DOEprojekts (Deborah Adams Doering and Glenn N. Doering) participated in a seminar titled "Biological Imaging: Microscopes in Art," taught by marine biologist Dr. Joseph DeGiorgis, an instructor at the School of Visual Arts in New York City. The class merged two of Deborah and Glenn's long-time interests: Nature and Art. During the six-week seminar, we were able to develop a portfolio of images, many of which are displayed in this blog post. We continue to explore our system of Coreforms (circles, lines, swashes, dots) through the microscopic-photo lens. (Images above by DOEprojekts clockwise from upper left: melon tea rose top, melon tea rose bottom, parrot tulip, and fading purple iris.)
DOEprojekts' images, clockwise from upper left: two petite coleus leaves, large purple coleus leaf detail, ponderosa pinecone, cholla cactus.
Since the light microscope was first developed in the late 1600s by the Dutch naturalist Antoine van Leeuwenhoek, observations with these instruments have made the invisible world visible through magnification. In the early 1800s, photographic processes became more readily available to scientists, visual researchers, designers, and artists. American artists who worked diligently to have photographs seen as "fine art" include Alfred Stieglitz and Imogen Cunningham, and many others world-wide.
DOEprojekts' images, clockwise from upper left: brittle star, sea urchin mouth, sea urchin tentacles, open-mouth scallop.
One of the best parts of the seminar with Dr. DeGiorgis was that he would bring marine specimens from near his home in Woods Hole, MA. Participants could choose from a variety of specimens to position under the microscope. When we chose to photograph the scallop, we had no idea that it would "spit" at us. Fortunately, after spitting a few times, the scallop seemed to smile at us, and opened up, so we could photograph his/her beautiful blue eyes.
We also were able to choose from a variety of dessicated marine life including tiny seahorses. Several species of seahorses are known to bond for life, so we positioned two seahorses as embracing. The sea urchin shell (top and bottom) reminds us of our central circular form, both in its interior and exterior roundness.
DOEprojekts plans to use these images as resource images for creating objects and experiences.
