June 2023 Newsletter

Hello friends and family,

Friday marked the last day of school! This summer I am doing a science teaching institute at the SF Exploration and a multi-lingual science writing institute at UC Berkeley. Chris and I are also traveling to Maryland to see family!

June Artwork of the Month

I will be selling one finished piece every month.

This month's work is a little different, I will be selling plant earrings to whoever wishes to purchase them - $30 + free shipping. I will choose a flower or leaf for you based on your size preference: Small, medium, large.

Click the 'CONTACT/PURCHASE' button below to purchase. (Or you can message me on any medium)

CONTACT/PURCHASE

Completed works

“Schistocephalus solidus” (8”x6”).

I’m starting a new series on cyclical balance and interconnectedess in nature. You know how science diagrams (even for popular science publications) are very linear, for good reason of course - my illustrations will be different and reflect the literal cyclical, non-linear aspect of the complex balance of nature itself. This first drawing I did is about the life cycle of Schistocephalus solidus, a parasite that infects birds that live by the water. It reproduces in the host's intestines until eggs drop into the water along with the bird's droppings. Once there, the eggs hatch into larvae and infect very small crustaceans called copepods. Those are eaten by fish called sticklebacks, which are then eaten by birds again, where the whole cycle repeats. What makes this parasite's cycle crazy is how it affects the sticklebacks. The parasite needs to survive a long time in the fish so it can grow, so it manipulates the stickleback to swim to warmer waters and stay there. The parasite then can grow heavier than the fish itself, making for one awkward arrangement.

Unlike a traditional diagram, in my illustration, you can jump in anywhere and piece together the story, like looking at a scene in nature in real life.