Tag: art and physics

Art and Physics collaboration attempts to learn from each others’ fields. Each area looks  to view the world in a new way.

How to Make a Scientifically Inspired Art Quilt

ATLAS in Rose , finished art quilt

Not too long ago,I participated in an art and physics collaboration. As a result I created this green, yellow and black art quilt,ATLAS at CERN  based on the  colors from CERN. Inspired by this abstract piece I  wanted to  attempt something similar in a different color wave. So I choose to use the colors of black, white and rose for my next scientifically inspired art quilt.

A Scientifically Inspired Art Quilt

ATLAS at CERN ,an art quilt
ATLAS at CERN, scientifically inspired art quilt

Creating Details

First, I go through my materials to find the appropriate colors of fabrics and items for the color wave I have chosen for my scientifically inspired art quilt.

Next, I think  what I want to make  to add texture or interest. This is when I begin to think about the whole quilting process and the order that I need to follow. I knew that I wanted to use a beaded necklace with a bit of pink. But I would have to wait until the quilt top was completed to actually sew it in place. Otherwise quilting the top would be a problem; the beads wouldn’t go through my machine. Moreover, I didn’t want to  wreck the beads in the process.   Hand sewing of the necklace would have to wait until the whole piece was sewn together. Yet, I would still have to keep the location of the necklace in mind as I worked.

Other Details

Continuing with other details,I found a repurposed  zipper in just  the right color. I created a starburst mirroring the actual scientific view after the splitting of atoms. Then, I chose rose colored embroidery threads to couch (zigzagg)  with matching colored thread. I also couched several different decorative threads and a piece of  stretchy webbing onto black pieces of fabric to create a pleasant contrast. A running stitch of rose colored embroidery threads through black fabric was also made. Lastly, I created a black 3D fabric flower to adorn a rose colored  piece of fabric.

ATLAS in Rose
ATLAS in Rose selecting fabrics

A Scientifically Inspired Art Quilt On the Design Wall

I like to choose fabrics with movement. It was serenditious to find so many black and white fabrics with  circles and dots that lent themselves  well to ascientifically inspired art quilt. These would go well with the oval placement in the center of the beaded necklace. The black and white stripes contrasted geometrically. I created further stripes by couching black decorative threads and black ribbon on white fabric. I used black sewing thread for low or no contrast.

ATLAS in Rose, art quilt a work in progress
ATLAS in Rose, work on design wall

The Finished Top

ATLAS in Rose , finished art quilt
ATLAS in Rose , finished art quilt

Here is the completed scientifically inspired art quilt. Handsewn repurposed white buttons added interest to the beaded necklace, front and center upon completion.

You may find out more  about how I create my  abstract art quilts at these links.

https://annbaldwinmayartquilts.com/2019/07/creating-texture-in-art/

https://annbaldwinmayartquilts.com/2020/01/creating-movement-in-abstract-art-quilts/

https://annbaldwinmayartquilts.com/2018/07/why-art-and-science/

https://www.etsy.com/shop/annbmayartquilts

Something New? Fusion of Art and Science Show

Blue Collider Event Display in Stitching, CA

Fusion of Art and Science Show

ALICE @ CERN
Originally published By Lisa Renner in University of California, Santa Cruz student newspaper.February, 2019.

A collaboration  of Art and Physics

First of all,what happens when artists visit science labs and hear scientists explain their work? Find out by attending the exhibition The Fusion of Art and Physics on view in March,2019. R. Blitzer Gallery,2801 Mission St.Santa  Cruz,CA Originally,UC Santa Cruz physicist Stephanie Bailey conceived of the show to feature works created by 17 pairs of artists and physics graduate students. Last fall, Bailey organized another science-art collaboration with the show Motors Surround Us. That show had  pieces of art created from  simple electric motors made by introductory physics students. https://annbaldwinmayartquilts.com/2018/07/why-art-and-science/

Meet Two Collaborators

In the beginning, Dr. Bailey linked Bryson Bost,an artist, and Johnny Davenport, the physics doctoral student  together. First,the young scientist showed Bost the instruments he uses to explore really thin crystals at the lab. Then, he also showed him how it is possible to see what the crystals look like on an atomic scale. Finally,Bryson Bost,a 36-year-old artist, creates intricate patterns using acrylics and pigment inks “You could actually see the spaces in between atoms,” said Bost. “It was like I can’t believe I’m seeing a pocket dimension. It’s almost science fiction.”

A Whole  New World

In addition,Bost felt honored to get a chance to see a world that he has no experience with. Moreover, Davenport’s explanation of his work was enthralling. “It’s so advanced you feel like you’re talking to a messenger of some god,” Bost said. For example,“You feel like you’re getting in touch with some strange divine formula for the fusion of art and science show.

No Jargon allowed

For his part, Davenport said he enjoyed the opportunity to translate his ideas into ordinary language. Aboveall, he avoided  technical jargon. Similarly,Davenport thinks scientists spend too much time in their own world. “A lot of times we fall back on technical language to be able to communicate complicated concepts,” he said. “The hardest thing to do is to distill it down to something presentable to a different medium or a different audience. But science isn’t just intended to benefit scientists.” The move for scientists to communicate with the general public is extremely necessary in these times.

Creating Began

After that first dialogue, Bost went back to his studio. First, he began working on the creation for the show. The atomic-level images he saw inspired his art.After that, he created a piece filled with intricate patterns.  Furthermore,his materials included  acrylics and pigment ink. In all, he spent about 40 hours. What happens when artists visit science labs and hear scientists explain their work? Find out by attending the exhibition The Fusion of Art and Physics on view in March,2019. R. Blitzer Gallery,2801 Mission St.Santa  Cruz,CA.UC. Santa Cruz physicist Dr. Stephanie Bailey conceived of the show to feature works created by 20 pairs of artists and physics graduate students. Last fall, Bailey organized another science-art collaboration with the show Motors Surround Us. This show had  pieces of art created from  simple electric motors made by introductory physics students.

Video of the Show

Video of Fusion Show at R. Blitzer Gallery (partial) Highlighting the  Collaboration of Art and Physics at R. Blitzer Gallery, Santa Cruz,CA March, 2019. Music by Robert Blitzer observed by Charles Sutten, artist.

The Collaboration

Meanwhile,the collaboration between local artists and Ph’d Physics candidates at the University of California,Santa Cruz is  over. Yet, I learned that there is a wide range of study within the field of physics. Above all,some scientists are studying theorical physics using a chalkboard, chalk and a computer. However,others are doing a variety of experiments in labs.

Dr. Bailey’s Brainchild

Firstly Dr.Bailey, a non artist , organized an art show, Fusion .In addition,it is part of a mission to bring the concepts of physics to a wider public. Certainly,“Art is a much more friendly and inviting way to attract people than physics,” she says. To clarify,Dr. Bailey worked with  mosaic artist, Beth Purcell to organize the show.  Above all,the artwork is more than a few pieces of beautiful art. Moreover,they can be considered extraordinary teaching tools. In other words something  a professor can bring into the classroom to convey an important concept in physics.

Tauna Coulson is the curator

Similarly,the artists involved also exhibited a wide range of study; painting,glass, fiber, and multimedia. Tauna Coulson, is the curator of the show  is working hard to make sure everything comes together.http://coulsondesign.com/author/tauna-coulson/ In conclusion,at the end of the 2019 school year, Dr. Bailey moved to Chapman College in Orange County, California. Their gain UCSC’s  and the Santa Cruz community’s loss.
Something New? Fusion of Art and Science Show
https://annbaldwinmayartquilts.com/2018/06/collaboration-of-physics-and-art-1/ https://annbaldwinmayartquilts.com/2018/07/inspiration-and-the-collider-event/ https://annbaldwinmayartquilts.com/2018/07/inspiration-and-the-collider-event/ https://annbaldwinmayartquilts.com/2020/03/a-scientifically-inspired-art-quiltatlas-in-rose/ https://annbaldwinmayartquilts.com/2019/01/collider-event-displays/ https://www.chapman.edu/our-faculty/stephanie-bailey https://www.etsy.com/shop/annbmayartquilts/

Check out This Article of Fusion of Art and Physics

Randie Silverstein's glass piece
starbursts made out of glass although they look like flexible strings Article of Fusion of Art and Physics
Randie Silverstein’s glass piece

Article of Fusion of Art and Physics-For those of us who are neither physicists nor artists, it’s easy to think that there is no overlap between physics and art. But a new show in Santa Cruz called Fusion of Art and Physics aims to remind us that there are ways to build bridges between the two.

Fusion of Art and Physics Show opens at the R. Blitzer Gallery on March 1,2019. It features the results of 17 collaborations between visual artists and physicists.  After the show’s opening reception,  participants will share what they learned from each other in a panel discussion.

UC Santa Cruz physicist, Dr. Stephanie Bailey

The show is the brainchild of UC Santa Cruz physicist Stephanie Bailey, who has attempted to blend lessons from the humanities into her teaching of physics. Bailey’s idea was to pair up a roster of Santa Cruz County artists with grad students and faculty in the physics department at UCSC. Like Jane Austen’s Emma, Bailey played matchmaker, looking for complementary interests between artists and physicists. Her own pairing put her with mosaic artist Beth Purcell. Together, Bailey and Purcell built mosaics on musical instruments to illustrate standing waves, the vibrational waveform often created in music.

Art Enhances Science

“I don’t consider myself an artistic person at all,” says Bailey. “But I still very much welcomed working with an artist.”Bailey’s sales pitch to her fellow physicists was audacious. Art, she told them, isn’t a distraction from science—it enhances it.

“I really believe that working with an artist can enrich the work of a physicist, lead them to think about their problems in new and different ways, and even create a few a-ha moments,” she says.

Brad Burkhart

Santa Cruz sculptor Brad Burkhart https://burkhart-sculptor.com/ didn’t need convincing. Burkhart’s partner on the physics side was Hendrik Ohldag. He is  a physicist from the Stanford Synchotron Radiation Laboratory where he studies magnetism. Burkhart entered the partnership already inspired.  He is quick to share his favorite title  Art and Physics: Parallel Visions in Space, Time and Light by San Francisco surgeon Leonard Shlain.

“I’ve always been interested in the overlap between the arts and the sciences,” says Burkhart. “It’s [Shlain’s] premise that art leads science by 50 years or so. Artists come up with a visual framework that is later discovered and proven by scientists.”

Gates of Paradise

Inspired by the Gates of Paradise at the Baptistry of Florence, Burkhart turned his artistic attention to creating small bas-relief panels from high-fired clay that are similar to what he saw in Florence. Burkhart visited his scientist partner Ohldag in the physicist’s lab, and Ohldag returned the favor by visiting Burkhart during Open Studios. Eventually, Burkhart created a series of his relief panels guided by feedback and comments from Ohldag.

“I’m going to have a description of how we collaborated.  I’m going to have Hendrick’s comments on the four sculptures as well,” says Burkhart.

Randie Silverstein,glass artist

Glass artist Randie Silverstein says that her collaboration with physics grad student, Alex McDaniel led to an enormous breakthrough in my work. I’ve been doing glass art to explore the material further. Then I  conceived of and manipulated the materials  in ways I hadn’t done before. Randie’s work took off in a totally new direction.

For Bailey, the non-artist who found herself curating an art show, Fusion is part of a mission to bring the concepts of physics to a wider public. “Art is a much more friendly and inviting way to attract people than physics,” she says. Of the work she created alongside mosaic artist Beth Purcell, she says that the artwork is more than a few pieces of aesthetic pleasure. “I consider them extraordinary teaching tools, something I can bring into the classroom to convey an important concept in physics.”

‘Fusion of Art and Physics’ runs through March. Opening reception is Friday, March 1, 5-9 p.m. Artist and physicist panel discussion on Saturday, March 16, noon-2 p.m. R. Blitzer Gallery, 2801 Mission St. Extension, Santa Cruz. slbailey109.wixsite.com/fusion/blog.

http://goodtimes.sc/santa-cruz-arts-entertainment/art/fusion-art-physics/?

https://www.etsy.com/shop/annbmayartquilts/

See Clay and Physics at Work

Fusion of Art and Physics Show

Fusion of Art and Physics II
Brad Burkhart, clay artist

Brad Burkhart, clay artist participated in the Collaboration between Art and Physics. He is a lover of Physics as well as clay scultpure.Brad recommended that I read Art and Physics a book by Leonard Shlain. It truly opened my eyes to the science of art.

Brad Burkhart shares his process-clay and physics

Since finishing my sketches for the project, I have been turning them into clay relief form. Due to time issues,not all sketches could become sculptures for the group show on March 1. My goal was to finish 4 of the 6.Notwithstanding this goal was daunting. Each of the clay pieces  require over a month of slow drying before firing. By necessity, I sped up the drying process. I  used an electric heater in the studio. Moreover, I devised an open lath support under the sculptures to allow them to dry faster. Finally, I found local potters,Steve and Bonny Barisof. They agreed to do this firing for me.

The process-

Below are a few photos of the transformation from sketch to sculpture.

Firing is always an unpredictable process.  This one was no exception. The three top pieces came out beautifully. However, apparently I had not dried the bottom one enough. Unfortunately, it fell apart in the kiln.

But the disintegration of piece #4 led to some new insights. My wife and I discussed the broken piece. We decided to mount the main pieces on a board.   A quote on Chaos Theory is its show title. After that,  we named the other pieces in a similar way. As a result, using physicist quotes or theories added to the exhibit.. I invited Hendrik to participate. In the end we went with my wife’s suggestions for the show. In other words,her suggestions were easier to understand by average viewers. However, I present them both below because they are both insightful. I am still deciding on final names for the pieces. Although I have definitely embraced Hendrik’s name for #3.

Hendrik’s Suggestions: 1.) Superconductivity by John Bardeen, Leon Cooper, John Robert Schrieffer 2.) What is it? Fermi-Dirac or Bose-Einstein 3.) Einstein, Soccer and Gravitation Waves 4.) Parity or no Parity, Noether, not Hamlet will answer this question.

Wife Ann’s Suggestions: 1) “Things” Can Be Regarded on One Level as Structures and on Another Level as Processes —-T. R. Young

2) By Making Everything as Small as Possible the Waves Become Much More Agile and Faster —-H. Ohldag

3) Are You the Observer or the Observed?

4) The Final Outcome…Is Radically Affected by Tiny Changes in the Initial Conditions —-S. Morgan

Notes on Ann’s titles:

1) Young, TR: Chaos Theory & Human Agency http://www.critcrim.org/redfeather/chaos/chaosindex.html

Complexity theory also denies the concept of the objectivity, or separation of the observer from the observed (Young 11).

4) Steev Morgan: Applying Chaos Theory to Artistic and Cultural Practice

Continuing Work at Hendrik’s New Lab

In addition to preparing sculptures for the show, I have continued to interact with Hendrik at his new lab. I am awaiting his comments about having my piece “What’s Your Sign?” in his new lab at the Berkeley Cyclotron. He is just getting started there.

In the meantime, we discovered that the research conducted at SLAC  resulted in a significant breakthrough in understanding the speed of magnetic waves. Previously it had been thought that 1 mile per hour was the limit. But they discovered through the experiment that if materials were made small enough, this speed could increase up to 500 miles per hour. This is particularly significant because computer memories use magnetic storage. With the right design, it now appears possible to significantly increase storage. Moreover,while lowering energy use significantly.

Naming a Piece at the New Lab

I try to name my works through a group consensus process. We have been attempting such a process at Hendrik’s new Berkeley Lab location. We hung an unnamed piece in the researchers’ lounge with a suggestion box nearby. See the piece below with set of suggestions. Feel free to participate in the process by e-mailing Hendrik or myself your suggestions. I envision sorting these out along with names for the show pieces later this spring.

https://slbailey109.wixsite.com/fusion

https://annbaldwinmayartquilts.com/2019/02/fusion-of-art-and-physics-show/

https://annbaldwinmayartquilts.com/2018/07/inspiration-and-the-collider-event/https://annbaldwinmayartquilts.com/2018/06/collaboration-of-physics-and-art-1/

https://www.etsy.com/shop/annbmayartquilts/

Lost in Space? See these Collider Event Display Art Quilts

ATLAS at CERN

DRUID, 34″h x 21 “w Collider Event Display

Likewise,the artists involved also used different art forms. For example,some  work with paint, glass,fiber,and multimedia. Most importantly,Tauna Coulson, the curator  worked hard to make sure everything comes together.

Starburst of pink, green and blue fabrics Inspired by a photo of ALICE at CERNCollider Event Displays

Furthermore,I would like to share the inspirations that I created for this upcoming show. Benjamin Lehmann is a theoritical physicist. Likewise,the collider event displays that he showed me on his computer looked eerily like fiber,my chosen medium. After that I made several art quilts based on those photos. In the same vein,subatomic particles are smashed together in the atom smasher at Stanford Linear Accelerator or CERN in Switzerland.https://annbaldwinmayartquilts.com/2018/06/from-guarding-chalk-to-black-holes/
Finally,when this happens, they split apart in predictable patterns and predictable colors. Moreove these were my inspirations.

ATLAS at CERN in fabric . Green, yellow and black fabrics radiate starburst Collider Event Displays


 

Collider Event Displays

Ann Baldwin May was born and raised in Palo Alto, California. She received her education from University of California, Irvine (History, BA Elementary Teaching Credential, Masters in Teaching, Spanish).She took two years of sewing in high school. Her first quilting class was in 1975. She retired in 2012 after working 30 years as a bilingual teacher and Bilingual Resource Teacher in Watsonville,California. Her home is in Santa Cruz,California with her husband. She has two daughters. Above all, she loves to play with fabrics and redirected materials to create her art quilts.

annbmahttps://www.etsy.com/shop/annbmayartquilts

Sometimes Working Backwards is the only Way to Create

ATLAS from CERN, 30" w x 32", $4200.

Create art by working backwards.

Working backwards means thinking through each process of making your art piece before getting started. To create this collider event  display, I had to figure out what would go on last. Then I thought about  what each previous step backwards would be.  What steps would I need to get to the finished product?That worked fairly well except for slight changes at the end.

working backwards
Photo of the collider event display I worked  from

Working backwards is a Different Way of Thinking

Working backwards to create art is a new and  different way of thinking for me. Usually,I create my art quilts differently. As each part is completed, I reflect on what I can do to make it better or more artisitic. Generally,  I don’t work from a photograph. I complete  one step  before even thinking about the next part. Motivation and inspiration comes from  how the materials play together. Working backwards is a different way of thinking for me.

Reflecting

I reflect on how I can make it more engaging as each part is completed. Then finally, how the quilting might enhance the piece. For better or for worse,I rarely consider the quilting until the top is finished. But the whole point of this collaboration is to look at a project in a new way.

Beginning Steps to Create Art by Working Backwards


Choosing fabric and detail stitches

working backwards
working backwards
Running stitch with yellow embroidery thread.working backwards
3.Running stitch with yellow embroidery thread
green, yellow , black fabrics sewn together in a starburst design,working backwards
4. Attempting to create the starburst effect
working backwards
5. Sewing more pieces together

Changes

Several fairly large changes happened at this point. I wanted to  cover the  cream oval with yarn  to create a shadow as in the photo. But  the effect wasn’t what  I wanted. Luckily, the fabric was loosely woven together so I was able to pick out the threads one by one until they  were gone.

Do I have to match the photo?

I also struggled with matching the photo. When I gave myself permission to not match the photo and make a work of art to my liking, I felt much better. I finished the quilt with my artist judgement  in mind.

edges turned to the back and handsewn ,working backwards
6. The finished art quilt

In Summary

With this collaboration I  adjusted my decision making processes. Photographs of the collider event displays(CED)  were mandatory. My collaborator showed me some collider event displays that he felt would lend themselves to work in fabric and yarn. I chose several from the suggested group.

Thinking Ahead


Using a photo as a guide, I had to have an idea of what each step would be, before beginning at all. I  almost always use fabric that I have on hand. The size of that fabric then determines the size of the piece. If I quilted the three layers together first,then I could know the exact size that the CED would have to be. I had seen other  art quilters quilt their work first, so it wasn’t a new idea. Just something that I had never done.

Pay Attention When Going Backwards

You have to pay attention to where you are going when walking backwards or working backwards. Working backwards just takes a bit more of a plan. It is a lot more safe than walking backwards.

https://www.etsy.com/shop/annbmayartquilts/

What’s New? A UCSC Lecturer Leads Collaboration

By Libby Leyden, Post Banner Newspaper serving Scotts Valley and the San Lorenzo Valley,CA reports on UCSC Lecturer Leads Collaboration.

UCSC Lecturer Spearheads Physics/Art collaboration

UCSC Lecturer Leads Collaboration
Artist Bryson Bost (left) and UCSC graduate student Johnny Davenport.Courtesy of Stephanie Bailey

Art and Science

Humanities, Arts, Crafts and Design Practices (HACD)

Stephanie Bailey, a Ben Lomond resident, nuclear physicist, and physics lecturer at UCSC,  teaches introductory physics for life science majors. As part of her classes, Bailey attempts to bring in humanities, arts, crafts and design practices (HACD). The aim is to incorporate other skills into the classroom to make a well-rounded student.

“It is important our students build bridges between disciplines in order to address real world problems in order to span disciplinary borders,’ Bailey said. “Incorporating HACD into our physics curriculum makes better scientists. Just as it leads to improved educational outcomes for undergraduates, HACD experiences have value for STEM researchers as well.”After introducing these practices into my classroom, I saw it did make for better learners. I thought it does not have to stop here, so I imagined it could help researchers as well.”

Twenty Pairs-UCSC Lecturer Leads Collaboration

As a result, Bailey got the idea to pair 20 physicists with local artists to create a piece or pieces of work. In addition the art would be shown in an art gallery in March.

“I worked to pair each physicist with an artist,” Bailey said. “I wanted each physicist to explain to their artist what work they were doing.  Most importantly, it was then  up to the pair to express the work visually.”

The Art Community Joins In

Through an open solicitation to the art community, Bailey said she was shocked at how many artists responded interested in the project. One of the artists was a Santa Cruz native, Tauna Coulson. Coulson and  first year UCSC graduate student Arturo Quezada worked ogether. Quezada worked previously  in the Velasco Lab.

One Pair

“We had this great conversation and then he took me to the lab where he is essentially studying a type of microscope,” Coulson said. She explained the two worked together to explore the artistic beauty of graphene. For instance, graphene was one of the materials Quezada is looking at using the microscope.

Engagement of People with Physics

The objective for the collaboration is to enable access and engage people with physics through art. Similarly, to think about the role physics plays in their lives and in the world at large. The final pieces of art will be displayed at the Blitzer Gallery in Santa Cruz. Bailey is hoping to organize an opening reception with panel discussions with the artist/physicist pairs.

Panel Discussions

“It will be a moderated panel where the artists and physicists can talk about the creative process in addition to what was learned working together,” Bailey said. Bailey said she is still looking for donations to organize and fund the exhibit. Those looking to help fund the project can visit: https://slbailey109.wixsite.com/fusion/donations

In addition to being one of the artists, Coulson is also the curator of the exhibit. According to Coulson,the pairs in addition to the artwork, will write up a short piece explaining the physicist work.

In Conclusion

“Physicists do not normally interact with artists. Those circles rarely cross paths,” Bailey said. “For me this has been a wonderful opportunity to meet other people while at the same time bringing me closer to a whole other community in Santa Cruz.”

https://annbaldwinmayartquilts.com/2020/03/a-scientifically-inspired-art-quiltatlas-in-rose/

https://annbaldwinmayartquilts.com/2018/06/collaboration-of-physics-and-art-1/

https://annbaldwinmayartquilts.com/2019/01/collider-event-displays/

https://www.etsy.com/shop/annbmayartquilts/

See Why Physics and Art Belong Together

Confusion, lost in spaceCollaboration of Physics and Art 1
Lost in space. Starting the collaboration,I felt a bit lost.

Collaboration of Physics and Art 1

My Collaboration of Physics and Art 1 began June 13, 2018. I am an art quilter and fiber artist.  Physics PhD candidate, Benjamin Lehmann, University of California, Santa Cruz was my collaborator, (I have read far too many World War II books to not get stuck on the multiple meanings of the word, collaborate. I must get past that.) UCSC Physics professor, Stephanie Bailey,initiator of the idea,explained,

“This project aims to enable people to access and engage with physics through  art and to think about the role physics plays in our lives and world at large.”
I plan on blogging about our collaboration. I hope that it proves to be of interest.
Collaboration of Physics and Art 1

The Artist’s Short Bio

Professor Bailey initiated the collaboration with a call of interest to local artists. I responded in order to connect more with the field of my daughter’s boyfriend. My own background is in the Humanities,History and Spanish. I started sewing in high school. Later I took up traditional bed quilting. About ten years ago, I initiated my foray into art quilts. In 2012, I retired from teaching elementary school.

Searching for the New

Since then I have been a full time art quilter. I never took physics in high school. Feeling ready to try something new,I really had no idea what I had signed up for. While being open to the experience, I didn’t know what to expect. What will I be able to create? Will the scientist be creating art as well? The timing for the project was compatible with my schedule. I was open to taking a new direction in my art.  The plan is to complete the project with a show in January, 2019.

City Lights, a fabric art quilt

Imagining a Plan

At first,I considered which of my pieces might align best with “space shots”. Then I decided that the abstract pieces or fabric layering technique creating scenes would work best. I feared I would have problems coming up with ideas. Then at least I could fall back on what I had already done. While it feels safe to have ideas before I start, I want to keep my options open to be inspired to move in new directions.

This is the process that I could use. Imagine stars instead of jellies.

What Could I Do?

However, so many questions remained. How many pieces of art would be expected? How many other pairs of collaborators would there be? As if she heard my questions, Professor Bailey communicated a list of 15  local artists. I recognized several friends of mine on the list. Their work, painting and fused glass  is very different from mine. I will focus on what lends itself to fiber. I will not be too concerned about completely a certain number of works.

Upon reflection, I am struck by the greater  meaning of our collaboration. How do people of different points of view and experience come together ?  How do we learn to work closely  together?  Ultimately, how can we learn to see the world through the eyes of someone different from ourselves?

https://annbaldwinmayartquilts.com/2020/03/a-scientifically-inspired-art-quiltatlas-in-rose/

Professor Stephanie Bailey Sadly, Dr.Bailey has left the teaching field.

https://annbaldwinmayartquilts.com/2018/09/ucsc-lecturer-leads-collaboration/

Benjamin Lehmann http://www.physics.ucsc.edu/academic-programs/grads/directory-page.php

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