Jul 5, 2021Bob Ziering and the GorillasI met Bob Ziering when I was art directing a publication that used a lot of freelance conceptual illustrations. That was a long time ago and I do not remember the art he created for the magazine. But I do remember his gorillas. I met Bob in New York City…Artforoursake5 min readArtforoursake5 min read
Jul 1, 2021Art in a Time of Mass ExtinctionThere are more artists on the planet today than at any other time. Just imagine if all these artists were saying one thing. They would have a very powerful voice indeed. Yet what would it take to rally all the world’s artists behind a single cause? I’m not sure if…Artforoursake5 min readArtforoursake5 min read
Jun 23, 2021Quest for the Visualization of QuantaQuanta. For me, searching for a way to depict this phenomenon of our universe is like a quest for the holy grail. Scanning the internet for “quanta art” yields a number of interesting pieces of artwork. Many are associated with Quanta Magazine, an online publication that covers physics, mathematics, biology…Art4 min readArt4 min read
Jun 21, 2021From my Library: Max Tegmark and the MathiverseAs far as I am concerned, Max Tegmark is one of the best science communicators among scientists. I met him at Princeton when I was working on a story about the universe for National Geographic Magazine. …Artandscience5 min readArtandscience5 min read
Jun 14, 2021How to Create Art for the Invisible DomainI teach classes in information visualization at the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA). When most people hear the words “information visualization,” their thoughts go to either data visualization or information graphics. Indeed, that is what we teach at MICA. But my interests in information visualization go far beyond data…Artandscience5 min readArtandscience5 min read
Jun 7, 2021Art for Our Sake: The Cage of PerceptionFor many years I’ve been fascinated by what lies beyond human perception. My curiosity is sparked by ideas like those of Plato who said our perception of the universe can be compared to people in a cave seeing shadows cast on a wall. …Artandscience5 min readArtandscience5 min read
Jun 3, 2021Journey to the Center of the EarthOne of the next challenges for me as an artist is to take on the topic of time. I recently read a scientific paper suggesting that, because of the effects of gravity on spacetime, the center of the Earth was 2.49 years younger than the surface of the planet.Artandscience5 min readArtandscience5 min read
May 24, 2021From my library: Albrecht Dürer–An artist for all timeMany people are familiar with Leonardo da Vinci’s notebooks and how they are filled with wonderful drawings and diagrams about art and science. But not nearly so many are aware of the notebooks of 16th-century German artist, Albrecht Dürer. …Albrechtdürer4 min readAlbrechtdürer4 min read
May 21, 2021Socialist realism and art for the state’s sakeIn these times of major global challenges, art should have a purpose. When I say that, however, I sometimes think about socialist realism. No one can deny that it was art with a purpose. Yet it was not my idea of art with a purpose — what I call “Art…Artandscience4 min readArtandscience4 min read
May 18, 2021Heavy Metal Band Gojira Hits Hard at Extinction CrisisIt is not every day that I listen to heavy metal. I usually play Renaissance or Baroque music quietly in the background when I am painting. Sometimes even Gregorian chants. It is all part of creating an ambiance within which I can channel thoughts clearly into my work. …Conceptual Realism5 min readConceptual Realism5 min read
