But what of the differing methods? The perception that scientists spend [...]]]>

But what of the differing methods? The perception that scientists spend their lives seeking definitive, quantitative answers, while artists seem content to raise broad questions and let audiences or viewers draw their own conclusions?

Jim White uses a surprisingly artistic metaphor to explain the relationship. “One way to look at it is like this: Just as a sculptor chips away what is not needed in a block of stone to reveal the art within, a scientist chips away the unproductive theories to expose the truth within.”

EcoArts Connections in Boulder, CO has scientists and artists working together with innovative technology to raise more environmental awareness. EcoArts is one of the organizers of “Bolero Colorado” where there are several art /science events in September in Colorado. There will be a violinist performing in front of NASA images, dances, multimedia events, wind farms visits, and so on.

The Denver Botanic Gardens will host a multimedia event on Thursday, September 17 at 7 pm. There is also an art show by Bonny Lhotka called Alchemy (through September 20) at the Botanic Gardens. I was at the opening, and got to speak with her firsthand about her innovative use of digital photography and laser technology to create her images of nature. Extremely intriguing technique and wonderful artwork!

As you know, nature is an also important element in my own artwork. In 2005, I collaborated with a scientist for a WCA show called Women in Science? Science in Art? at the CU Gallery in Boulder. I typically don’t work with math, but since Martin Walter was a mathematician, we decided to work with fractals in nature. Since aspen trees and the magnification of the tree bark was my current theme, that became the imagery.

Sierpinski’s Triangle: In the Aspen Forest.

 © 2005 Linda C. Everson, All Rights Reserved.

I too have [...]]]>

I too have a penchant for trees, and they are a source of imagery for my artwork. ‘Arbor’ pertains to trees and a ‘glyph’ is ‘a symbol used for non-verbal communication’.

I began my series of Arborglyph monoprints back in 2002. I was photographing textures (natural scarring and peeling) on aspen tree bark, and decided to use those images in my printmaking endeavors. I took the negatives and enlarged them in the darkroom. To my delight, the images looked symbolic and resembled calligraphy or characters. I exposed the images to solarplates (photographic printmaking plates) and then printed them onto paper on an etching press. I began with 6″x 6″ solarplates, but quickly starting combining several solarplates with other printmaking techniques to create larger, more complex monoprints. I am still working on that series today. See my PORTFOLIO, Arborglyphs.

Arborglyph: (1 symbol 3) I

© 2002 Linda C. Everson, All Rights Reserved.

Later, I heard an interesting discusssion about aspen carvings on Colorado Public Radio (KCFR). They were talking about Arborglyphs in the southwestern states.  Apparently, the name I was using for my monoprint series is also the name used for the graffiti carved into aspen trees by Basque and Hispanic shepherds while tending their animals from the early 1800’s – 1950’s. Because aspen trees do not have a long life span, documentation is currently being made of these older graffiti laden trees before they die and their legend disappears. Several articles have recently been written about these Arborglyph trees, and many people at art festivals have commented on certain trails to take to find these shepherd images.

Sometimes I photograph the man-made graffiti on the aspen trees, but generally I prefer the natural scarring and peeling. I’ve found that imagery provides more abstracted, symbolic images which tend to look more like calligraphy, and have a more mysterious overtone. I’ve created my own pictorial language of glyphs and actually have my own ‘invented language’.

I also incorporate the glyphs in my artwork into the title signature line on the monoprint.