Throughout our formal education experiences, science and art are frequently separated. As a kid I was under the impression you could only really excel in one subject or maybe a cluster of subjects. I was good at language arts, reading, social studies, and my personal favorite, art. Math and science were deemed “too hard” and “not for me” but I was so wrong! Enter the great big beautiful world of STEAM, science, technology, engineering, art and math!
Science and art overlap constantly. Both subjects require creative thinking and curiosity, and provide humans with a way to understand our world and then share that understanding with others. When working together, art can help us visualize more complex subjects that scientists struggle to communicate. Science can provide data and information that can inspire and make art possible. Here’s the secret: science = art, and like me, you’re probably good at both, even if you don’t realize it.
At Florida Museum SciArt Meetups, scientists and artists collide to create artwork and share science inspired by the research, collections and exhibits of the Museum. While roaming the halls of the Museum, I often see artists sitting along the shelves by the mastodon sketching the massive tusks or in the South Florida People and Environments exhibit detailing the colors and patchwork of the Seminole dolls. SciArt Meetups are designed to give folks like this the opportunity to spend extended time with our exhibits, meet others with similar interests, and most importantly, create artwork in a community setting.
Each meetup consists of a short lecture by an artist or scientist on the evening’s topic, an optional art demonstration by local educators Wayfaring Painter, and ample time to roam the free exhibits after hours to sketch. The Museum classroom remains available for messy materials like paints or clay. Guest speakers are also encouraged to bring props exclusive to the program and not regularly available to day-to-day visitors. We’ve had live caterpillars crawling across our watercolor paper and touchable taxidermy to help understand texture. Previous meetups have included topics like insects, plants, fossils, water, indigenous peoples, birds, mammals and pollinators.
By attending just one of the meetups offered throughout the year, all participants have the opportunity to contribute to an annual group art shows organized by our partners at the Santa Fe College Art Gallery. The group art show reveals the many ways artists are inspired by the Museum, but also the vast amount of ways science can be translated into art.
Participants include a range of artists and scientists who work in different mediums and expertise. We have painters, sculptors, botanists and lepidopterists from all backgrounds ranging from college undergraduates to retirees.
We hope to see you at the next SciArt Meetup, and please don’t tell me you’re bad at art OR science!
More
- Check our calendar for upcoming SciArt Meetups
- Read: Elizabeth Wing: A portrait in persistence
- You might also like: Elegance of Science