Science storytelling

Me (left), the marine geophysicist, in the field and some of my sciart
about the exploration of space: my linocut portrait of astronaut
Mae Jemison (above) and mathematician and Space Race aeronautical
engineer Mary Golda Ross (below) 

I had not realized how few posts I made here in 2018. So, one of my New Year's resolutions is to post more frequently in 2019. I find my goals are sometimes too elaborate to acheive in the time I have available, so my pragmatic solution is to open up my criteria a bit and mix up longer posts with those briefly sharing some of my discoveries of wonderous items at the intersection of art and science.

To start off, let me share some of my own adventures in sharing science mixed with art, both #sciart and storytelling about science. Last fall, I gave a talk about my experience as an astronaut candidate for the Canadian Space Agency for Science Literacy Week. Since astronauts are both scientists and science communicators, I combined an introduction to my research with my science-art, since I usually use the medium of fine art to communicate science these days. This was the first time I had an opportunity to combine these two very different pursuits in one talk! I also, of course, spoke about the extraordinary experience of the astronaut selection process and getting the opportunity to go the the Astronaut Assessment Centre. I have since given a version of this talk to a troupe of boy scouts and visiting girl scouts. I will be giving this talk two more times this year at Toronto Public Libraries. You can catch me:

March 19th at 2 pm
Albert Campbell Library
496 Birchmount Road
Toronto, ON M1K 1N8

or

Tuesday April 2 at 6:30  pm
Coxwell/Danforth Branch
1675 Danforth Avenue
Toronto, ON M4C 5P2

But even sooner, you can catch me next Monday, telling a tale about when marine geophysics goes wrong, at the Burdock (1184 Bloor Street) for The Story Collider, a science storytelling event series and podcast, where people tell personal stories about science. You can reserve your ticket here. The stories might begin at 7:30 but seating is limited, so unless you're happier standing (closer to the bar), you'll want to arrive by 7:00.

Retro Spacetime Travel Posters

As a printmaker I really enjoy the graphic design of vintage travel posters and can see why they serve as a source of inspiration today. There are many retro style travel posters for all your favorite imaginary places (in every universe from Star Wars to Harry Potter). Today, I'm bringing you some retro travel posters for real places, with a planetary science twist. These destinations are far, far away in terms of either time or space, or both.

I really enjoy the posters Amy Martin created for the 826LA Echo Park Time Travel Mart. I have this one at home. (Funds from sales support literacy programs in LA).



'Life is Bigger in Pangaea' reminds me of The Dechronization of Sam MaGruder, published posthumously, by famed paleontologist George Gaylord Simpson (a great read, by the way).




Time travel, evolution, and chaos theory (the 'butterfly effect' or SDIC, sensitive dependence on initial conditions) in that one!

Andy Rohr has created a series of retro travel posters for Mars. I particularly like the two moons, Phobos and Deimus next to the rocket.

Mars is a popular destination it seems. Ron Guyatt has done a series of retro travel posters for specific Martian destinations (available through his Etsy shop).

"This piece is a fantasy depiction of the Cryptic Region Geysers on Mars. Martian geysers are putative sites of small-scale jet-like eruptions that occur in the south polar region region of Mars during the spring thaw. These features are unique to the south polar region of Mars in an area informally called the cryptic region, at latitudes 60° to 80° south and longitudes 150°W to 310°W; this 1 meter deep ice transition area between the scarps of the thick polar ice layer and the permafrost is where clusters of the apparent geyser systems are located."

He's also imagined the famed Martian volcano Olympus Mons (amongst other sites) and made a series of Venus travel posters too.

Steve Thomas has many vintage style travel posters in his portfolio, including ones for Mars, Venus, the Moon, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto, Titan, Europa and even the asteroid belt. Wouldn't you love to sail the methane seas of Neptune?

magpie&whiskeyjack mentioned Steve Thomas' propaganda posters, earlier this year.

Women Astronauts

Sally Ride

I've been wanting to share Philip Bond's collection of illustrated astraunauts. I was reminded by reading of Sally Ride's death yesterday. Sally Ride was the first US female astronaut, a full two decades after the first female Russian cosmonaut, Valentina Tereshkova. Ride was also a physicist and a tireless advocate for kids' science education. She will be long remembered, as she inspired many.


Valentina Tereshkova

As Bond notes, "Valentina Tereshkova orbited the Earth 48 times during her three day spaceflight in Vostok 6 in 1963. First woman in space!"



"Svetlana Savitskaya became the second woman in space when she flew the Soyuz T-7 to the Salyut 7 space station in 1984. First woman to perform a spacewalk!"



"Sheffield born Helen Sharman spent eight days aboard the Russian Mir space station in 1991 after responding to a radio ad. Helen once worked as a chemist for Mars making chocolate more tasty. First Briton and fifteenth woman in space."



"Ontario born Roberta Bondar became the eighteenth woman in space when she flew aboard Shuttle Discovery's STS-42 mission in 1992. Neurologist, photographer, and Canada's first woman in space!"

The world's first neurologist in space, she is also recognized for her contributions to space medicine. Bondar, like many of my father's family, was born in Sault Ste. Marie. I have an aunt who once worked for her. You can find her photos on her website.

 

"Medical doctor Chiaki Mukai became the first Japanese woman in space when she flew aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia's STS-65 mission in 1994. She also flew on Shuttle Discovery's STS-95 mission in 1998. 25th woman in space!"

I really appreciate his loose lines, and playful colouring in these near-caricature portraits. It's easy to see how the stories of these women could inspire this collection. You can see the rest of Bond's female astronaut series here and check out his website here.

Mœbius

One artist who is universally revered amongst the comic book artists I've met is Mœbius, the nom de plume of French comic book artist Jean Henri Gaston Giraud (8 May 1938 – 10 March 2012). He worked under his own name, producing the Franco-Belgian comics western series, Blueberry, amongst others, and under the pseudonym Gir, but I know his otherworldly, surreal and beautiful work as Mœbius best. The statue on the left the little figure is facing, is in fact a self-portrait. He was famous for his science fiction work, including the wordless comix fantasy 'Arzach', his influence and involvement in film, and his mainstream comics work, including on The Silver Surfer. I've often thought about posting his uniquely imaginative art, which is so beautiful drawn and coloured that his talent left other artists at a lost for words. Sadly, it's his untimely death which is prompting me to do so today.

life on other planets

Today, I discovered the mammoth, quixotic, colourful, and otherworldly portfolio of Kevin Hooyman, thanks to my love for you is a stampede of horses. Really, you must look at it for yourselves. Leave a trail of breadcrumbs so you can find your way home.









Also, here is a sculptor after my own heart: Renee Adams. She works in a variety of media to produce creatures or life-form like objects like the drawings of Ernst Haeckel in 3D. Perhaps these are botanical, or animal, micro-organisms, hybrids, mutations or aliens.


Muffed Ruff

Wood, polymer clay, flocking, mixed media 5" x 6.5" x 6.5" (2008)


Tufted Lollee

Wood, polymer clay, flocking, mixed media 20" x 9" x 9" (2008)


Crowned Polylyp
Glass, polymer clay, wood, flocking, mixed media 9" x 5.5" x 5.5" (2008)


Flinderspindle

Polymer clay, shoe polish, leather, wood, map pins 8" x 7" x 7" (2008)

Check out the exhibit at Swarm Gallery.