A'liya Spinner is no ordinary laboratory technician. By day, she meticulously handled delicate specimens at the Research Museums Center, ensuring each one was carefully preserved and cataloged for future research. But during her brief breaks, A'liya tapped into her passion for art and nature by sketching bees. This unique hobby started as a series of stress-relief doodles, providing a welcome diversion from the rigor of her responsibilities. Over the course of about a year, these sketches evolved into a remarkable collection!
Sketching with a ballpoint pen was a new challenge for A'liya, who usually prefers the flexibility of pencils. With ink, every line is permanent, demanding a level of intentionality and commitment that she wasn't initially accustomed to. Yet, this challenge made her more deliberate in her strokes, turning quick, loose sketches into detailed renderings of her subjects. Mistakes were inevitable, but A'liya soon discovered that the characteristics of bees—especially their bristled bodies—allowed her to cleverly hide any errors among the intricate details.
What started as casual doodles soon became an eye-opening journey into the world of bees. As A'liya meticulously copied the fine details of various species, she began to appreciate the vast diversity within the bee family. Megachile bees, with their large, dramatic jaws; Bombus bees, boasting an endearing excess of fluff and large abdomens; and the sleek, streamlined Andrena bees—all revealed themselves to be uniquely fascinating in their own right. Each box of specimens she sifted through for the perfect muse highlighted the remarkable differences between even individual bees of the same species.
Beyond her artistic endeavors, A'liya is also a dedicated Ecology and Evolutionary Biology student, working full-time to master her field. Her fascination with bees dovetailed beautifully with her academic pursuits, deepening her understanding of ecological diversity. This semester, A'liya faces a new and daunting challenge: applying to graduate school.
Despite the apprehension that comes with these major life decisions, A'liya feels an undeniable thrill about embarking on this next chapter. The prospect of furthering her studies and contributing to her field is inspiring. She channeled the same dedication and passion she had for her bee sketches into her applications, finding comfort in her art as a reminder of her love for nature and its complexities.
In the end, A'liya's journey at the RMC and her heartfelt bee doodles are more than just hobbies—they are expressions of her passion for the natural world and her commitment to understanding it more deeply. These experiences not only enriched her academically but also gave her the resilience and inspiration needed to pursue her dreams. As she looks to the future, filled with both excitement and nervous anticipation, A'liya knows that her love for ecology, biology, and her tiny ink-rendered companions will guide her every step of the way.
Reflecting on her journey, A'liya often reminds herself of a quote by the naturalist John Muir: "The power of imagination makes us infinite." For A'liya, her imagination has already taken her far, and she is excited to see where it would lead her next.
