Category Archives: Art

Art by Claudia

Coloring Book for Sale!

The first Mermaid Science Coloring Book is for Sale on Amazon and Create Space!

Here’s the link:
It has mermaids, rockfish, sea stars and more! A great way to learn about the colors in the ocean.
mermaid science coloring book sample

Mermaid Scientist Gets Big Fish Contract

happy mermaid scientist

All smiles! I won the bid with NOAA/NMFS to create an educational rockfish kids science book & poster!! Drawings of ‪canary rockfish‬, ‎yellow eye rockfish‬ & ‪bocaccio‬ coming soon!
Nothing like catching a big fish contract!

Photo throwback to catching the biggest fish in ‪Palau

Central Coast Writer’s Conference

centralcoastwritersconference

The 2015 Writers Conference did not disappoint! This year I got to be in charge of the 2015 Teen Writer’s program (thanks to PG&E who generously covered their conference fees). These teens brought contagious joy to their craft and raw talent radiated from their pens. It was truly inspiring and I look forward to doing it all again next year! Every September it is full of brilliant talent, workshops and lectures. A local opportunity to create and network with other writers and artists on the summery Central Coast of California. Thank you Teri Bayus and the rest of the CCWC2015 team!

For next year’s updates follow their Facebook Page:  https://www.facebook.com/CentralCoastWritersConferenceIMG_5798

Broke Bay Area Art

SF-vs-Oakk-banner-1024x731
I have a talented and handsome brother named Alex (see below). He writes for the young, broke and beautiful on a site called brokeassstewart.com. This month, I had the pleasure of illustrating the above for one of their tongue and cheek articles on which city is “hipper” San Francisco or Oakland. If you are interested in the answer, check it out: http://brokeassstuart.com/blog/2015/09/01/10-reasons-why-oakland-beats-san-francisco/

alexm-197

Memories of a Marine Biologist

Looking throughout old sketchbooks of rockfish and found these from my NOAA/NMFS days as a Research Fisheries Biologist. Fun, fun, fun…. contemplating Quillback Stock Assessment. oh the memories of analyzing all the West Coast spatially enabled trawl data for groundfishes, making conclusions about Rockfish Conservation Areas and other such mer-things.

IMG_4156Quillback Stock Assessment

RockfishFlag Rockfish

Watercolor of Sebastes rubrivinctus
Watercolor of Sebastes rubrivinctus

 

Front and Back Mermaid Book Covers

ABC cover big MS sept 17tuna can bio 2

I would love to say that I do not judge a book by it’s cover but that would be a complete lie.

When perusing bookshelves I look, I judge and I pick up what looks interesting.

A book cover is the first impression you give to your reader. “Hello there, evaluate my choice of font and color preference and then pick me up!” the book cover yells visually from the shelf, hoping to woo its perfect reader, enticing them to reach out and touch you.

My target audience is the kid interested in the ocean and mermaid information. I’m also looking for parents, aunties, uncles and friends looking for the perfect gift for their little loved one, a gift that they will both enjoy and learn something productive.

Pink, flowery ridiculousness with modern fonts ooze and overflow in the girly section but this project represents something different. So here you have it: tropical blues and greens and the old school type used by the likes of Shel Silverstein and the Dewey Decimal system. Crossing fingers and toes.

ABC cover draft
Simple Cover sept21Cover simple sept16

Map of The Coral Triangle

Map of The Coral Triangle

 

Map of The Coral Triangle

~Mermaid Territory of the East Indies~

This informative watercolored map will be in the introduction of the Mermaid Scientist ABC Book

Stingers

watercolor of nematocysts

Stingers aka Nematocysts

Detail from N is for Nudibranch – because nudibranchs use their sea slug slime to eat nematocysts.