I was born and raised in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains in the small town of Grass Valley, California. I grew up in a house that encouraged and delighted in scientific exploration. In addition, I developed a strong affinity for the arts and was always working on new creative projects. Inspired by natural beauty and the love of being outdoors led me to Santa Cruz, California for college.

The dilemma of deciding whether to pursue a degree in the arts or in the sciences had me conflicted until I discovered the Natural Science Illustration program. When I stumbled on a show of the work from students of the UCSC program, I knew then what I wanted to do, not to choose between my love for arts and sciences, but to pursue both! With this epiphany, I obtained my Bachelor’s of Science degree in Marine Biology from the University of California Santa Cruz in 2005 and then came up the coast to attend the Natural Science Illustration program offered at the University of Washington Extension.

Upon completing the program at the UW, I feel very prepared for what the future may bring. I have effectively learned to use graphite, carbon dust, pen and ink, colored pencil, and watercolor mediums from the incredible instructors involved in the UW program. I very much enjoy the challenges a new kind of artwork presents. I feel that with my scientific background, I am a viable candidate for an assortment of projects, whether it is educational, research-based, or for fine art purposes. I would love to work on projects that help educate and raise awareness to the public about the importance of science and conservation.

I have been very lucky in my young life to have had the opportunity to travel to multiple continents. Gathering photographic references from Australia and Europe has made for a unique gallery. I had the exciting opportunity to attend marine biology classes at the James Cook University in Townsville, Australia. Being in such a beautiful place, and having such a great opportunity to study the marine life on the Great Barrier Reef so closely inspired me to write a senior exit essay comparing the Great Barrier Reef to another gorgeous place, the Monterey Bay. The focus was on sea anemones and their coloration. I compared the use of color on a dozen sea anemones in each location and applied color theory to the ecology of each area. I found that the median of colors used by sea anemones is higher in the Great Barrier Reef region than the anemones in Monterey Bay. These differences seem to have developed due to different light attenuation levels and the background colors that are prevalent in those environments. The Great Barrier Reef is a more colorful, coral dominated background than the green and brown kelp dominated background of the Monterey Bay. Although colors vary amongst individuals, the general color patterns are meant to coincide with the backgrounds, and the light availability to show these colors, to ultimately blend into the environment. I illustrated this project as well. My faculty advisor Dr. Pete Raimondi gave me a great review. He stated that my combination of science and art was the single most unusual, interesting and creative senior exit essay he had ever read.

The form and function of the natural environment has always fascinated me. Being able to combine what I learned in my marine biology college career and translating it into the arts is a dream come true.