Lynette Cook, widely known as an astronomical illustrator, has returned to fine art painting in recent years.

A child of the Midwest, Cook moved South for college, receiving a BS in biology and a BFA in drawing and painting from Mississippi University for Women. After graduating with a MFA from the California College of the Arts (drawing, with a specialization in scientific illustration), she became the staff Artist/Photographer for the Morrison Planetarium, California Academy of Sciences, and her astronomy career was launched.

Via freelance work and subsequent self-employment Cook worked with researchers and science educators at the forefront of scientific discoveries. Among them is Dr. Geoff Marcy, an astrophysicist who, with his collaborators, has discovered over 250 extrasolar planets to date. This has resulted in worldwide publication of Cook’s astronomical images in books, periodicals, documentaries, press releases, and web sites published/produced by Astronomy, BBC Television, CNN, The Discovery Channel, Japan Public Television, NASA, Newsweek, the San Francisco Chronicle, Scientific American, Time, UCLA, and US News & World Report (a partial list). Cook also has been featured on ABC7 News (KGO) and in USA Today.

Introspection arising from a challenging health issue in 2009 motivated Cook to connect more deeply to painting. She currently focuses on colorful inspirations of everyday life, finding beauty in objects and scenes within the urban environment often ignored or taken for granted. Recent exhibitions include the "Salon 2014 Statewide 2D Competition and Exhibition" at the Triton Museum of Art in Santa Clara, CA and "Dress Up" at Gallerie Citi in Burlingame, CA.