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About the Artist

Elise Butler

I have been interested in medicine and the natural world since before I could hold a pencil, and I started drawing the moment she could. I learned to draw by tracing horses out of how-to-draw books, and, later, through an obsession with comics and animation. I enjoys creating vibrant illustrations and animations which make complex stories engaging and relatable. 

In 2022, I received a Bachelor of Arts in Biology from Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Oregon, where I completed pre-medical coursework with credits in humanities, arts, and communication. I also participated in research on the evolution of spider venom cytotoxicity. I spent the summer after graduation as an intern at the Smithsonian Institution producing entomological illustrations for the USDA.

Before applying to graduate school, I worked as a veterinary assistant for nearly two years, building knowledge of medical subject matter and skill communicating information at different levels. I discovered a passion for empowering people and improving welfare through knowledge. Currently studying Medical and Biological Illustration at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, I aim to create visuals which promote superior medical care, scientific advancement, individual advocacy, and collective consciousness. 


2026

Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD

2022

Lewis & Clark College, Portland, OR

2025

Dr. Erin Gomez, MD, Dr. Siobhan Cooke, MPhil, Phd

Department of Radiology & Center for Functional Anatomy and Evolution, Johns Hopkins University SOM, Baltimore, MD

2025

Dr. Phillippe Gailloud, MD

Department Interventional Neuroradiology, Johns Hopkins University SOM, Baltimore, MD

2025

Dr. Scott Bailey, PhD

Bailey Laboratory, Johns Hopkins University SOM, Baltimore, MD

2025

Liz Evans

National Aquarium, Baltimore, MD

2025

SurgMap team

Center for Bioengineering Innovation & Design, Johns Hopkins University SOM, Baltimore, MD

2022

Alexander Konstantinov and Taina Litwak

USDA & Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, Washington, DC

2022-2024

Vetco – Colorado

2023-2024

PetWellClinic – Colorado

  1. Golden, E., Cooke, S., Butler, E., Gregg, L., * Gomez, E. (2025) Under the Hood: Vulvar anatomy and Pathology With a Focus on MRI. Abdominal Radiology, 1-19. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00261-025-05179-1

Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

  • 2024    School of Medicine Dean’s Slot Tuition Grant
  • 2024    William P. Didusch Scholarship
  • 2025    Leon Schlossberg Scholarship
  • 2025    W. B. Saunders Scholarship 
  • 2025    School of Medicine Dean’s Slot Tuition Grant

Lewis & Clark College

  • 2018-2022    Dean’s List