Lichen Love

Lichen is a strange and beautiful life form, or rather a mutualistic relationship between algae or Cyanobacteria and fungi to make a composite organism. They have different shapes, sizes, parts, colours and somehow have properties which differ from those of their component parts. Like plants they photosynthesize, but they have no roots. I recall learning as a child how they were the trailblazers, making their home on the rocks of the Canadian Shield, and allowing a succession of other organisms to grow on top, till we have large trees which appear to grow straight out of the rock, but without lichen it could not be there. When lichen grows on trees it is not a parasite, it just uses plants as a surface on which to grow. They grow in a huge range of environments, even tundra, deserts, mountains and rainforests on virtually any convenient surface. Scientists estimate 6 to 8% of the Earth's land surface is covered by lichen, and yet we can walk right by without giving it a second thought.

Some though, have long admired lichen, especially its extraordinary colour palette and variety of textures and forms. This is a selection of the colour charts based on lichen from the Svensk Lafvarnas Farghistoria by Johan Peter Westring. Printed in 1805-09. Via the Biodiversity Heritage Library archive. 

One of my favourite lichen artists is Dr. Immy Smith (website, Etsy, Patreon). They make a wide variety of artwork, much of it about natural history, or drawing on their background in neuroscience, but clearly they love lichen and have observed it very closely.

'Lichen makes the landscape' - Immy Smith with Herbarium RNG curators

They collaborated on the 'Symbiosis' project as part of the part of the Imagining Science Polymathic Art & Science Collaborative, with fellow member Scott Mantooth and other artists, scientists and the University of Reading Herbarium and EM Lab (Centre for Advanced Microscopy). Other drawings illustrate scanning electron microscope images of lichen. You can read more here.

'Reading campus twig' - Immy Smith with Herbarium RNG curators

UK textile artist Amanda Cobett makes papier maché and machine embroidered sculptures, often fungi and extraordinarily life-like lichen.

Amanda : Moss and Lichen TQ 085 439, 2018, Built up layers of free machine embroidery (Photo credit, Fraser James)

Amanda Cobbett: Moss, bark and Lichen detail TQ 085 44, 2018, Built up layers of free machine embroidery, materials used; paper, silk, thread, dye, backing cloth, (Photo credit, Fraser James)

Artist and researcher Sarah Hearn makes artworks inspired by biology. She has made several lichen-inspired series of artworks. 

Sarah Hearn, Artificial Lichen Colony #8

10" x 15" cut photographs and watercolor, 2015

Sarah Hearn, Artificial Lichen Colony Collage #5

42" x 24" cut photographs, watercolor and graphite, 2016 (private commission)

Sarah Hearn, Artificial Lichen Colony #6

15" x 10" cut photographs and watercolor, 2016

There are whole worlds to contemplate in these extraordinary things if only we stop to look.

Found Wood Assemblage Earth and Planetary Science

Veneer Theory, Ron van der Ende, 2014. Bas-relief in salvaged wood, 60″ x 61″ x 6″.

Dutch artist Ron van der Ende wanders the streets of Rotterdam, salvaging unwanted wood to make, amongst other delightful, enormous multimedia works, wood assemblages like giant diagrams of our Earth, celestial bodies and geological cross-sections.

Europa, Ron van der Ende, 2015. Bas-relief in salvaged wood, 168 x 168 x 14cm

Volcano (Moses and Geology), Ron van der Ende, 2012, Bas-relief in salvaged wood,  229 x 152 x 12cm

Watershed (Yosemite), Ron van der Ender, 2013, Bas-relief in salvaged wood, 180 x 200 x 12cm.

Don't miss his portfolio, where you'll also find minerals, gems, spaceships and more.

Mineralogy

Crystals, minerals and gems have been a recurring theme in a lot of contemporary art and culture of late. This is a round up of some of those mineral inspired items that have caught my eye. You see minerals in art like the spectacular paintings by Carly Waito previously covered by magpie&whiskeyjack. You can also find artist-made minerals in all sorts of media.

Ashley Zangle, detail of bubble bath pour

Ashley Zangle, Nine Pours Spring: 2012, 44 x 60"

Ashley Zangle uses bubble bath and ink on paper to capture and sculpture the multifarious look of minerals.

Studio installation by Ashley Zangle

Ashley Zangle

Rocks and minerals show up in the collages of collections by Amber Ibarreche.

Gemz, collage by Amber Ibarreche

Keetra Dean Dixon and JK Keller produced a series of layed wax sculptures with embedded text which look like giant mineral specimens.

Layered Wax Type: Become; in orange, Detail. 24" x 13" x 7", 
wax, acrylic paint and foam, 2009
by Keetra Dean Dixon and JK Keller

Layered Wax Type: Become; in orange, 24" x 13" x 7", wax, acrylic paint and foam, 2009
by Keetra Dean Dixon and JK Keller

Layered Wax Type: Become; in orange, Detail. 24" x 13" x 7", 
wax, acrylic paint and foam, 2009
by Keetra Dean Dixon and JK Keller

Tabirtha Bianca Brown, or thepairabirds, has some great mineral and gem prints on Etsy.

Soft Rock Geometric Facet Art Print by thepairabirds

Amethyst, Geometric Facet Art Print by thepairabirds

Lindsay Jones has a whole mineral calendar.

2014 Minerals Calendar by shoplindsayjones

David Scheirer has a great print of a rock collection watercolour.

Rock mineral collection by studiotuesday

I love the more stylized illustrations of crystals and minerals by Ryan Putnam too.

Ryan Putnam, crystals and minerals

I myself have begun making linocuts on Japanese kozo paper with iridescent chine colle of different minerals.

Quartz linocut by minouette

Minerals show up in fashion, like this 'Mineralogy' scarf by Charlotte Linton:

'Mineralogy' scarf by Charlotte Linton

Or more photorealistic silk scarves with photos from Jen Altman's Gem and Stone:

 

Amethyst silk scarf, photo by Jen Altman

Labradorite scarf, photo by Jen Atlman

You even see minerals in street art, like the fabulous paper and resin 3D 'urban geode' works by Paige Smith of A Common Name.

A Common Name, Geode #3, DTLA

 

A Common Name, Geode #10, Arts District

A Common Name, Geode #33, Uluwatu

Perhaps the most unexpected and delightful medium is soap!

2 oz. Soap/Amethyst Crystal Soap by amethystsoap

Butterflies are the new pirates

As a corollary to my insects in art posts, I note that an entire post could easily be devoted to butterflies and moths in art - even if I limit this to artists not mentioned in previous butterfly posts. I believe that butterflies are the new pirates. They've become as ubiquitous as other memes (pirates, zombies, vampires, even if far less bloody). I confess, I've been trying to start my own meme with the phrase, "butterflies are the new pirates" as a sort of experiment (and thus far, had no luck). It nonetheless amuses me, hence, the title. But, enough of that. On with the butterfly art!

Artist Louise Richardson often covers her fibre and sculptural art with moths and butterflies.


Key of E flat by Louise Richardson


Spell bound by Louise Richardson


Nettle by Louise Richardson
(↬ a billion taste and tunes)

Similarly, swarms of butterflies show up in the work of sculptor, painter, and animator, David Kracov.

Book of Life by David Kracov

Coca Cola Open Happiness by David Kracov

Indianapolis-based artist Tasha Lewis has made magnetized cyanotype butterflies - a brilliant solution for non-destructive, grafitti-like installations. She writes,

Each installation was spontaneously arranged on iron and steel structures in urban spaces. I find it important to insist that this project does not promote tampering with public sculpture. My butterflies are attached with very very small magnets and thus do not harm the metal of the found art. My goal is to create a very ephemeral public spectacle that toeing the line between subversive and lyrical.

There is much more art to be found in her portfolio.

Source: thisiscolossal.com via minouette on Pinterest

 Magnetized Cyanotype Butterfly Installations by Tasha Lewis

Source: thisiscolossal.com via minouette on Pinterest

 Magnetized Cyanotype Butterfly Installations by Tasha Lewis

Source: tashalewis.info via minouette on Pinterest

 Magnetized Cyanotype Butterfly Installations by Tasha Lewis

(↬ this is colossal)

Electronic Mandalas

Italian-born, London-based multimedia artist Leonardo Ulian has been making art from electronic components. Though he has made interactive sculptures and installations which employ electronics (motors, computer fans, speakers and more), today I bring you a series of works which employ electronics (microchips, resistors, capacitors, diodes) for their esthetics rather than their capabilities.

Title: Technological mandala 04
When: March | 2012
What: Electronic components, microchip, wood frame, 60 x 57 cm

Title: Electronic mandala 01
When: November | 2011
What: Electronic components, microchip, 38 x 35 cm.

Title: Technological mandala 02 (The beginning)
When: June | 2012
What: Electronic components, microchip, wood frame, 120x120 cm

I am tempted to try and read these as circuits (and start deducing the combined effects of the components), though they are strictly art. You can tell because there is no power source, even before you try to identify the chips or deduce how these might work. In theory, one could build complex and active electronics which appeared as elegant as these mandalas. Even when I am doing something as left-brained as laying out a circuit board, I know I think about how it looks and chose wire colours for reasons of beauty... though not to say any of my circuits ever looked sufficiently elegant or symmetric to inspire contemplation, like a mandala.

↬adafruit blog

Spore Addict

I'm enjoying the scientific imagery in Colin Johnson's illustration work, often used metaphorically (fungal spores to symbolize data copying, metamorphosis of caterpillars into butterflies for a story on nuturing small businesses) or sometimes as a straight artistic interpretation of science (like a university magazine cover for a story on microscopy. Cells, spores, butterflies, eyes, nerves, assorted flora and fauna, robots and a surprising number of snowmen abound.

The Pink Opaque, 2008, 6" by 9", mixed media on board

Spore Addict, 2007, Mixed media on canvas, 10 x 8 inches


Greenhouse Gases, 2010, approx. 8-1/2"W x 10.5"H, Mixed Media on Board


Replicating Data Storage for Storage Magazine, 8-1/2"W x 11"H, mixed media on board.


Microscopic World, 2012, approx. 9-1/4"W x 11-1/4"H, Mixed Media on Board. (cover illustration for Washington State Magazine. The piece revolves around the college's dept. of Microscopy & Imaging)

Be sure to check out Colin Johnson's website and his flickr photostream to look at his portfolio.