Alissa Landefeld
ARTIST | SMALL BUSINESS OWNER
Hi! I’m Alissa Landefeld, a modern-day chaos gremlin and proud Washburn CHAOS Lab alum. I first met Dr. Rachel Washburn during our undergrad biology days - me researching biofilms and bacteriophages, and Rachel diving into the wild world of human fecal matter. We bonded over our love of microbes, Slavic history, the outdoors, shared trauma (lol), and championing badass women in science.
A few years later, I had the incredible opportunity to work with Dr. Washburn as my mentor on a research project at Texas Tech, featuring pig testicles, rat organs, and the best lab culture a gal could ask for. After my time there and graduating, I supervised a nutraceutical microbiology lab in Utah, testing supplements, protein powders, and other wellness products to ensure they were safe for public consumption.
In classic gremlin fashion, I pivoted into B2B sales - great pay, cool coworkers, travel perks, but I missed the creative, hands-on parts of lab life. So, I took a leap and became a full-time artist.
These days, I work from home with my two studio dogs, Karl and Owen, creating and selling original paintings, prints, and the occasional craft I had to try. My work is feminine, dreamlike, and nature-inspired—think insects, mushrooms, animals, and soft landscapes.
I live in Utah with my husband (my best friend), who works in AI development—the kind of tech people say might end art careers any day now. (Spoiler: AI’s actually amazing for cutting out the boring tasks so we can focus on the meaningful stuff.)
Outside of art, I love running, hiking, horror and sci-fi, reading excessively, and listening to science and true crime podcasts. I’m also passionate about supporting local animal shelters by walking shelter dogs and painting murals for adoption events when I can. Learning about psychology, biology, and the ways research can help us live better, healthier lives is still deeply close to my heart.
If a multidisciplinary approach to science and a little chaos speak to you, supporting the Washburn CHAOS Lab is a fantastic way to make an impact. And if you're into hand-painted art by a nerd who still geeks out over microbes and mental health— It’s nice to meet you!