ajgus

Known as Jamie to friends & family, A. James Gustafson is a freelance scientific illustrator specializing in biological illustration, with an emphasis on various types of fauna - including those of the modern world & those from times gone by. Jamie has spent his life dedicating himself to honing his skills as an artist; his life’s greatest passion since childhood. Through his artwork, he has been able to share his love of science & the natural world.
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​Though born & raised in the city of Chicago, IL, Jamie spent much of his childhood retreating “back to nature”, traveling though North America's national parks & with extensive visits to the respective birthplaces of his parents – both of whom dedicated their lives to science & education. Whether exploring the rural wilderness of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula with his father, or finding sanctuary in his mother’s family farm in the mountains of Puerto Rico, Jamie’s love for Earth’s rich biodiversity was instilled at a young age. Today, as the father of two young boys, he eagerly shares with them all that nature has to teach us – from those same north woods of his childhood, to the lush tropical forests & seascapes of the Caribbean.
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Using an array of mediums, Jamie’s artwork is focused on recreating realistic, life-like portrayals of natural specimens, while maintaining artistic, illustrative qualities that captivate the viewer’s eye. He believes that even in a day & age where virtually everyone has access to high quality cameras & detailed photographic images are available at the click of a button, the attention & thoughtfulness of finely crafted, hand-illustrated artwork brings a unique attention to the awe-inspiring beauty that exists all around us. That philosophy is the inspiration behind the scientific illustrations of A. James Gustafson; works of art designed by nature…and drawn by hand.