About

Hi, I’m Mesa, and I’m an illustrator and writer.

I’ve worked in scientific and medical illustration for two decades, as well as a science communicator, writing scripts and designing complex infographics for clients like National Geographic and Scientific American. 

When I’m not drawing, I write adult nonfiction and children’s books. 

I got my start in illustration working on archaeological sites, which took me to Turkey, Belize, Peru, and Portugal. My work sense has taken me interesting places, working with interesting people. I’ve collaborated with museums, zoos, aquariums, textbooks, popular non-fiction publishing, magazines, and even a line of anatomy puzzles with Genius Games.I hold an MA in Medical Art from the Department of Art as Applied to Medicine at Johns Hopkins Medical School (2015) and a BS from Stanford University.

I currently live in Mauritius (a little island in the Indian Ocean) with my husband and two kids, but have called many places home, including Guatemala, Nepal, Fiij, Korea, and even the South Pole! When I’m in the United States, I call the two Washingtons—Seattle and DC, home.

To learn a bit about scientific and medical illustration, you can listen to my interviews below, or visit my science and medical work at www.mesaschumacher.com.

3 Point Perspective podcast:

 

Medical Illustration Podcast:

Drawing Inspiration Podcast: