Is paleontology “going the way of the dinosaur?”
Like many young kids, I was fascinated by dinosaurs. I would spend hours setting up my toy dinosaurs, creating museums using blocks to mimic the halls of my favorite museum, the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH); I would categorize by species, lock the sperm whale and giant squid in battle, and, of course, hang the giant blue whale from above. I was in awe my first visit there, when I was no more than two years old. I became a frequent visitor to the AMNH, I still love exploring the fossil halls of the fourth floor, the great stature and imposing presence of its eternally preserved creatures sending my imagination on journeys through time. I can spend hours gazing at the remains of mighty and mystical creatures that have been gone for millions of years.
As Soren Kierkegaard once said, “life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards.” Paleontology is more relevant and important today than it ever has been; in today’s world, we need to learn from the past so as not to make the same mistakes of earlier generations. I believe its global impact on areas from climate and the environment to engineering, sustainable energy, and genetics to medicine will be far reaching. And that’s what's fascinating about it; paleontology instills imagination in a child and fosters a lifetime of love for science. Paleontology teaches people to draw from the mistakes of the past to create a better future.
As Soren Kierkegaard once said, “life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards.” Paleontology is more relevant and important today than it ever has been; in today’s world, we need to learn from the past so as not to make the same mistakes of earlier generations. I believe its global impact on areas from climate and the environment to engineering, sustainable energy, and genetics to medicine will be far reaching. And that’s what's fascinating about it; paleontology instills imagination in a child and fosters a lifetime of love for science. Paleontology teaches people to draw from the mistakes of the past to create a better future.
Paleoart Portfolio. September 2005 - November 2020
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About Paleoart:Paleoart is the accurate depiction of prehistoric fauna according to current scientific evidence. Since science is always changing, so too does paleoart. This means that older work becomes more inaccurate as newer discoveries are made.
The constant need for revision makes paleoart an exciting field. It demands continual practice of the arts, which helps me to develop not only my skills as a paleoartist, but it also improves my general art talents, such as drawing (pencil, pen & ink, charcoal) and painting (oil, acrylic). Similar to the study of paleoart, this page is set up chronologically, with my most recent work on top, and my oldest drawings on the bottom. This was done intentionally to show my life-long progress. [Note: Some may notice that I have Jurassic Park/fantastical (dragons, monsters, etc.) depictions on this page. I understand that these works do not demonstrate true "paleoart" per se, but I decided to keep them here because they help to show my evolution more as an artist in general.] |
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Dinosauria, Pencil Study
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May 2022
BioEE/EAS 4790: Paleobiology
Paleoenvironmental Reconstruction of the early Middle Devonian (Eifelian Stage) of central New York (Jamesville, NY). Procreate for iPad. May 12, 2022
Ichnogenera (Trace Fossils). Pencils. May 3, 2022
BioEE 1130: The Art and Science of Birds
Citipati osmolskae Field Guide. Watercolors. May 8, 2022
April 2022
BioEE/EAS 4790: Paleobiology
Phylum Hemichordata, Class Pterobranchia, Subclass Graptolithina and Phylum Chordata, Subphylum Vertebrata, Class Conodonta. Pencils. April 24, 2022
Phylum Echinodermata. Pencils. April 8, 2022
Superphylum Ecdysozoa, Phylum Arthropoda. Pencils. April 8, 2022
"Lophophorates": Phylum Brachiopoda and Bryozoa. Pencils. April 8, 2022
February 2021
Academy of Natural Sciences: Dinosaur Hall - Ceratopsians
ANS Ceratopsians. Procreate for iPad. February 24, 2021
Museum of the Earth: Ordovician Nautiloids
Triceratops horridus
Triceratops horridus. Procreate for IPad. February 16, 2021
Allosaurus fragilis
May 2020
Barosaurus at Theodore Roosevelt Rotunda, AMNH
How to Paleoart
What is paleoart? Where do you start? A brief introduction to the study, a little bit about myself, tip and tricks, and more! Plus, learn how to draw a T. Rex!
June 2019
AMNH 5027
The Tethys Ocean
January 2019
River Ecosystem of North Africa, Late Cretaceous Period
March 2018
Diabloceratops eatoni. Pencils. March 18, 2018
Pachycephalosaurus wyomingensis. Pencils. March 4, 2018
February 2018
Edmontosaurus regalis. Pencils. February 24, 2018
Gigantoraptor erllianensis. Pencils. February 19, 2018
Supersaurus vivianae. Pencils. February 10, 2018
Rugops primus. Pencils. February 4, 2018
November 2013*
Predator DNA: Out for Blood. Pen & ink. November 23, 2013
Storm Breaker. Pen & ink. November 20, 2013