You may remember the first installment of my story (included in the Journal of Natural Science Illustration 2013, number 1). After attending the GNSI Summer Workshop at Pierce Cedar Creek Institute in Hastings, MI, I realized Science Illustration was the career for me. I finished my undergraduate studies at the University of Toronto and enrolled in the Science Illustration program at Monterey Bay. Now on to Part II!

After my time in the Science Illustration program in Monterey Bay, California, I completed two internships—one in the Herpetology Department at the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto, Canada, and the other in the Entomology Lab at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C. At the same time, I worked on a project illustrating an article on cardiovascular health associated with Scientific American and continued to accept commissions and develop my portfolio. That summer, I decided to try to pursue illustrating science in the even more specialized field of medical art. I ended up applying to the MSc in Medical Art program at the University of Dundee, Scotland, after researching a number of schools around the world. With a renowned Centre for Anatomy and Human Identification, the University of Dundee boasted a Queen’s Anniversary Prize for Higher Education—what better opportunity to study and travel to the U.K.? Before I knew it, I was accepted and I was flying across The Pond to my new home for a year. 

The Science Illustration Graduate Certificate Program at California State University, Monterey Bay is proud to announce the 24th Annual Illustrating Nature Exhibit. This renowned show will be held for its 4th year at the Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History. The opening reception is May 3rd from 5-7 p.m. and the show will run through June 16.

This year's 2013 Science Illustration students hail from six countries and have diverse backgrounds in both the sciences and the arts. They have come together with one commonality: a love for the art of nature. Within this broad genre, you will find a variety of subjects. If you love science, nature, and art there is sure to be something you will find captivating, and the caliber of artistry is truly astounding.

Only 15 students are selected for this prestigious graduate certificate program every year ensuring an outstanding level of artistic talent and scientific know how. The major focal point is natural history and students are encouraged to explore any and all scientific subjects of their choosing for which they have an interest. From the four instructors Ann Caudle, Jenny Keller, Amadeo Bachar, and Logan Parsons, the students are taught traditional science illustration techniques, digital media, layout and design, and how to prepare oneself for the professional world at large. Many excellent and intriguing guest speakers throughout the school year provide encouragement and examples on a variety of career paths a science illustrator may choose, including: publishing in textbooks, children's books, science journals, and popular magazines; forensic reconstruction; extinct or prehistoric species reconstruction; fine art exhibiting, illustrating for scientific research; creature design for the entertainment industry; and on the business side: the laws of how to be an artist, and how to protect and conduct oneself legally and professionally.

With a new home at California State University Monterey Bay (CSUMB), the Science Illustration Program is proud to announce its 21st annual Illustrating Nature exhibit. Formerly held at the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History, the exhibit will be making its debut at the Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History on May 8, 2010. Fifteen students from three different countries will showcase their illustrations after nine months of intense work and sometimes little sleep. Their efforts capture the world of nature and science with accuracy and beauty, brought to fruition under the guidance of program instructors Ann Caudle, Jenny Keller, and Amadeo Bachar.

As an alumnus of the program and its current teaching assistant, it has been a joy to see the positive changes to the program that have come about as a result of the move to CSUMB. A larger studio allows more space for students to work, and the proximity to sites such as the Monterey Bay Aquarium, Point Lobos State Reserve, and the Big Sur coast (to name a few) have provided new opportunities for sketching and inspiration. And there is still a coffee shop in the nearby library for that needed afternoon pick-me-up.