Seeing Science

 While drifting through the latest Science News I stumbled upon a reference to a book called The Shape of Things Unseen: A new science of imagination, by neurologist Adam Zeman. So I drifted over and found a nifty quote by Zeman, “Science uses imagination to show us, so far as possible, how things really are; art, just as importantly, to show us how they feel.”

That got me floating back into those time passages until I washed up on the shores of the winter of 2020. Covid was a major topic of conversation and concern. A myriad of theories floated around from all levels society, ranging from "It's like the flu, it will pass." to "It's an attack from China!" Pro-mask and anti-mask debates broke out in morning coffee shops and around dining room tables. Nobody really knew what was going on.

So I, despite being ignorant of Zeman's insight, took to my drawing table, to describe this weird new invader. Here is what came out (Please pardon the poor quality of these very old images):

First, the entity itself that I called "Covinoperegrinus."

And then four "faces of the disease." They don't have names, just numbers.

That I imagined gathered around the dining room table, discussing infection strategies.

So, to use Zeman's nomenclature, this is art showing me how science feels!

Sky River of the Grand Canal

 Well, it is finished 😅! Again, to view it on a small screen loses a lot of detail as the actual image is 24x19 inches. So use the biggest screen available to you, maybe even share to your TV! If you click on the image it often pops the pic out to a separate screen. Anyhow, play around with it. Sorry about the "ripples" that may show up. But the bottom part is water. 😂

Don't know if I would play with this "mosaic" style again. Very time consuming. But being retired time is not as inflexible as it once was.

Enjoy!

Pieces of Pieces

 Just a quick post to keep you up to date.

Remember the version that had the outlines drawn in? If not, here it is again:

Ok, if you increase the size of the image and look at the far edge of the canal you will see a bunch of little circles. Each circle is about the size of the tip of a Sharpie Ultra Fine Marker. Which is convenient because that is what I used to add color to the circles. Which gave me this:

 

I know, I know. But now I get to move on to the other pieces that only require fine tip art markers! 

How cool is that!?

Pieces of the Grand Canal

It has not been my intention to ignore you. It is just that other obligations have intruded. You know, appointments, tax prep, shopping. All that "real life stuff. Most pleasurable was a four or five day stint of puppy-sitting for Birdie, a family pup - mostly lab - and all incredibly cute. Here she is:

Additionally, the image I am working on has become foolishly complex. It started with that view of the Grand Canal out our window in Venice which you might remember from the post Venice in the Rearview Mirror. If not here it is again:

Well, I thought about it for awhile, and for some reason the notion of mosaics came to mind. So I wiped out the canal and the sky and proceeded to draw in the pieces of the mosaic. And a very, very, very long time later I now have this, to which I will now begin to add color:

Yes, I know. Counseling might be in order. But other artists, far more accomplished than I - Michelangelo, Klimt, etc., - spent years on various compositions. So who am I to complaint about a few hundred hours on this one? Besides it is while drawing that I feel most at peace.