I am a natural science illustrator originally from Grand Rapids, Michigan. I received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Drawing/Illustration from Alma College in 1997, and a Master of Fine Arts degree in Science Illustration from The University of Michigan in 2000. Since then I’ve been a freelance illustrator serving a wide range of large and small clients from around the world. My work appears in numerous publications and museum exhibits. I have also exhibited my work in The United States and Canada.

I create detailed, well-researched, scientifically accurate drawings and paintings of animals, plants and fossils. My specialties are North American freshwater fishes and North American invertebrate fossil reconstructions. Colored pencils or gouache and watercolor paints are my media of choice.

Obviously, the copyright symbols that protect the accompanying images do not appear on the original drawings and paintings. Each work is matted with a white or off-white mat and most have a simple wood frame. The sizes given are for the framed work, not the image.

Artist Statement:
My artwork is realistic, focused on natural history subjects, and informed by science. In creating imagery, my goal is not only to enable identification of a species, explain a concept, or illustrate a behavior, but primarily to invoke an appreciation for the beauty and complexity of nature.
I bring to this goal an affinity for details, a delight in color, a desire for
accuracy, and a tendency to spend a lot of time doing research about my
subjects. My creative process begins with the gathering and organizing of
information. I may spend hours reading, tracking down a preserved museum
specimen or photographing my subject in the wild. Nonetheless, I learn as
much about my subjects from the act of drawing as I do from the research. A careful examination of my subjects is critical to the success of my artworks.