Meet Brittany Finch

The Artist Behind Our MOSS Summer Camp Shirts

For the past two summers, local artist Brittany Finch has added extra creativity to MOSS Summer Camp by designing and donating the illustrations featured on our camp T-shirts!

Brittany is the artist and founder behind FINCH, a Montana-based natural science illustration studio that combines art, science, and education to inspire curiosity about the natural world. Her illustrations are a perfect fit for MOSS, where we believe some of the most meaningful learning happens through hands-on exploration and discovery outdoors.

This summer, Brittany joined us to spend time with our campers, experience MOSS firsthand, and share a little more about her art, inspiration, and connection to outdoor education.

We asked Brittany a few questions about growing up outdoors, the inspiration behind FINCH, and what makes her partnership with MOSS so meaningful.

A Conversation with Brittany

Did you attend outdoor camps like MOSS growing up?

Not exactly, but I like to think that my siblings and I created our own version of one.

I was incredibly fortunate to grow up about 40 minutes outside of town along the Clark Fork River, with a stay-at-home mom who encouraged us to explore the woods, wander the riverbanks, build forts, help in the garden, and generally satisfy our curiosity. Looking back, I realize what a gift that was.

When I became an elementary teacher, I had the opportunity to work alongside many outdoor educators and after-school program directors. It became so clear how valuable programs like MOSS are because not every family has the time, access, or opportunity to provide those kinds of experiences on a regular basis.

That's what I admire so much about MOSS. They create space for kids to get outside, ask questions, get muddy, discover something new, and develop a connection to the natural world, all with knowledgeable mentors guiding the way. I think that's an incredible gift, not only for the kids, but for their families as well.

How does MOSS align with your work, and what do you enjoy most about working with MOSS?

I think MOSS and I share a really similar philosophy: people protect what they understand and appreciate.

One thing I've noticed over the years as an illustrator is just how powerful positive personal experiences are. I can spend weeks creating an illustration that I'm incredibly proud of—one featuring a fascinating but elusive species like a Canada lynx—and it may receive very little attention simply because most people have never encountered one in the wild. There's no personal memory for them to connect it to.

Then I'll create a piece that I may not even feel is my strongest artistically, but it features a species people remember seeing on a hike, at their grandparents' cabin, or in their backyard. Suddenly, those memories come rushing back, and the artwork resonates in a completely different way.

That has taught me something important: connection almost always comes before appreciation.

That's why I think organizations like MOSS are so important. They're helping create those first experiences like the shoes that get sucked into a mud pit, the baby owl watching over camp meetings, the hawk spotted through binoculars, the insect caught in a net. Those moments become stories, and those stories become lifelong connections to the outdoors.

Years later, when someone comes across a piece of natural science illustration or wildlife art, they're not just looking at an animal or a plant. They're remembering where they were, who they were with, and how they felt. That's when art becomes more than an image—it becomes a way to revisit a meaningful experience and, hopefully, a reminder of why those places and species are worth protecting.

One of my favorite things about designing the camp shirts is knowing they're connected to an experience, not just a piece of apparel. Years from now, someone might pull that shirt out of the back of their closet and instantly remember a moment from their time at MOSS. If the artwork helps keep a little of that curiosity alive, I think that's pretty special.

Tell us a little about your art and what drew you to natural science illustration.

I grew up in Montana, where being outside was simply part of everyday life. From a young age, I found myself noticing the little things, and whenever I pointed them out to friends or adults, the response was often, "Huh... I've never noticed that before."

As I grew older, I realized that response was surprisingly common. People weren't intentionally ignoring nature; they were simply moving through it without noticing the details that make an ecosystem so remarkable. While I knew it wasn't realistic to expect everyone to care about the exact same things I did, I wondered if there was a way to encourage people to live with just a little more curiosity and wonder.

That question first led me to elementary education because young children are naturally overflowing with curiosity. Over time, though, I realized I could combine my love of education, science, and art into one career through natural science illustration.

Today I run FINCH, a Montana-based natural science illustration studio. My primary goal is to work alongside nonprofits, government agencies, researchers, scientists, and educators who are helping protect and better understand the natural world. Much of that work depends on grants, donations, and limited budgets, so I do everything I can to make professional illustration accessible.

That's also why FINCH has a retail side. Every greeting card, journal, print, shirt, or other product I sell directly supports future natural science illustration projects. I intentionally set aside a percentage of every retail sale and reinvest it into conservation and science communication work. That means every wholesale order, every online purchase, and every card someone picks up at a local shop helps fund illustrations for nonprofits, researchers, educators, and organizations like MOSS.

I love that connection because it allows the people who simply enjoy my artwork to become part of something bigger. They may think they're buying a greeting card, but they're also helping make natural science illustration more accessible to the organizations working to educate communities, protect wildlife, and conserve the places we all care about.

Thank You, Brittany!

We're so grateful to Brittany for generously sharing her time, talent, and creativity with MOSS over the past two summers. Her illustrations are more than just designs on a T-shirt. They're little reminders of the discoveries, friendships, and outdoor adventures that make summer camp so special.

It was a joy to welcome Brittany to camp this summer and share the experiences that inspire both her work and ours.

Thank you, Brittany, for helping our campers carry a little piece of MOSS with them wherever they go!

You can explore more of Brittany's beautiful work and learn about FINCH at finchbybrittany.com.