Studying with the microscope

When Science Meets Art The Possibilities Are Endless

My love of science at school paralleled my love of art. Flowers have always been a source of inspiration for me, and now I can zoom in far beyond what the eye can see. I have a microscope! But it’s not quite as straight forward as that, so I am in the process of learning a new skill (making specimen slides) in order to take my nature paintings to another level.

The possibilities seem endless and go far beyond plant life. I am embarking on a new journey that will most likely keep me inspired for the rest of my life. My initial intention is to create a reality that for all intents and purposes appears abstract, until the viewer realises that it is a true representation of what the eye cannot normally see.

My challenge is to understand what I’m trying to draw, how cells and fibres connect and what their purpose is. To really “know” what it is I am painting is an essential element for me. Without the knowing, I would not have the depth of inspiration to translate the knowledge and emotion into an art form.

What has struck me in just the few sample slides I have made so far, particularly when I zoom in to the maximum possible, is the amount of space between fibres and cell walls. I can see my scientific notebooks filling up as quickly as my sketch books as I develop my ideas!