Last Thursday I wrote a post about the International Fascination of Plants Day that I am collaborating on. If you go to the
Homage blog you can read all the details....
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| from imagery in the Lab Journal of Joshua Mylne |
The main gist of that homage blog post is here:
"
I returned from the UK Research Trip last November with a greater desire to fly the flag for plant science after three weeks at the Millennium Seedbank and other science institutions as diverse as the Eden Project, Natural History Museum and the Linnean Society. A visit to the John Innes Centre in Norwich, a leading plant science institute in Europe, brought much to light and through their website I read about the inaugural International Fascination of Plants Day on May 18th this year.
Last November I tracked down the Australian Co-ordinator to register interest in getting involved. As often happens it was put on the back burner for a time.... but in February I went back to that site and saw the inclusion of a Brisbane-based plant scientist. In late March, with May 18 looming closer, I wrote to this scientist Joshua Mylne to discuss May 18 plans and the possibility of linking up to which, I'm pleased to say, I received a most positive response. Out of that came a plan for a 21 day residency between April 16th to May 18th.... being in the same city it was possible to map out the days onsite and manage other commitments."
Which brings me to here...
Ive been following a number of threads with my painting lately. The mural was completed ... so there'll be more photos of that soon! I've photographed recent large works in progress today...and some small 20 cm square paintings as well so I'll add them next post.
Tonight I thought I would put up some small quick drawings done last week at the Institute where I'll be spending 21 days researching material for Homage to the Seed and getting time with Joshua Mylne and his research assistants who are taking me through the processes involved in their Plant Science based research.
Last week was intense but extremely stimulating as I sorted through Lab journals seeking imagery and ideas plus getting a crash course in the realm of Molecular Bioscience.
Photographed a diagram of this plant in various stages
of an experiment. Loved this blue dye being used
I was really drawn to these forms... reminded me a little of
Matisse's motifs in his later work... the paper cutout forms.
The diagram had everything sequenced - the thing that drew my eye for sure.
The plant is the Arabipidopsis... used the world over in plant science labs
in much the same way that mice and rats are commonly found in Labs
This new journal was perfect for this evolving motif
The desk I was sitting at was a little crowded... the computer was pushed back
to make room for the watercolours and materials... but the atmosphere good for
concentrating ...all around me everyone was deeply engaged in their work...
sounds of voices rose here and there and I was fascinated at all the different
languages and accents. I was lost in wonder at what I was drawing.
The issue of copyright came up whilst doing this work...but my images are
so simple and the photos also give little away ... but I won't go into detail
over the subject matter.
This was the final image in that series.
This was from a plant science journal page
This quick water-colour is from an experiment with Arabidopsis
dna graphs
these I will need to check before labelling here... essentially its
a topographical mapping of data... I'm keen to work with this.
this last one is a test tube with seeds germinating
Well ... I shall be posting more on this and plans for the May 18 celebration day. I've had a few days in the studio at home and will go back in tomorrow to see what I can discover.
Thanks to all of you lovely new bloggers who've joined this community.
Ciao,
Sophie
