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.
As in the past, this year’s students found their way to the program through various experiences and educational backgrounds. Most are continuing their education from undergraduate studies and work experience in biology, environmental science, anthropology, and computer science. Others have gone on to earn masters degrees in areas as diverse as archaeology and molecular biology. This range of experience leads to a vast array of illustration subjects chosen by the students throughout the year. Walking through the classroom and seeing an illustration of domestic pests next to one illuminating the internal workings of a hot air balloon is not uncommon!
Preparing students for careers in the field of science illustration, the program covers topics ranging from portfolio preparation to copyright law. Graduates come away with a unique skill set, broad portfolio, and confidence in their abilities to translate science into visual terms. Upon graduation, internships follow at institutions such as American Scientist magazine, the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology, the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama, the American Museum of Natural History, Glacier National Park, and Fungi magazine, to name a few.
This year, work will be shown by Arianna Bruno (Lousiana), Danza Chisholm-Sims (California), Cynthia Clark (California), Annette Filice (California), Kirk Gao (Virginia), Kathryn Killackey (California), Jane Kim (California), Eva Langhorst (Germany), Kristin Link (Vermont), Liza McElroy (Vermont), Sarah McNaboe (California), Angela Mele (Florida), Brandon Melendez (California), Christie A. Newman (Georgia), and Adriana Ocana (Puerto Rico).
The exhibit at the Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History will surely attract UC Science Illustration Program Exhibit Zebrasnout Seahorse and Coral by Annette Filice, ink on scratchboard avid fans as well as new appreciators of science illustration. Seeing the original work in person inspires awe at just how amazing science is… and at the illustrations that show it to us!
Exhibit open from May 8 to June 5, 2010
Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History, 165 Forest Avenue, Pacific Grove, CA. Phone: (831) 648-5716. Hours: 10 am–5 pm Tuesday—Sunday. Admission is free.
Demonstration of Illustration Techniques: Saturday, May 15, 10 am–2 pm.
> Hummingbird and trumpet vine by Christie Newman, gouache and graphite on illustration board.
> Garter snake eats fence lizard by Danza Chisholm-Sims, ink on scratchboard.
> What’s in an owl pellet? by Kristin Link, gouache on paper
> Zebrasnout seahorse and coral by Annette Filice, ink on scratchboard
> Cashew nut, Anacardium occidentale by Jane Kim, watercolor and colored pencil on illustration board
> Identifying Agrocybe praecox by Angela Mele, watercolor, gouache, and colored pencil on illustration board.
> Mole in the garden by Eva Langhorst, acrylic on illustration board