Drosophila Art Gallery
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Bilateral Integration, Stained Glass, 2026
Natsuki Nishitomi is a stained-glass artist based in Kyoto, Japan. After studying design at an art university, she trained as a traditional Japanese Karakami craftsman before establishing her career in stained glass. Her work ranges from flat stained-glass pieces to three-dimensional glass frames, including a signature series of stained-glass butterflies modeled after real species.
This artwork was inspired by a dialogue with Dr. Yoichiro Tamori (University of Louisiana at Lafayette), whose research focuses on cancer cell evolution using Drosophila as a model organism. Through their conversation about mosaic mutations in fruit flies, Natsuki became interested in the scientific idea of distinct identities coexisting within a single organism.
It portrays a bilateral gynandromorph Drosophila melanogaster, with the left half representing a white-eye male and the right half a wild-type red-eye female. Through variations in glass texture, color, and light, the work expresses the integration of biological difference into a single harmonious form reflecting both the scientific phenomenon and its broader metaphor for coexistence and unity. Natsuki’s work can be found on Instagram: @scape_glass
An Odyssey of Wonder, Digital, 2025
Dr. Wen Lu, PhD. is a Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Cell and Developmental Biology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, specializing in cytoskeletal and motor regulation in Drosophila neurons and ovaries. She earned her B.S. from Peking University and Ph.D. from the University of Chicago. With nearly 20 years of Drosophila research experience, Dr. Lu is passionate about mentoring the next generation of scientists. Outside the lab, Wen is a freelance designer influenced by animation and pop art. Combining her scientific expertise with her artistic passion, she integrates science and art to enhance scientific communication. Her winning artwork, “An Odyssey of Wonder”, was inspired by her daily scooter rides through downtown Chicago along Lake Michigan.
Starry Flight, Digital, 2024
Nina is an undergraduate student at Georgetown University, majoring in Human Science and is on the pre-medical track. She recently joined The Wang Lab to understand how the dysfunction of homeostatic control contributes to neurological diseases, such as Autism Spectrum Disorder, which is close to home for her as her little brother has Autism. Her goal is to be a neurodevelopmental pediatrician to uplift children with IDD’s. When she was little, she would always draw her fan-art of her favorite TV characters. Since then, her passion for science and social justice has intersected with her art. Her artistic talent is on display here for sure. You can find her on Instagram and Facebook at @nina_lorenxzo.
Genesee Fruit Fly, Digital, 2023
Rebecca Oramas is a Venezuelan born and raised reproductive physiologist who has been living in the United States for a few years now. In her studies, she uses Drosophila melanogaster as a model system to study the genetic basis of ovulation. She has grown to love fruit flies, since they are pretty much a part of her everyday life. One of the most valuable lessons she has learned throughout her graduate studies as a PhD is the power of scientific communication and using art in this process. She taught herself the process of illustrating as a tool to communicate a concept more efficiently and as a relaxation tool. Now, she uses her knowledge in science and her love for the arts to make scientific illustrations and figures that make research more digestible for a wider audience. You can find her on Instagram and Twitter at @sci_Ilustrate.
Drawsophila Comicbookii, Digital, 2022
Diego Galagovsky is an artist, scientist, and communicator from Argentina. He has been passionate about science and art since a very young age. As a child, he would paint dinosaurs, collect specimens, read science books, and draw comic books. He became a biologist, and later, while completing his Ph.D. in Argentina, a fly person. He has since worked with flies in Argentina, France, and Germany. He combines his passion for science, art, and flies in his dissemination project, a website full of cute drawings and engaging texts dedicated to promoting Drosophila research and making it attractive for a wider audience. You can enjoy his work at www.sci-flies.com
What do you see?, Digital, 2021
Maria Carmen Diaz is an Andalusian Researcher and Scientific Illustrator who has worked for a decade with Drosophila in laboratories in both Spain and the UK. Her passion for studying fruit flies has been a huge artistic inspiration and has led to illustrations used in international conferences and scientific publications. She is currently working in London as a freelance illustrator and her work can be seen at be.net/MariaDiaz_delaLoza
Drosophila madhubanii, Pen on paper, colored digitally, 2019
Deepti Trivedi’s journey into art precedes that in Science. Having spent all her summer vacations in a little village in India with no access to electricity, she learned arts and crafts from her country friends. Deepti got interested in science in her early teens and earned her PhD at University of Cambridge and did a Postdoctoral Fellowship at UCLA. Currently, she heads the fly facility at National Center for Biological Sciences in Bangalore, India. Deepti has been working with flies for the past 20 years and she is still very passionate about Drosophila research. More of her art can be found at DeeptisJourney.wordpress.com.
Spectrum, Watercolor, 2018
Julieta Di Mase was born in Venezuela and moved with her family to Florida in 1994. She has earned a Bachelor in Science in biology from the University of Miami and an Associate’s degree in fashion design from the Art Institute. She is currently a graduate student at Florida Atlantic University and researches hippocampal neurogenesis in mouse models of autism, before this she studied neuroprotection in Drosophila after hypoxia. Julieta often uses art and fashion designing as an outlet for her creativity. For more of her artistic work visit: Julietadimase.com
ROYGBzzz, Colored pencil, Pen & Digital, 2017
Tania Lemos Eskin’s artistic background originally took her to Cornell University, earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. She has since returned to the world of academia via a Master’s in marine science from Northeastern University, with the goal of having a larger positive impact on our planet. Currently she is the Rodal lab manager at Brandeis University in Massachusetts. Tania created this vibrant piece using both digital and physical platforms to manipulate the familiar sight of Drosophila on a Flypad into artwork reminiscent of the psychedelic 60’s and 70’s (or, conceivably, the Trapper Keepers of the early 90’s).
Fly Shadow, Watercolor, 2016
Rachael Kuintzle is currently a graduate student at Oregon State University, where she uses fruit flies as a model organism to study aging and circadian rhythms. She often features scientific settings or objects in her art to express the beauty she finds in scientific inquiry. In her spare time, Rachael blogs about science-related art and poetry at http://www.teleportingmoth.com.
Drosophila draconia, Digital, 2015
Jen Berry is a freelance front end developer by trade, but draws and paints when out of the office. She has a degree in Zoology from Cambridge University, and has always been fascinated by animals. She first drew a Drosophila for a logo to represent the Russel Laboratory, part of the genetics department at Cambridge University. To see more of her art, have a look at her website: www.jenberry.co.uk.
Drosophila steampunkii, Digital, 2014
Frank Macabenta is presently a graduate student in Dr. Sunita G. Kramer’s laboratory at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. There, he investigates the signaling pathways that mediate the formation of the Drosophila dorsal vessel. As an artist, Frank enjoys translating his imagination, ideas, and perspectives into a visual context distinct from written word or speech. Genesee’s first digital commission, Frank completed this work on a Wacom Intuos4 Medium Graphic Tablet, and painted using GIMP version 2.6.11.
Complexity, Watercolor and Ink, 2013
Irene Gutierrez is a biologist from Alicante, Spain. Her first exposure to Drosophila was in 2003 when she started to work in a genetics laboratory at Miguel Hernández University, Instituto de Neurociencias de Alicante (UMH-CSIC). As an artist Mrs. Gutiérrez uses her scientific model organism of choice as the principal subject of her drawings. Her internationally celebrated blog “Drosophila drawings” caught the attention of Genesee Scientific, which is honored to name her its 2013 Drosophila Art Commission recipient. More of her remarkable work can be seen at http://drosophiladrawings.blogspot.com.es.
THE FLY GOD, Watercolor, 2012
Sergio Castrezana was first selected for the Genesee Drosophila Art Commission in 2009 with his creation of Aztec Fly, which remains a favorite of Drosophilists around the world. Dr. Castrezana has again infused his Aztec heritage onto this latest Drosophila art masterpiece. Dr. Castrezana currently works at the University of California, Los Angeles where his research focus is in Drosophila ecology and systematics.
Splatterophila, Acrylic on Canvas, 2011
A native of rural North Carolina, Josh Wheless grew up on a dairy farm. Since early childhood Mr. Wheless has had a fascination with art, and also a gift to create it. Now, as a valued employee at Genesee Scientific’s North Carolina facility, Josh continues to seize opportunities to produce art as he always has, from his everyday life. His inspiration in this case was while engaged in inventory logistics for Genesee Drosophila research products. Splatterophila features the signature thick-black-line technique he perfected in art school and then coined “Controlled Splatter”.
STILT-LEG/CYO, Watercolor, 2010
Cassidy Johnson believes that science is an art form; however, where traditional forms of artistic often expression delve into explanations of the emotive side of life, science explores its functionality. Every Western blot, 2-D gel, and Gal4-UAS expression pattern is an art piece. A Texas native, Cassidy has always honored the fact that she shares the same birthday with one of her favorite artists, Salvador Dali, whose style has been very influential in her work. Cassidy is currently a graduate student at Rice University and is finishing her PhD in Biochemistry & Cell biology under the tutelage of Dr. Michael Stern.
AZTEC FLY, Watercolor on Aztec Amate Paper, 2009
Sergio Castrezana is an artist and scientist extraordinaire. While actively pursuing his scientific career, Castrezana dabbled in drawing and painting as an avocation. Originally from Mexico City, Castrezana frequently interacted with native Indians who spoke the classical language of the Aztecs. Fascinated with languages, he developed his own pictographs, which are hidden throughout this Drosophila painting. Dr. Castrezana is the Manager and Curator of the Drosophila Species Stock Center at University of California, San Diego.
FRUIT FLY, Acrylic on Canvas, 2008
Adriana Paoletti’s journey as an artist began when she looked out the window one day and felt an overwhelming desire to chronicle the beauty she saw there. Her preferred subjects are landscapes and living things. Her preferred mediums are acrylic, watercolor, and pencil. Adriana painted the fruit fly to celebrate small, everyday miracles, and the inauguration of Flystuff®, a Genesee Scientific brand.
All My Plexus Live in Texas
Lord of Flies
