Meet the Creators, Part 2

By Miles Hatfield
NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center

Two solar eclipses will cross the United States within the next year: an annular eclipse on Oct. 14, 2023, and a total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024.

Ahead of the eclipses, NASA is releasing artwork from creatives who have found inspiration in these celestial events. The first two pieces in the series were released in April. The next two pieces are presented below, with short biographies of their creators.

Genna Duberstein is an award-winning, Emmy-nominated multimedia producer and graphic designer who specializes in both making and marketing content. Her work has been shown internationally, aired on PBS, and has been featured in many outlets, including The New York Times, Vanity Fair, WIRED, The Atlantic, and National Geographic. She holds an M.F.A. from American University and a B.A. from The Ohio State University.

Where did you get inspiration for the eclipse poster?
“During the 2017 total solar eclipse, my parents sent me a picture of themselves, smiling in eclipse glasses and sitting on their front stoop with their dog. It was such a goofy, happy picture, I wanted to capture that same spirit for the poster. I have a dog of my own now – a goofy, happy American foxhound mix – and he proved to be the perfect model for the total eclipse poster, which will be released ahead of the April 8, 2024, total solar eclipse. For the upcoming annular eclipse in October, I played with a similar design but referenced my parents’ tuxedo cat. There’s no denying an eclipse can be an awe-inspiring event, but it can be just plain fun too!”

What inspired you to become an artist?
“I can't help it! I've always made things, and I've been very fortunate to have had support along the way. My parents enrolled me in my first art class at four, and they encouraged me to submit work to art contests all through elementary and high school. Portfolio-based scholarships and commissioned portrait work helped me pay for college. To this day, I'm incredibly lucky to have had a career where I can be creative, and I am thankful for all the people who have made it possible.”

Michael Lentz is an art director and artist fortunate to have worked with respected organizations such as National Geographic, Discovery, and now NASA. He is currently the art director at NASA’s Conceptual Image Lab and leads the NASA Creatives group, where he enjoys the opportunity to combine science and art to create compelling visuals. Michael believes in the power of storytelling and innovation to convey the wonders of the universe.

Where did you get inspiration for the eclipse poster?
“When given the task of creating an eclipse piece, I was intrigued by how different landscapes could change the feel of this celestial event. I worked up a few different environments, but my personal love for forests and mountains led me to the setting I chose. As for style, I was inspired by the simplicity and elegance of Japanese woodblock prints or Ukiyo-e, which translates to ‘pictures of the floating world’ – a phrase I found fitting for an eclipse.”

What inspired you to become an artist?
“My interest in art was nurtured from a young age by my parents, so art has always been a part of my life. College was a time of discovery and growth as I found a new medium to explore – digital art. Despite this, I still appreciate the tactile experience of working in traditional mediums and often find myself in my studio. For me, art is a way to understand the world around us, which makes working at NASA a perfect convergence of my love for art and curiosity about the universe.”