We at Buzz Hoot Roar are pleased and proud to announce our newest Artist in Residence! Over the next year, Christin Hardy will use her unique graphic style to explore six science posts. Read on to learn more about Christin, and stay tuned to enjoy her excellent work.

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Who: I’m Christin Hardy, a graphic designer and illustrator living in the city of oaks, Raleigh N.C., and hailing from Seven Springs, a teeny tiny town in rural Eastern North Carolina where the livestock outnumber people.

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I graduated from NC State University with my bachelor’s in graphic design, and after a few odd jobs landed my current job as a graphic designer for the NC Department of Transportation. There, I get to work on projects from all sorts of divisions ranging from aviation and rail to highways and bike/pedestrian. One of my favorite projects was the poster I made for National Train Day in 2014:

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Why: I’ve always loved science and tend to choose extracurricular activities that reflect that, such as volunteering for the Duke Lemur Center (so much fun), working for the entomology lab at NCSU where I counted bee sperm for a summer (not as fun, but cool) and interning at the Smithsonian in Washington D.C. (definitely ties with the lemurs).

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So, when I got the email asking if I wanted to be the next artist in residence, I immediately gasped and said “YES!! Of course!!!” While I enjoy my work for the government, Buzz Hoot Roar gives me an outlet where I can truly get lost in the magic of making marks on the page.

What and How: Using thick paper, soft pencils, black ink, and dreamy, drippy watercolors, I find my happy place in illustration.

EPSON MFP image

EPSON MFP image

I have discovered, through illustrating for Buzz Hoot Roar, that creating my own textures via ink and paint renders a finished product bursting with movement and emotion that I was never able to distill using digital means only. I take a lot of inspiration from scientific illustrations, vintage children’s books, pattern designers, and naturally, Mother Nature herself.

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