Artist statement
My work explores the concept of making the invisible a visible reality through art, and thus expose the patterns of chaos.
I am a SciArtist. All my pictures are entirely invisible to the naked eye and lie beyond the range of ordinary vision.
I experiment and research micro crystals of various chemical compounds, some of which are medicinal such as sulphanilamide. I take photomicrographs of the compounds using polarised light (crossed polars). This is the art of photomicrography. I am inspired to make drawings, paintings and etchings and write about my techniques in science journals. These images are new for art.
The images fall into two categories - intact microscapes and imaginary combinations where unrelated patterns are combined. The microscapes are familiar yet unknown. They repeat formations reminiscent of landscapes in the visible world, on a micro scale. They are fractal self-similar images of holism.
The imaginary work is part of the imaginary crystal garden series. I find the wonderful colours seen using polarised light (i.e. under crossed polars) similar to the vibrancy of a stained glass window. This heightens my creativity.
My very first works based on the curves and triangles of Euclidean geometry were from the invisible topography of diamonds and mica. Some were painted constructions. Pictures based on enormous magnifications of biological structures followed. These were in collaboration with scientists at various laboratories. In 1992 I purchased my own polarising microscope and commenced the current study of micro crystals.
Qualifications and training
- 1970 FNSEAD Fellowship of the National Society for Education in Art and Design, national body, East Cosham
Solo exhibitions
- 1995 Worlds Within Worlds - Art Within Science, The Science Museum, London
Group exhibitions
- 2012 DRAWINGS, NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM Dorothea Bate Room, LONDON
- 2012 ART IN MIND - PARALLELS, THE BRICK LANE GALLERY, LONDON E1 6SA
- 2011 UREA, The Natural History Museum, Dorothea Bate Room, London
- 2009 INTERNATIONAL GALLERY, WORLD FORUM - WILLARD HOTEL, WASHINGTON D.C. U.S.A.
- 2008 Exhibition of paintings, Gallery Gora, Montreal, Canada
- 2008 3rd International Digital Miniprint Exhibition, Centre D'Artistes Voix Visuelle, Ottawa, Canada (more info)
- 2008 MICROSCAPES IN UREA, NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM, LONDON, PALEANTOLOGY WING
- 2007 Second International Digital Miniprint Exhibition, Lieu de Diffusion, BRAVO-Est, Ottawa, Canada
- 2007 "FLOWERS" AND "FOLIAGE" part of The Annual Exhibition of Microscopy, Natural History Museum, LONDON (more info)
- 2006 International Digital Miniprint Exhibition, Lieu de diffusion BRAVO-Est, Ottowa, Canada (more info)
- 2006 Contemporary Mathematical Photography & New media, New Image Gallery, James Madison University, Virginia, USA
- 2006 Exhibition of Microscopy, Natural History Museum, London (more info)
- 1999 A Winter's Tale, Wolverhampton Art Gallery, Wolverhampton
Artist talks
- 2008 Beyond Ordinary vision, St. Catherine's College, OXFORD (more info)
Private commissions
- 1993 Painting, University of Warwick, Department of Biological Sciences
- 1992 Two paintings, University of Warwick, Department of Biological Sciences
- 1990 Stained Glass Window, private dwelling, Maidstone
Competitions, prizes and awards
- 2006 Cambridge Blue Book, International Biographical Centre, Ely, Cambridge (more info)
- 1999 The Barnard Certificate for Excellence in Photomicrography, Q.M.C. The Natural History Museum, London
Publications
- 2008 Floral and radiating patterns.
- 2007 New images from sulphamilamide (more info)
Other
- 2007 Accolade - Woman of Achievement, American Biographical Institute, Raleigh U.S.A.
- 2007 Honorary appointement to the Research Board of Advisors, The American Biographical Institute, Releigh, USA
- 2006 Woman of the Year 2006, American Biographical Institute, Raleigh, North Carolina USA (more info)
Personal website
