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Jess Holz

@jessholz

Artist and microscopist. MFA art + technology, but work in a neuro lab by day. Insects, neurons, electron microscopy… follow me to see lots of plankton videos… jessholz.com

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16.11.2024
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Latest posts by Jess Holz @jessholz

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This amoeba from a Charles river culture featured in my solo exhibition that just came down- it started eating a dying flagellate- but the flagellate actually jumped out of its mouth! I’ve never seen that before. The amoeba did catch up with it and eat it tho. #sciart #microscopy #plankton

22.02.2026 21:01 👍 3 🔁 1 💬 0 📌 0
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FINAL WEEK for Plankton Paintings: Footprints of the Invisible at Harvard Ed Portal. Next thursday is the last day to see it, it’s been a great run! I’ve really enjoyed bringing local plankton to center stage, and had some wonderful conversations. #sciart #microscopy

14.02.2026 01:09 👍 3 🔁 1 💬 0 📌 0
We Just Found a Mind-blowing New World of Electrostatic Biology
We Just Found a Mind-blowing New World of Electrostatic Biology YouTube video by Anton Petrov

airborne nematodes hitching rides on insects and other cool stuff- fun video youtu.be/ql35lWxuaVU?...

10.02.2026 02:11 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
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My dad did manage to squeeze in a visit to Boston earlier this week 😊 Just a reminder the show is up until until Feb 19th. #sciart #plankton #microscopy

06.02.2026 01:53 👍 8 🔁 1 💬 0 📌 0
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31.01.2026 03:05 👍 2 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
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I like doing side by side, phase contrast and fluorescence, to really see the transformation. #microscopy

31.01.2026 03:04 👍 3 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0
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For #fluorescencefriday I present boring brown ‘junk’, debris, marine snow- consisting of decaying organisms and plant matter, that become colorful galaxies under fluorescence. I always wonder about the histories of living organisms present in these debris. Sample from the Charles river #sciart

31.01.2026 03:02 👍 15 🔁 0 💬 2 📌 0

thanks that’s sorta what I thought.

27.01.2026 04:00 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0

At first I was reminded of a vorticella axoneme, but that’s not what this is. The tissue looks a bit plant-like to me but I really can’t tell what it is. I’ve found it before in my water samples, rarely. Giving my fb microscopy group a run for their money with these photos.

27.01.2026 01:11 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0
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Anyone know what the coiled structure is in these fluorescence photos? The coil seems to be only visible if the tissue is destroyed. 200-400x magnification, autofluorecence of a sample collected from punching through ice in a shallow part of the Charles river, Boston. #sciart #microscopy

27.01.2026 01:08 👍 8 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0
Jess Holz artist talk - Plankton Painting solo show @ Harvard Ed Portal
Jess Holz artist talk - Plankton Painting solo show @ Harvard Ed Portal YouTube video by Brittany Paris Archived

If anyone wants to listen to my artist talk on plankton painting moderated by @pgirguis.bsky.social it’s up here :) youtu.be/66F5FQskmW0?... #sciart #microscopy

22.01.2026 17:25 👍 7 🔁 1 💬 1 📌 0

cute!

21.01.2026 18:34 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
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sure! here is the poem

19.01.2026 15:22 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0
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Thanks everyone for coming to the opening of Plankton Paintings: Footprints of the Invisible. Had great turnout and the artist talk went well. My mom, sister, and friend from Milwaukee even flew out. Super special to share this with everyone. #sciart

17.01.2026 21:59 👍 5 🔁 1 💬 0 📌 0
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Plankton Paintings: Footprints of the Invisible now on display until feb 19th at Harvard Ed Portal. Super exciting to see this come together. Opening reception next thursday 5-7pm, would love to see you there! #sciart #microscopy

10.01.2026 14:41 👍 31 🔁 13 💬 1 📌 0
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The installation will feature timelapse microscopy paintings, lots of new video work, and even a plankton altar. Working on editing my fluorescence work now for a special fluorescence 'section', vid shows some green fluorescent vorticella I thought were cool. #sciart #fluorescencefriday

20.12.2025 16:31 👍 17 🔁 2 💬 0 📌 0
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I'm super excited to announce a solo exhibition at Harvard Ed Portal featuring my timelapse Plankton Paintings: hrvd.me/gallery-holz. Opening reception Jan 15, 5-7pm, at 6pm I'll be doing an artist talk in conversation with @pgirguis.bsky.social Would love if you could join! #sciart #microscopy

20.12.2025 16:23 👍 10 🔁 2 💬 2 📌 0
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When the brain states back: spooky neuron faces I’ve found, for halloween (‘eye’ see u…) #sciart #electronmicroscopy #pareidolia

31.10.2025 23:35 👍 59 🔁 7 💬 0 📌 0

yep! only a couple minutes of exposure time tho

30.10.2025 18:12 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
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saw 3 tardigrade exoskeletons with a single egg inside, including this one in the timelapse above, anyone know much about this tactic?

27.10.2025 00:02 👍 5 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
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Highlights from the day below. #sciart #tardigrade #microscopy

27.10.2025 00:00 👍 13 🔁 2 💬 1 📌 0
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Had a blast at Artisans Asylum open studios scoping tardigrades. Made some fun timelapse too with the ciliates in the sample providing the ‘scribbles’. Def attracted nerdy types with the tardigrades, but even people who didn’t know what they were were captivated by their cute little wiggles.

26.10.2025 23:58 👍 11 🔁 1 💬 1 📌 0
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Nice to see artwork from my new scope finally on paper. Gearing up for Artisans Asylum open studios this Saturday 2-7pm. I’ll be selling plankton stickers and will have a live tardigrade station! #sciart #microscopy

23.10.2025 23:53 👍 6 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0
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Boston folk, Artisans Asylum fall open studios is next Saturday, 2-7pm. I will be setting up a live tardigrade station in my studio! :) Would love to see you there. tinyurl.com/FallIntoMaking #sciart #microscopy

19.10.2025 21:44 👍 88 🔁 6 💬 6 📌 0

thanks!

12.10.2025 17:18 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
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I just love their pigment designs does anyone know about the function?

12.10.2025 15:54 👍 4 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0
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If anyone on here knows how to ID polychaete larva, I’d love to work with you on getting to the species level on these worms I always find in Boston harbor. I could provide a ton of photos, if I knew what to image for an ID. I know they are spionid but that’s it. #sciart #microscopy #plankton

12.10.2025 15:53 👍 13 🔁 3 💬 1 📌 0

These things are sooooo weird looking lol

12.10.2025 15:39 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0

Many thanks!

12.10.2025 15:37 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0

@copepodology.bsky.social any ideas?

12.10.2025 15:28 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0