Looking Closely: Connections Between Art and Science

Look closely at the inherent beauty of nature’s microscopic world to see the interplay between art and science. We’ll take a deep dive into some microscopic structures found in nature, such as feathers and pollen attached to native bees, and see how these structures inspire artists, the creative process, and how maker spaces use images like these to fabricate models of the microscopic structures in nature.

Lorna Gibson is the Matoula S. Salapatas Professor of Materials Science and Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Her work focuses on the mechanical behavior of materials, specializing in materials with a cellular structure, such as engineering honeycombs and foams, scaffolds for regenerative engineering, and natural materials such as wood, bamboo and plant leaves and stems.

As Arts and Nature Education Manager, Sean Kent leads Mass Audubon’s art and nature programs at “The Nest,” a creative educational space at the Museum of American Bird Art Education Center in Canton.