When my Mom suggested going to the San Francisco Exploratorium my Brother and I were very skeptical. It didn't sound like something three grown-ups would go and do, but she really wanted to see the Strandbeests, so off we went!
Our visit reminded me how much science and art are interlinked. If you google "science and art" you get a ton of articles, lectures, and podcasts based on the idea that science and art are inseparably linked. A lot of what I explored at The Exploratorium (cheesy, but true) was about vision — color relationship, fooling the eye, distortion, etc.
The Exploratorium was also just good old fashioned silly fun. Art has always been about play for me and it turns out science is about play too. After all, don't we call them artistic experiments? Just like scientific experiments?
No where is play more evident than in the Strandbeests — monumental anthropomorphic structures that move with a human push or a bit of wind in their sails.
I took some video of the Strandbeests in motion and you can see it HERE. It's super duper cool!
The whole experience reminded me of the fact that I was never interested in science until I started painting. Then I wanted to learn about chemistry. How do all the paints interact and why do they behave the way they do? In exploring pottery and sculpture I've gotten a wee taste of physics. Perhaps I'm simply a person who has to understand the practical applications in order to be interested. And actually, I think that's one of the wonderful things that science museums — like the Exploratorium — offer. They spark that curiosity by offering practical examples in a fun setting and then encouraging you to backtrack into the whys and hows.
Do you see the relationship between art and science in your own life? I'd love to know!
Thanks for stopping by!
Mom had a great idea! Looks like you really had fun. Thanks for sharing your adventure. I know geometry has played a part in making patterns for me. Just figuring out shapes (area to be covered to estimate materials). I think it was Cezanne who said all shapes in nature can be reduced to circles, squares and triangles and spheres, boxes or pyramids to show 3D on a 2D surface. A concept I’ve used to teach drawing from life. Love you blog, Julie.
Mom had a great idea! Looks like you really had fun. Thanks for sharing your adventure. I know geometry has played a part in making patterns for me. Just figuring out shapes (area to be covered to estimate materials). I think it was Cezanne who said all shapes in nature can be reduced to circles, squares and triangles and spheres, boxes or pyramids to show 3D on a 2D surface. A concept I’ve used to teach drawing from life. Love you blog, Julie.
Mom had a great idea! Looks like you really had fun. Thanks for sharing your adventure. I know geometry has played a part in making patterns for me. Just figuring out shapes (area to be covered to estimate materials). I think it was Cezanne who said all shapes in nature can be reduced to circles, squares and triangles and spheres, boxes or pyramids to show 3D on a 2D surface. A concept I’ve used to teach drawing from life. Love you blog, Julie.
Mom had a great idea! Looks like you really had fun. Thanks for sharing your adventure. I know geometry has played a part in making patterns for me. Just figuring out shapes (area to be covered to estimate materials). I think it was Cezanne who said all shapes in nature can be reduced to circles, squares and triangles and spheres, boxes or pyramids to show 3D on a 2D surface. A concept I’ve used to teach drawing from life. Love you blog, Julie.
Mom had a great idea! Looks like you really had fun. Thanks for sharing your adventure. I know geometry has played a part in making patterns for me. Just figuring out shapes (area to be covered to estimate materials). I think it was Cezanne who said all shapes in nature can be reduced to circles, squares and triangles and spheres, boxes or pyramids to show 3D on a 2D surface. A concept I’ve used to teach drawing from life. Love you blog, Julie.
Mom had a great idea! Looks like you really had fun. Thanks for sharing your adventure. I know geometry has played a part in making patterns for me. Just figuring out shapes (area to be covered to estimate materials). I think it was Cezanne who said all shapes in nature can be reduced to circles, squares and triangles and spheres, boxes or pyramids to show 3D on a 2D surface. A concept I’ve used to teach drawing from life. Love you blog, Julie.
Those Strandbeests are so cool! I first discovered how science interacts with what you do in the real world in my theater classes in college. I still have a hard time wrapping my head around the fact that the primary colors of light are different than the primary colors of paint.
Those Strandbeests are so cool! I first discovered how science interacts with what you do in the real world in my theater classes in college. I still have a hard time wrapping my head around the fact that the primary colors of light are different than the primary colors of paint.
Those Strandbeests are so cool! I first discovered how science interacts with what you do in the real world in my theater classes in college. I still have a hard time wrapping my head around the fact that the primary colors of light are different than the primary colors of paint.
Those Strandbeests are so cool! I first discovered how science interacts with what you do in the real world in my theater classes in college. I still have a hard time wrapping my head around the fact that the primary colors of light are different than the primary colors of paint.
Those Strandbeests are so cool! I first discovered how science interacts with what you do in the real world in my theater classes in college. I still have a hard time wrapping my head around the fact that the primary colors of light are different than the primary colors of paint.
Those Strandbeests are so cool! I first discovered how science interacts with what you do in the real world in my theater classes in college. I still have a hard time wrapping my head around the fact that the primary colors of light are different than the primary colors of paint.
Looks like a fun place, even for the adults. I recently went to an tiny local exhibit, all about patterns, which is math-related. There was a mandala made of playing cards – very cool. BTW, I LOVED seeing the art-o-mat vending machine – the old cigarette machine turned into a vending machine!! Before the Whitney moved downtown, they had one, and I bought two items from it – it was a blast!!! Did you buy anything??
Looks like a fun place, even for the adults. I recently went to an tiny local exhibit, all about patterns, which is math-related. There was a mandala made of playing cards – very cool. BTW, I LOVED seeing the art-o-mat vending machine – the old cigarette machine turned into a vending machine!! Before the Whitney moved downtown, they had one, and I bought two items from it – it was a blast!!! Did you buy anything??
Looks like a fun place, even for the adults. I recently went to an tiny local exhibit, all about patterns, which is math-related. There was a mandala made of playing cards – very cool. BTW, I LOVED seeing the art-o-mat vending machine – the old cigarette machine turned into a vending machine!! Before the Whitney moved downtown, they had one, and I bought two items from it – it was a blast!!! Did you buy anything??
Looks like a fun place, even for the adults. I recently went to an tiny local exhibit, all about patterns, which is math-related. There was a mandala made of playing cards – very cool. BTW, I LOVED seeing the art-o-mat vending machine – the old cigarette machine turned into a vending machine!! Before the Whitney moved downtown, they had one, and I bought two items from it – it was a blast!!! Did you buy anything??
Looks like a fun place, even for the adults. I recently went to an tiny local exhibit, all about patterns, which is math-related. There was a mandala made of playing cards – very cool. BTW, I LOVED seeing the art-o-mat vending machine – the old cigarette machine turned into a vending machine!! Before the Whitney moved downtown, they had one, and I bought two items from it – it was a blast!!! Did you buy anything??
Looks like a fun place, even for the adults. I recently went to an tiny local exhibit, all about patterns, which is math-related. There was a mandala made of playing cards – very cool. BTW, I LOVED seeing the art-o-mat vending machine – the old cigarette machine turned into a vending machine!! Before the Whitney moved downtown, they had one, and I bought two items from it – it was a blast!!! Did you buy anything??
Having grown up in San Francisco, I was very excited to read your post about the Exploratorium! I’ll be visiting the old stomping grounds in a few weeks for 30(!) year high school reunion, and now want to schedule in a stop there, too!
Yes, science and art definitely go hand in hand. Thinking about my past career as a forensic scientist: colors, crystals, sketching, mixing, pouring, testing, patterns, spatters. And thinking of engineering and product design, form and function in my husband’s career designing bicycle parts. No separation between science and art, really. Can they exist separately?
Having grown up in San Francisco, I was very excited to read your post about the Exploratorium! I’ll be visiting the old stomping grounds in a few weeks for 30(!) year high school reunion, and now want to schedule in a stop there, too!
Yes, science and art definitely go hand in hand. Thinking about my past career as a forensic scientist: colors, crystals, sketching, mixing, pouring, testing, patterns, spatters. And thinking of engineering and product design, form and function in my husband’s career designing bicycle parts. No separation between science and art, really. Can they exist separately?
Having grown up in San Francisco, I was very excited to read your post about the Exploratorium! I’ll be visiting the old stomping grounds in a few weeks for 30(!) year high school reunion, and now want to schedule in a stop there, too!
Yes, science and art definitely go hand in hand. Thinking about my past career as a forensic scientist: colors, crystals, sketching, mixing, pouring, testing, patterns, spatters. And thinking of engineering and product design, form and function in my husband’s career designing bicycle parts. No separation between science and art, really. Can they exist separately?
Having grown up in San Francisco, I was very excited to read your post about the Exploratorium! I’ll be visiting the old stomping grounds in a few weeks for 30(!) year high school reunion, and now want to schedule in a stop there, too!
Yes, science and art definitely go hand in hand. Thinking about my past career as a forensic scientist: colors, crystals, sketching, mixing, pouring, testing, patterns, spatters. And thinking of engineering and product design, form and function in my husband’s career designing bicycle parts. No separation between science and art, really. Can they exist separately?
Having grown up in San Francisco, I was very excited to read your post about the Exploratorium! I’ll be visiting the old stomping grounds in a few weeks for 30(!) year high school reunion, and now want to schedule in a stop there, too!
Yes, science and art definitely go hand in hand. Thinking about my past career as a forensic scientist: colors, crystals, sketching, mixing, pouring, testing, patterns, spatters. And thinking of engineering and product design, form and function in my husband’s career designing bicycle parts. No separation between science and art, really. Can they exist separately?
Having grown up in San Francisco, I was very excited to read your post about the Exploratorium! I’ll be visiting the old stomping grounds in a few weeks for 30(!) year high school reunion, and now want to schedule in a stop there, too!
Yes, science and art definitely go hand in hand. Thinking about my past career as a forensic scientist: colors, crystals, sketching, mixing, pouring, testing, patterns, spatters. And thinking of engineering and product design, form and function in my husband’s career designing bicycle parts. No separation between science and art, really. Can they exist separately?