mSU SCICOMM
Michigan State University's
Science Communication Organization
Savannah Tallino, MS. Current PhD student at Arizona State University - Biodesign Institute, Neurodegenerative Disease Research Center
Langley Anderson, MFA in Studio Art from Radford University, Radford, VA. Artist and instructor at Radford University; Stefan Meichtry, Switzerland, Chemical Engineer with a background in forensic analysis. Mainly microscopy, FT-IR and SEM (GSR). Interested in SEM-coloring- SciArt and AIArt.
Get in touch:
Instagram: @the_artful_biologist
What was the inspiration behind your artwork?
I am always inspired by the biological design similarities between the root and branch systems of plants and the morphology of the neurons in the central nervous system. Every time I look at one of the seminal drawings by Ramon y Cajal I want to replicate that in my own way with color and whimsy to bridge the things I love in out-of-the lab life with the beauty I see under the microscope.
This piece is a watercolor that is a mix of your typical wildflower illustration and a neuron a la Ramon y Cajal. The wildflower depicted is a forget-me-not, which is special to me as the official flower of my home state of Alaska, but also the flower used by many Alzheimer's Disease outreach groups. As someone who is working on Alzheimer's research being able to create art that relates back to my science is a great way to break the barriers between the two.
What do you see as the similarity between science and art? Why is science-art important in today’s society?
I maintain that both scientists and artists are, at heart, storytellers; the creative process that underlies both pursuits allows for critical breakthroughs and helps humanity as a whole understand the world around them.