Exhibit design and development for the Virginia Tech Museum of Geosciences
I helped refurbish and update various exhibits of the museum. I designed, printed, and cut exhibit labels to take the place of the old ones dating back to the 60s.
Various elements and designs for the Science Museum of Western Virginia
The Science Museum of Western Virginia needed various signs, posters, decorations, infographics, worksheets, and flyers. It also needs exhibits. When I was Weekend Manager of Visitor Services, I was tasked with production of such material (in addition to providing a great guest experience). In my role as Exhibit Designer, I currently design various 5th floor exhibits using the vinyl cutter.
An Acrocanthosaurus sculpture I made is on display in the museum, along with a dinosaur height chart.
Illustrating a mural depicting Smilodon for the Virginia Museum of Natural History
The Virginia Museum of Natural History was in need of a large mural depicting an extinct Smilodon Fatalis, a large saber-toothed cat that lived 1.6 million to 10,000 years ago. There is an exhibit below the mural depicting the skeletons of Smilodon fatalis and carcass of a Musk Oxen. The mural is set to go in the Hall of Ancient Life; the main atrium. It is digitally-illustrated in Photoshop.
Sculpting an Amazon River Dolphin and Mangrove for the Radford Amazon Research Expedition (RARE)
The RARE was in need of an artist to sculpt/design something that portrayed the beauty and diversity of the Amazon Rainforest. The idea, which I proposed, conceptualized a makeshift underwater scene featuring an Amazon River Dolphin (Boto) and a Mangrove plant. The dolphin is currently hung behind the main staircase of the Center for The Sciences at Radford University. The Mangrove is currently on display by a window next to the elevator on the ground floor of the Center for The Sciences.
Illustration of a Paleozoic Mural for the Radford University Museum of The Earth Sciences
Travel through deep time with this mural depicting ancient oceanic life during the Paleozoic. Transgresses across all the divisions of the Paleozoic - from the Cambrian to the Permian. To see the process and learn a bit of background information, click here.
Constructing a Triassic Gliding Lizard for the Virginia Museum of Natural History
I created a Triassic-era gliding reptile named Mecistotrachelos for the Virginia Museum of Natural History's exhibit on flying animals. The animal is dated to an Arboreal habitat from the Upper Triassic in what is now Virginia. Research was done regarding gliding lizards which evolved flying capabilities multiple times over deep time.
Mecistotrachelos lived during the Late Triassic epoch, around 237 - 201 million years ago.
Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship to create a model Archaeopteryx for the RU Museum of The Earth Sciences
I obtained a Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship to use science to research and conceptualize what an Archaeopteryx lithographica would have looked like. I then made a life-sized sculpture of it based on my latest findings and research.
Archaeopteryx lived during the Late Jurassic Period, about 150 million years ago.
Velociraptor lived during the Late Cretaceous Period, about 75-71 million years ago.
Building a Velociraptor for the Radford University Museum of The Earth Sciences
The Radford University Museum of The Earth Sciences was seeking an engaging new exhibit for the education and entertainment of the general public. The Museum Director, Mr. George Stephenson, was seeking an artist/sculptor who would be able to sculpt a 1.5:1 scale Velociraptor mongoliensis for permanent display in the museum.
The project involved heavy research, conceptualization, and exploration of materials strong enough to last a long time. Mr. Stephenson welded a steel frame that served as a skeleton for everything following. I then began imagining what a Velociraptor would have looked like. I built the dinosaur out of foil, wire, polymer clay, real feathers, and Apoxie Sculpt.
Designing Exhibits and
Info-graphics for the Mill Mountain Zoo
The Mill Mountain Zoo in Roanoke is dedicated to the conservation of wildlife through National and International partnerships. They play a major role in holding and studying critically endangered species. They were seeking someone who was able to help out with painting murals, conceptualizing and designing their reptile house/conservation station, and designing informative graphics on Habitat Loss, Plastic Pollution, and Native/Invasive Species.
I drew some initial exhibit design concepts for the Reptile House and designed info-graphics that were printed and mounted. One of them is currently on display at the zoo.
Modeling Allosaurus for the Virginia Museum of Natural History
After visiting the Virginia Museum of Natural History in Martinsville, VA for the first time, I took reference photos of their Allosaurus specimen. I then used these photos to sculpt a roughly 18 inch long model of the creature out of polymer clay. I initially sculpted it for the sake of it. The result was better than I expected, so I reached out to the Virginia Museum of Natural History to see if they would accept the sculpture as a donation. Their assistant curator of paleontology, Adam Pritchard, immediately was impressed and accepted the model into VMNH's permanent collection.