Sabbatical Winter 2019

Artistic Residency with BioArtography

As part of my service to the University, since 2012, I have served on the selection committee for the BioArtography program. This program collects images discovered under the microscopes of scientists from different disciplines at U-M. Each year a select number of images are produced for high quality artistic prints. I am fascinated by these microscopic images- what has been captured is a part of us, from within, hidden from the eye. As part of my W19 sabbatical, I want to amplify and express what is inside and invisible to the naked eye, to be worn externally. During the last two years, the BioArtography project director and I have wondered how these images would translate to fabric. This opportunity is an elegant way to explore digital fabrication techniques as it applies to the fiber arts while honoring the inherent beauty of the cells. Using the bio-art as a source of inspiration, I propose to expand my knowledge by spending my time re-skilling with these new resources in order to teach them to students in the future. Additionally, I will develop prototypes for the BioArt program to streamline methods for creating wearables printed with their images for the public. Long term plans include the possibility of a gallery exhibition showcasing the intersection of The Arts and the molecular Life Sciences.