“My Journey to RISD Continuing Education began with sharing my love of nature journaling with my community. During the pandemic years, I started a small business offering workshops. I wanted to hone my skills on a personal and professional level. The Natural Science Illustration certificate program was a perfect fit.
The most challenging aspect was working on classes during times of travel and moving. The most rewarding aspect was observing creative processes and receiving positive instructor feedback. The support from my family was also priceless.
Every week I would block out designated time on my calendar to work—for reading class resources/doing research, creating and working on the assignment, and interacting with classmates on the class discussion forums.
Balancing my studies with work and family responsibilities was not difficult. I could do most of my work from my small desk in our home in Abu Dhabi and used various spaces during summer travel and my journey back to the United States.
This program helped me grow in my career as I was exposed to new digital and physical tools and a greater understanding of the professional sides of scientific illustration and art.
My advice for anyone considering a course with RISD CE would be to carve out the time, space, and tools you need to think and play like an artist, even if you’re doing something completely different with the rest of your schedule.”
—Molly Torrey, Natural Science Illustration certificate recipient
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Gallery of Molly’s artwork
