biologist + artist = scientific illustrator
Allison Conwell ’25 is a biology and studio art double major from Natick, Massachusetts. At Skidmore, she is on the executive board of the Foundry Club, conducts research at the greenhouse, and recently had her scientific illustrations accepted for exhibit at the Schick Gallery.
Allison has long been fascinated by the natural world and art.
“Since I was a kid, I have loved to identify every plant I walk past and test what artistic creations I can make with my hands,” she said.
Allison was drawn to Skidmore by the strength of its studio art and biology programs and the academic flexibility to fully explore her passions. This has rung true for her both inside and outside of the classroom.
Last semester, Allison worked alongside Associate Professor of Biology Joshua Ness in a biology-based research lab in the greenhouse, which opened in 2019 as part of the new Billie Tisch Center for Integrated Sciences.
As a life-long lover of plants and biology, she was thrilled by the opportunity to conduct this research. They took tobacco-eating caterpillars, fed them different diets, and then tracked their growth. Their research revealed that even though these caterpillars are tobacco-eating, they actually grew the most eating datura leaves.
“This experiment was really interesting, and I valued how much it allowed me to have hands-on experience collecting data and forming a research hypothesis all by myself.”
Taking classes in Skidmore’s biology and studio art departments has helped Allison realize that she wants to pursue a career in scientific illustration. Recently, she put these skills into practice with two pieces she submitted for Skidmore’s Juried Student Exhibition — an annual art show in the Schick Gallery that consists entirely of student pieces.
Her excitement for both art and biology is evident in her artwork.
“Two of my drawings were accepted for the exhibition: a side-by-side of a blue crab and a dissected version of it, as well as one depicting the life cycle of a fern. In both cases, I drew the organism and included scientific information about the species.”
Switching to co-curricular activities, Allison has worked with a team of five other students to restart the Foundry Club, which went dormant during COVID-19 shutdowns. The club holds weekly metal-casting workshops that help the campus community make meaningful art. Allison speaks fondly of this experience, saying, “It’s great that we give students a place to pour molten metal. I am also so proud of our workshops. We have taught our peers how to build sand molds and pour small bronze Skidmore medallions, and later this semester, we plan to expand to pewter and iron workshops.”
What does she think of her educational experience thus far?
“I am appreciative of Skidmore’s professors because they have helped me realize it is okay to be interested in a lot of different things, whether it is chemistry or art history.”
For Allison, it has been refreshing that the College embraces a love for learning across a variety of disciplines.