisms we share space with. However, those experiences have also shown me the peril they are facing – habitat degradation, invasive species, pollution, and climate change to name a few. I believe myself to be incredibly lucky to have been able to see what I have, and I am aware many people do not get to do the same.
The knowledge I gain from researching, conducting management work, and existing alongside certain environments and species leads directly to the inspiration for depicting these systems in a way where others can understand what I find so special about them, and why I believe conservation efforts should be encouraged and supported.
Evelyn Lam (she/her)
evelynlamtsyu.com
@evelyn_tsyu
BFA (Illustration)
School of Visual Arts, New York, NY
Born and raised in Hong Kong, coming to a foreign country to study has only made me realise the extent of my appreciation for the natural world, and where my true interests lay.
I believe that science communication and the power to convey factual information deserve their own place in world of fine arts and are worthy of similar levels of appreciation. Art has always been a means to understand and communicate knowledge to the world, and science illustration has proved to be the ultimate combination of two of my favourite things. The unique power of this field to combine the love for the niche and beautiful, while still being accurate, is hard to replicate elsewhere. Through my practice, I hope to be able to work with people of all backgrounds to communicate and share this appreciation.
Haley Grunloh (she/her)
haleygrunloh.com
@HaleyGrunloh (Twitter) @haley.s.grunloh (Instagram)
BFA Film (Animation)
Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, NY
Growing up I had a real fascination with animals–drawing them was my way of studying and finding a deeper appreciation for them. While earning my animation degree and in the years afterwards, the natural world has continued to be a strong source of inspiration.
For the past eight years I have worked for New Haven’s library system, where amongst a range of other duties I’ve taught observational drawing to both children and adults. Outside my work at the library, I’ve worked on a variety of illustration projects; mostly fanciful art aimed at children, but several that were communicating scientific concepts. Working on these was a wonderful, rewarding process for me; they helped to focus my interest in science and gave me a sense of purpose.
My goal is to refine my craft, and to work on more projects that can make complex topics accessible to a general audience.
Amanda Konishi (she/her)
www.akonishi.com
@amkonishi
@fruitnotanacorn
BFA
School of Visual Arts, New York, NY
Interpreting the world around us is a way of better understanding our place in the environment. An important version of self-awareness is possible through a deeper understanding of the world outside of ourselves. I believe that visually interpreting these relationships helps to guide us through current and future climates.
I draw on the natural world as a form of curiosity and awe of our environment and the organisms that inhabit it. I’ve spent time immersing myself in different biomes having spent years between the East and West coasts, getting to know relationships within regionally unique natural communities. I am pleased to be able to continue to foster a symbiosis between art and science, and to share the spark of joy that comes with drawing in the field, learning the character of a new species, or simply encountering a surprising moth on the asphalt.
Fengwei Zhang (he/they)
B.F.A. (Fine Arts)
School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL
The Brainscoop is an educational YouTube channel that sparked my interest in natural history. It was hosted by Emily Graslie: a wonderfully nerdy and enthusiastic science communicator who made engaging and informative content.
I studied art when I was young and continued art studies in college. It was in college that I discovered science illustration as a career. I took scientific illustration classes at the Field Museum in Chicago and was fascinated by the collections of dead animals; whether they are skins, rocks, or in jars. After graduating, I moved to Boston and started volunteering at the Harvard Museum of Natural History. I engaged with the public and developed science communication skills while learning from passionate and knowledgeable museum educators. After volunteering for over 500 hours, I formed deep bonds with my museum colleagues and gained a wealth of experience.
I want to share my curiosity the same way Emily and museum educators did with me. I believe science is not about the absolute truth, but about the daring search for pieces of many puzzles that may never be complete.
Liz Edwards (they/them/theirs)
B.S. (Biology with Cognitive Neuroscience Concentration, Chemistry and Psychology minors)
University of Denver, Denver, CO
For me, it started with a love for science and medicine; a love for examining all systems before my eyes, constantly asking questions to learn more. In undergrad, I would sketch and draw to study for my biology and anatomy classes, and found myself loving art just as much as science. I was inspired by the opportunity to blend the two fields, and sought out freelance work in medical illustration. I then spent time working at Denver Botanic Gardens, which broadened my interest and knowledge into botanical illustration pursuits as well. Growing up in the Pacific Northwest, and then living in Colorado, has made me an avid outdoors-person, and I spend as much time outside, in relationship with nature, as I can. I seek to promote a sense of place and inspire awe in nature through documenting native plants, animals, and other natural systems. I have found my passion in life-long learning and hope to bring more space for accessibility and inclusion to the scientific world through sharing knowledge, experiences, and beauty.
Monica Loncola (she/her)
monicaloncola.com https://www.theispot.com/mloncola
BFA (Studio Arts)
Rosemont College, Bryn Mawr, PA
I'm fascinated with the biodiversity of the natural world. As a child I spent my summers at the ocean’s edge collecting shells, bones and artifacts of nature. I drew intuitively and studied art formally at the university level. I’ve kept journals my entire life documenting my travels and experiences through drawings and annotations. I'm especially passionate about how nature survives cycles of life and death in harmony, destruction and interdependence. Whenever I look into a microscope, I see the potential for a detailed illustration and an abstract painting simultaneously. Science Illustration is the perfect marriage of the two disciplines. My intention is to bring to the viewer through my unique perspective, knowledge of the world around us through accurate depictions of a situation or process. Combining science and art is the perfect platform to move forward with my passion to educate and convey how life forms, sustains, and decays all in keeping a profound balance for the sustainability of our planet.
Nyssa Prowell (she/her)
B.S. (Natural Resources)
Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR
Growing up in the Pacific Northwest made it easy for me to engage with the natural world and care about the wild places right outside my door. Over the past decade I have mainly worked and studied in the natural resources field, experiencing many unique ecosystems first hand. This path led me to clearing trails in the Montana backcountry, restoring riparian areas in Washington, and pursuing science undergrad studies in Oregon.
Years ago when I first heard about science illustration as a career I was fascinated, and I knew that my curiosity about this field was not going to go away. The pull to create art from what I see and feel outside has been a constant in my life, and it’s how I connect with the places around me. As a science illustrator, I want to bring others into that same space of curiosity and connection with the natural world.
Karin von May
(she/her/hers/ella)
www.karinvonmay.com
@karin.von.may
B.A. History
University of California, Berkeley, California
Her illustrations are tributes to the transcendent beauty of her current muses: the flora and fauna of California's rich Elkhorn Slough. Currently, a CSUMB science illustration graduate student, von May's perspective and art practice reflect the influence of her upbringing in Oakland and her family connection with Peru's Andes-Amazon montane forest.
Von May attended the Oakland School for the Arts under the tutelage of painter Josh Keyes and graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, with a B.A. in history. She spent the past few years in Tucson, studying biology and ecology while illustrating plant-animal partnerships of the Arizona Upland Sonoran Desert. Her artwork is in service of biodiversity conservation and is utilized in research publications, educational materials, and exhibitions.