Cal State Monterey Bay (CSUMB) science illustration master’s students’ artwork is currently being displayed at the Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History. “Illustrating Nature” features detailed illustrations of various creatures and organisms.
Framed illustrations are displayed in a salon style, offering museum visitors a full-scale view of students’ original works. Ranging from Canyon Wrens delicately sitting on vibrant manzanita branches to a trophic cascade housing animals in their natural habitats. The exhibit offers lively and colorful illustrations of all kinds of nature, both alive and dead.
Jacob Bettencourt, a student in the illustration program displaying “Bird, Poop, Snail” (gouache on cold press), says, “Science illustration differs from other art processes as there’s usually an emphasis on accuracy and research.”
These accurate depictions of nature combine art and science to create observations of nature. “A huge part of the creative process for me involves researching a lot about the subject. I tend to learn a lot of information about the organism(s) that won’t even make it into the actual artwork, but it’s all a part of the process,” Bettencourt said.
Yet, not all the art featured in the exhibit can be referred to as scientific illustrations. Bettencourt uses the term “sci-art” to describe the combination of scientific illustrations that take creative liberties within the subject or composition. “Isolation” (ink on paper) by Rushi Twade features a tiger with an unnaturally arched back that is disrupted by a paved road through its midsection. The piece comments on how deforestation and pollution affect wildlife through its jarring composition.
See all these amazing illustrations and more at the Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History, located on 165 Forest Ave. The “Illustrating Nature” exhibit will be held until June 15. The museum is free for Monterey County residents, so make sure to bring your student ID or driver’s license.
