I am an artist, muralist, and scientific illustrator guided by collaborative storytelling and our connection to the natural world. My background in field research and science communication grounds my creative work in attention, observation, and inquiry. As a devoted naturalist, my process begins the moment I catch a rare glimpse into a vernal pool or hear the competing calls of owls at night. Finding great community in shared curiosity, I examine themes of connection (human/more-than-human), access, advocacy, and the intersection of science and art. Cultivating safe spaces in which others can explore their own connections to the natural world, to the themselves, and to each other is endlessly fueling. I explore what, in nature, is capturing our attention and what, in us, is looking back.

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Having previously worked for the California Academy of Sciences, the Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary, the Marine Mammal Center, the Morro Bay National Estuary Program, Estación del Mar Cortés, Ink Dwell Studio, and the Golden Gate Bird Alliance, I am a full-time artist based in Denver and work with various organizations to create informative and engaging materials. I am a volunteer bird bander for the Bird Conservancy of the Rockies and I teach science illustration courses at the Denver Botanic Gardens and the Butterfly Pavilion. Recent awards include 2025 Platte Forum artist-in-residence, 2024 Street Wise Mural Festival muralist, 2024-2026 Oregon State University/PRAx Fireline Fellow, 2024 Art District on Santa Fe Emerging Artists resident, 2023 Sharon Prize grantee, and 2023 Pine Meadow Ranch Center for Arts and Agriculture artist-in-residence. Work has been recently shown at the Guild for Natural Science Illustrators 2025 Conference, the Roger Tory Peterson Institute (NY), and the Brinton Museum (WY). Select clients include the National Science Foundation; the cities of Boulder, Arvada, and Steamboat, CO; Denver Parks and Recreation; The Nature Conservancy; The Santa Fe Botanical Garden; NOAA; National Public Radio; Creek Lands Conservation; the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds; CA State Parks; and the Ocean Exploration Trust. Feel free to request my full science illustration and/or mural portfolios below.

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or email me at: cathrynbmichel@gmail.com