Artist Kirsten Carlson showcases her artwork at the museum! Running July-October 2025.

About the Artist

The projects in Beyond Illustrating Nature | Wanderlust feature a selection of my favorite marine themed illustrations and projects since my graduation thirty years ago from the Science Illustration Certificate Program. It was a stellar education and the skills I learned helped me create my own unique approach to combining science and art and they’ve provided me with a visual megaphone to speak for animals that live in a place that is still largely unexplored — our oceans. It’s a humbling mission. I observe the world through their eyes to discover what I feel connects us to their world. I often work with dedicated scientists that add layers of richness to those stories. What I enjoy most about this career is connecting with and fathoming the undersea realm. Each artwork label offers a story as to why it’s a favorite of mine. I hope it connects you in unexpected ways with these amazing creatures thriving in, on and by the seas. 

I live just outside the Black Forest in Stuttgart, Germany but will always call Monterey Bay home. I grew up in Missouri, graduated from University of Missouri, Columbia with a Biology degree and moved to California to become a marine biologist. I lived in the Monterey Bay region from 1990 to 2005, was a student at both Hopkins Marine Station and Moss Landing Marine Laboratories, and received my Science Communication certificate in Natural Science Illustration while the program was at University of California, Santa Cruz.  I did my science illustration internship at the Lawrence Hall of Science, MARE (Marine Activities Resources and Education) Program, University of Berkeley, California and shortly after was hired by Monterey Bay Aquarium. I have the honor of being co-creator of their first website and worked on amazing projects in both the Print Graphics and Exhibit Design departments. I met my husband while he was attending the Naval Postgraduate School and we moved to Washington state in 2005, Germany in 2008, Hawaii in 2013 and returned to Germany in 2019. 

Wanderlust, in German, describes a constant inner drive to explore nature and the world. It fits perfectly with the initial drive I had to become a scientist and help humanity thrive, to the epiphany I had while in Antarctica as a benthic ecology student: creating connections with the beauty and wonder of Nature is just as important as all the knowledge in the Universe. I’ve been nurturing that passion ever since by connecting with the Natural World through science + art.

We will be closed on July 4th to allow our staff the opportunity to spend a holiday with their families and friends. Thank you for your understanding.

Artist Sofia Gonzalez brings her new exhibition Becoming Home to the Museum! Running June-September 2025.

On Saturday, June 28, from 1 pm - 3 pm, Sofia will host an artist demonstration of how she uses native plants to dye the textiles she uses in her artwork. Sample textiles will be available for visitors to try their hand at natural dying techniques.

About Becoming Home

As a maker, I feel an urgency to record the places I have known to embody the way these locations shape me and the way I feel within them. Collecting flowers, hulls, and barks from the environment in which I live, I boil plant materials to release the inherent colors of the land. I use natural dyes to stain textiles to create a physical representation of a specific time and place. Sewing, wrapping, and layering naturally stained textiles focuses my restless mind as I respond to the fear of what may happen when a place changes. 

While much of my work considers my sense of place and how we build this feeling, this year my own physical body became someone’s home. Using collected materials, obsessive wrapping, and data from our time in the hospital, I wrestle with how to understand this vast change and how to keep time as it becomes ever more intangible.  The physical idea of home expands and alters as I became a home for another within our shared greater home of our outside environment.

Inspired by the parasitic, yet symbiotic relationship between oak apple wasps and oak trees, Invasive Attempts artworks consider potential reciprocal relationships with and within landscape.

Gall wasps rely on oak trees, their host plant, for survival. By inducing galls on the branches of oak trees, gall wasps lay eggs and support growth through early stages of life. While the gall wasp uses the oak tree for its own gain, it is believed that very little harm occurs to the tree. What is left after the wasps have matured and taken flight are oak galls: round, porous balls that dry and fall to the ground after the wasps no longer need them.

I collect fallen oak galls to use as a natural dye source, as well as a form for inspiration. Oak galls are both native to our landscape and a result of a parasitic reaction. Using silk dyed by neighboring plants, both local and invasive, I repeatedly wrap oak galls. Wrapping becomes a ritualistic act that quells anxiety while suffocating the gall in a protective hug.

Join Illustrating Nature artists Iffat Karim and Olivia Meurk for a free artist demo from 1-4! Iffat and Olivia will be showcasing their incredible talents and available to answer questions and offer insights into science illustration. We hope to see you there!

Join us for a wonderful morning with talented artist Maria Klos as we look and learn about bird nests and eggs and learn to sketch and paint them! This class is great for artists of all levels and will incorporate sketching, watercolor, colored pencil, and more. We have materials that we’ll provide and you are welcome to bring your own. Maria is a wonderful artist known for her work with birds, and her valuable knowledge and insights will guide this class with specimens from the Museum collections. We hope you’ll come and enjoy!

Details
Cost: $15 for PG Museum Members, $20 for the General Public
Registration: Required
Location: In the Bird Gallery
Age Range: 12 & above
What to Expect: Your ticket entitles you to entry, a two-hour session with Maria exploring, sketching, and nest and egg specimens, and, if desired, materials from the Museum including watercolor palettes, brushes, pencils, and sketch paper.
Duration: 2 hours

Join us for an exciting children's book signing featuring local author Luke Kilpatrick! He will be reading the first four chapters of his enchanting book, Mia Kingtide: The Octopus's Gift, a series inspired by his seven-year-old daughter Mia and her deep love for the ocean. This fun event will spark imagination while introducing young readers to the wonders of the ocean surrounding Pacific Grove. Luke will have copies of Mia Kingtide available for sale, so don't miss this opportunity to meet the author and dive into Mia's adventures!

Join the Museum and the Pacific Grove Chamber of Commerce for a special evening celebrating the opening of Jade Beneath the Sea, a five-year exhibit that celebrates the natural and cultural histories of Big Sur jade. Join us for a ribbon cutting at 5:30pm and get the opportunity to speak to local jade artists about their work!

Details
Cost: Free
Registration: Not required
Doors Open: 5:00pm, please note, we will not be opening our doors prior to 5:00 for the public opening
What to Expect: A night celebrating the beauty and history of Big Sur jade and the artists who have brought it to a global scale. Light refreshments will be provided and there will be a special ribbon cutting at 5:30.
Duration: 2 hours, doors close at 7:00pm

Join us for a fantastic Science Saturday centered around the fascinating world of native plants!

This event will delve into the rich diversity and significant ecological importance of California's native flora. Engage in a variety of activities, from games, talks, to scavenger hunts. You will discover how these remarkable plants support local wildlife, contribute to the overall health of ecosystems, and enhance the beauty of our natural landscapes.

Master Gardeners will present a 45 minute workshop twice (11:00, 1:00) focused on gardening with CA native plants to enhance habitat and protect the environment.

Master Gardener Class

Join Illustrating Nature artists Natalie Chan and Jacob Bettencourt for a free artist demo from 1-4! Natalie and Jacob will be showcasing their incredible talents and available to answer questions and offer insights into science illustration. We hope to see you there!

Join us for a special day with artist Kristen Burroughs as we take beautiful butterfly specimens from our collections to sketch and paint! Kristen will guide us through analyzing and creating beautiful sketches of these special insects. This class is a great one for artists of all levels from beginning to expert, and you can bring your own supplies or have them provided by the Museum. Kristen is a fun and supportive teacher who delivers one-on-one teaching with scientific knowledge to make the class fun. We hope to see you for this special class.

Details
Cost: $15 for PG Museum Members, $20 for the General Public
Registration: Required
Location: In the Bird Gallery
Age Range: 16 & above
What to Expect: Your ticket entitles you to entry, a two-hour session with Kristen exploring, sketching, and painting butterfly and moth specimens, and, if desired, materials from the Museum including watercolor palettes, brushes, pencils, and sketch paper.
Duration: 2 hours

The topic for the evening will be on upcoming Carmel River restoration projects.

This year’s Walk of Remembrance will be held on May 10 in partnership with the Quock Mui Foundation and the City of Pacific Grove. Activities will be held throughout the day, with an opening rally and the Walk beginning at 1:00pm. The trail of the Walk runs from the Museum to Hopkins Marine station, the site of where the Fishing Village once stood. Programming will happen at Hopkins until approximately 3:00pm. The loop from the Musuem to Hopkins and back runs just under 2 miles round-trip, and we encourage people who might not be able to walk that far to park a car down by Hopkins.

Details
Cost: Free
Registration: Required for certain events due to capacity (see Eventbrite for more details)
Doors Open: 10:00am, rally begins at 1:00pm
What to Expect: A learning experience from many talented speakers, educators, and storytellers and a celebration of the unique and vital history of the Fishing Village community and their impact on Monterey County in the past until the present. This event does not have an age range, and visitors of any age are welcome to join in the events or the Walk.
Duration: variable over multiple events so visitors can choose what they want to do with their day/weekend. The Walk itself is approximately 2 hours with the rally and lion dance included.

Join us for a free opening of our most popular annual exhibit: Illustrating Nature! In partnership with CSUMB’s Science Illustration Program, Illustrating Nature celebrates the talent and achievements of the 2025 graduating class. Graduates will be present to discuss their work and there will be a world of beauty to explore in this year’s show.

Details
Cost: Free
Registration: Not required
Doors Open: 6:30pm
What to Expect: A lovely evening enjoying the art from this year’s CSUMB Science Illustration graduates. The art will hang in the Bird Gallery and there will be light snacks and drinks by donation available while supplies last. Graduates will be present to discuss their art and participate in the celebration. We encourage anyone excited to talk to artists to come on the earlier end of the evening.
Duration: 2 hours, doors close at 8:30pm

Join us for our Earth and Sustainability themed Science Saturday!

This engaging event invites educators, families, and all ages to explore the vital connections between our planet's health and sustainable practices. Through interactive games, activities, and learning, participants will discover innovative solutions for environmental challenges and learn how to take meaningful action in their own lives.

Experience the beauty of the Central Coast while deepening your understanding of ecology and sustainability. Together, we can make a difference for our planet's future.