The work of Scott Rawlins, Professor of Art and Design, will be included in the New York State Museum’s Focus on Nature exhibition in Albany, N.Y., through Dec. 31.

Focus on Nature XII: Natural History Illustration showcases juried artwork by top illustrators from 15 countries. Open through Dec. 31 in the Photography Gallery, this biennial juried exhibition has continued to grow over the past 24 years, both in scope and reputation. This year’s exhibition features 93 natural history illustrations, representing the work of 72 illustrators. These were selected from 503 entries, submitted by 219 artists, up from the 450 submissions by 186 artists in 2010. Approximately one-third of the artists whose work was selected were new to the entry process. Countries represented for the first time are Thailand, Germany, and Switzerland. Other artists participating are from Australia, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, England, Italy, Japan, The Netherlands, South Korea, Spain, Portugal, and the United States.

The exhibition’s goals are to demonstrate the important role illustration has in natural science research and education, to stimulate curiosity about the world, and to bring clearly into focus images of nature that people might not otherwise be able to visualize. Many of the illustrations are created for field guides, textbooks, science articles and presentations.