Of system of elements

of system of elements

My Grandfather was a chemist, working 40 years in the industry, first as an analytical chemist with Mallinckrodt Chemical, and later as president and CEO of Forma Scientific. I fondly recall his stories of these experiences – learning German in order to read the only chemistry textbooks available in the 1950’s, or his travels as a salesman hawking chemicals from a briefcase. Being an art professor has led me in a different direction distant from the chemistry lab; my explorations take place in the art studio.

And yet, this project brings chemistry and visual art together. To begin with, the art making media itself is rooted in the lab – its resonance and permanence are thanks to chemists and their creativity. I then draw with the charcoal, graphite, and ink, creating lines and shapes that suggest atoms and structures, biology and industry. Subsequent colors are added indirectly with thin layers of paints, further enhancing and defining the imagery. Many of the marks and glazes are not intended to be literal representation but instead abstracted suggestions of the element's potential.

This tension between complexity and clarity well describes chemistry and visual art – both explore mystery. This series, Of System of Elements, commissioned by the Dordt University Chemistry Department, is a tribute to all who undertake this endeavor.