Reconstructing Vertebrate Specimens with Illustrations

Drawing every life-like detail that I see is challenging, but enjoyable at the same time. After practicing traditional biological illustrations of vertebrate specimens, I also tried reconstructing the skull specimens through illustrations to experiment with the general scientific illustration rule that damaged specimens should be drawn as what they originally looked like. My work does nothing big like investigating paleontological questions, but I find it enjoyable to be able to give people another view of the specimens that they have seen in their labs. My obsession with describing details in my artwork also comes from my intention to want to make the audience notice new things, find a different view, or develop a better understanding of the subject described. I wish for the display of details to be an opportunity for people to try to appreciate more things in their lives that they did not notice before.

Huyck Preserve Artist Residency

The following are works made during the Natural History Artist Residency Program, Community.Environment.ART. The 2-week residency for natural history artists was a collaborative program between the New York State Museum in Albany, NY and the Huyck Preserve in Rensselaerville, NY with a mission of enhancing environmental awareness through the aesthetics of art. Some of the artworks were contributed to the Huyck Preserve at the end of the residency for future publication and exhibition.