Illustrating Science, Expanding Impact through Art
August 5, 2024
We’re excited to welcome Maria Amorette Klos (she/her or they/them), our second-ever early-career science illustrator, to Point Blue. This position is generously supported by the Maxwell/Hanrahan Foundation and aims to provide an early career scientific illustrator with meaningful knowledge, skills, and hands-on experiences in conservation science that can really make a difference in their career as a scientific illustrator. We also hope that the apprentice will provide perspective that can improve how Point Blue engages people in conservation through art.
Maria will be with us for eight weeks total and will focus their primary project on our coastal dune and western snowy plover work. She’ll be working closely with our team in the Monterey Bay Area and devising an illustration project that will further Maria’s professional growth and help our team more effectively engage target audiences in our coastal conservation work.
In her first week with us, Maria explored various programs in the field to get a better sense of Point Blue’s overall work before she dove into a more specific area. She’s hoping to tie through-line concepts of the value of healthy ecosystems to wildlife and people, inclusive collaboration, and nature-based solutions to climate change into her final project.
When asked how she would like her art to impact the world, here’s what Maria said:
“I envision my art as a catalyst for change, capable of bridging the gap between scientific information and the general public. By creating visually compelling and accessible illustrations, I aim to increase awareness about the urgency for conservation action, and to foster a deeper appreciation for our environment and our place within it. Ultimately, I aspire for my art to ignite a sense of stewardship and civic engagement, empowering people to take action in support of conservation efforts and sustainable practices.”
Maria comes to us with a Bachelor’s degree in Scientific Illustration from Arcadia University and a Master’s Certificate in Scientific Illustration from CSU Monterey Bay. They were also one of the 2023 Bartels Science Illustrators at Cornell lab of Ornithology and has worked with Scientific American to create illustrations for their May 2024 issue. You can see some of Maria’s past work on her website here, which also links to their Instagram page with even more.
We’re so excited to collaborate with Maria, provide another growth point in her career, and creatively innovate in ways we engage more people in conservation action!
