Flora: Gastric Microbiota
Flora is one of a series of images distributed via a self-promotional marketing program to prospective clients to promote the artist’s creativity, artistry and storytelling.
The illustration is a fantasy dramatization of the flowering of gastrointestinal microbiota fertilized by the churning gastric environment. The flowering is depicted by petals of Bacteroidetes, Bifidobacteriam, and Enterococcus faecalis, pistils of Lactobacillus and stamens of Enterococcus faecalis perched on stalks of Escherichia coli. The flower itself emerges on stalks of Clostridium difficile. Free-chaining Streptococcus mutans floats by under the flower. Bacillus cereus, long rod-shaped bacteria in their arthomitus stage attach by fibers to the intestinal epithelium, grow filamentously, and sporulate from their distal ends.
Flora received the recognition of the Member's Choice Best of Show "Ralph Sweet" Award and the Advertising Award of Excellence at the 2019 Salon of the Association of Medical Illustrators, 74th Annual Meeting. Ralph Sweet was a legendary medical illustrator and founder of the medical illustration profession. He was one of the first to realize the visual conveyance of medical knowledge is a fine art.
Flora was bestowed the Print Award of Excellence by the juried 2019 RX Club Show. Founded in 1986 by Ina and Carveth Kramer, The Rx Club Show continues to honor the creative aspects of healthcare advertising and promotion. The show is judged in various categories by a panel of industry experts and is based solely on creativity. Creative concept and execution remain the only criteria for merit.
Flora was also honored with a 2019 Summit Creative Award at the Summit International Awards. Celebrating its 25th year, the Summit Creative Award has firmly established itself as the premier arbiter of creative excellence for firms small and medium sized advertising agencies worldwide and has become a coveted honor. Flora received a Silver Award in the Illustration Category. The 2019 competition included over 4,500 entries from 27 countries for which only 11% of submissions earned recognition.
“Winning a Summit Creative Award is a significant accomplishment in one's career. With vetted judges, tough judging criteria, two-phase blind judging processes, and strict bylaws limiting winners, only deserving entries receive recognition,” said Jocelyn Luciano, Managing Director for the Summit International Awards. “The creative work this year was outstanding. Watching the judges debate the details of individual entries in the run-off for the tops spots was inspiring.”
Flora also received a Platinum Award from Creativity International Design Awards in the category of Illustration: Medical. Entries came from 29 countries, 3 Canadian Provinces and 20 U.S. States. Only 45% of this year's entries won an award reflecting the competitive and excellent design submitted this year.
Cynthia Turner, Certified Medical Illustrator, is represented by Gail Thurm of Shannon Associates, New York, NY, [email protected]