Art+Science

Framing the climate conversation through art, science and community collaborations (CU Boulder Community Outreach & Engagement)

Anonymous — Fri, 31 May 2024 21:55:16 +0000

Framing the climate conversation through art, science and community collaborations (CU Boulder Community Outreach & Engagement) Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 05/31/2024 - 15:55

Jane Appel , CU Boulder

Coloradans are experiencing climate change. Residents face challenges like fires, drought and poor water and air quality. The babyֱ��app Arts Science Environment Program’s (CASE) is addressing critical environmental and social issues across babyֱ��app through a collaborative exhibition that brings together CU Boulder scientists and artists from various parts of the state.

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The intersection of art and science workshop at Rio Grande Farm Park on Friday (Alamosa News | Valley Courier)

Anonymous — Wed, 19 Jul 2023 22:02:01 +0000

The intersection of art and science workshop at Rio Grande Farm Park on Friday (Alamosa News | Valley Courier) Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 07/19/2023 - 16:02

John Waters , Courier News Editor

Del Norte artist Jocelyn Catterson and INSTAAR/Geography prof Holly Barnard will lead a workshop "Water Art + Science" on Friday at Rio Grande Farm Park, on #groundwater in the San Luis Valley.

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babyֱ��app artist, CU Boulder scientist band together to spotlight Dillon Reservoir and the state’s water issues (Summit Daily)

Anonymous — Mon, 26 Jun 2023 17:05:52 +0000

babyֱ��app artist, CU Boulder scientist band together to spotlight Dillon Reservoir and the state’s water issues (Summit Daily) Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 06/26/2023 - 11:05

Robert Tann

Their collaborative art piece, part of a CU Boulder-sponsored exhibit, is one of several hanging in the babyֱ��app State Capitol building.

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Art and climate science converge in new exhibit at the babyֱ��app Capitol (KUNC)

Anonymous — Wed, 24 May 2023 21:46:29 +0000

Art and climate science converge in new exhibit at the babyֱ��app Capitol (KUNC) Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 05/24/2023 - 15:46

Emma VandenEinde

An exhibit that just opened in the babyֱ��app capitol building's rotunda features artwork made in the process of partnerships between artists from around babyֱ��app, their communities, and CU Boulder scientists. Called “Coloradans and our Shared Environment in Times of Challenge and Change,” the art grapples with the climate and environmental challenges that are part of babyֱ��appans' lives: drought, decreasing groundwater, acid mine drainage, wildfire, pine beetle tree mortality, and more.

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babyֱ��appans and our shared environment in times of challenge and change (CU OOE)

Anonymous — Thu, 18 May 2023 18:02:12 +0000

babyֱ��appans and our shared environment in times of challenge and change (CU OOE) Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 05/18/2023 - 12:02

CU Office for Outreach and Engagement

A collaborative exhibition tells the story of how Coloradans are experiencing interrelated challenges of fire, drought, and water and air quality in their communities. Artists (the CASE Fellows) partnered with scientists and communities to make visible the connections between Coloradans and their environment. Several INSTAARs acted as scientist partners. This website showcases the artwork, as well as quotes from the partners, explorations of the issues, and what you can do to act.

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Art and Science Connections Collider event with Dairy Arts Center

Anonymous — Mon, 10 Apr 2023 06:00:00 +0000

Art and Science Connections Collider event with Dairy Arts Center Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 04/10/2023 - 00:00

INSTAAR and the Dairy Arts Center collaborated on our second Art and Science Connections Collider on April 10th 2023 during Boulder Arts Week. The event began with a tour of INSTAAR’s Stable Isotope Lab (SIL) that included a look at actual ice cores from Antarctica and Greenland and a demonstration of how we analyze greenhouse gases in atmospheric samples. After the tour, the group had a general discussion in the Bartlett Science Communication Center.

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Announcing the babyֱ��app Art Science Environment Fellows and babyֱ��app State Capitol Exhibition (CU Boulder Community Outreach and Engagement)

Anonymous — Tue, 20 Dec 2022 00:25:19 +0000

Announcing the babyֱ��app Art Science Environment Fellows and babyֱ��app State Capitol Exhibition (CU Boulder Community Outreach and Engagement) Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 12/19/2022 - 17:25

Gretchen Minekime , CU Office for Outreach and Engagement

The Office for Outreach and Engagement announces the CASE Fellows program. The program pairs babyֱ��app artists with CU Boulder scientists to produce art that will be exhibited at the babyֱ��app State Capitol in an exhibition about how Coloradans are experiencing interrelated challenges of fire, drought, and water and air quality. Lisa Schwartz from OOE is leading the program in partnership with Shelly Sommer at INSTAAR, Boulder County Arts Alliance and with exhibition and curatorial support from Amy Hoagland.

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New children’s book explores The Living Landscape

Anonymous — Mon, 10 Oct 2022 18:15:43 +0000

New children’s book explores The Living Landscape Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 10/10/2022 - 12:15

Shelly Sommer

A new children’s book is centered in the Critical Zone, the thin outer layer of Earth’s surface from the tops of the trees down to bedrock where life exists and interacts with rock, soil, water, and air. Designed for 8 to 12-year olds, the book is by INSTAARs Eric Parrish and Suzanne Anderson and is published by Muddy Boots Books.

The Living Landscape: Discovering the Critical Zone follows a young girl on a hike in the mountains. A fallen tree becomes a gateway for her to explore the ways air, water, plants, animals, soil, and rock cycle and affect each other. Naturalistic illustrations and informational text let readers follow her through her adventure. The story treats the landscape in an integrated way that is rare in children’s literature.

Cover of the Living Landscape

The book emerged from the Boulder Creek Critical Zone Observatory (Boulder Creek CZO), a research program that ran from 2007 through 2020 to study the critical zone from the Continental Divide to the western edge of the plains. Working with short stretches of time between other efforts and with small pieces of funding, creating the book took several years.

Parrish, an illustrator and designer, worked for the Boulder Creek CZO as a communicator. He conceived the idea for The Living Landscape and wrote a first draft in 2015. He also created all the illustrations. Anderson, an INSTAAR Fellow, Professor of Geological Sciences, and director of the Boulder Creek CZO, signed on to add scientific content.

“We were really wordsmithing, making sure that concepts were appropriate, that we had the right number of words on the page [or] appropriate vocabulary. We were tuning in concepts,” said Anderson. The goal was to bridge between scientific concepts and most people's lived experiences as they spend time outdoors.

Eric developed a new illustration style over the course of working on the book. “I transitioned from traditional media—oil and watercolor—to digital painting,” said Parrish. “I entered a 100 illustrations in 100 days challenge during COVID, and I made a jump at illustration number 50 to digital.”

The new techniques helped Parrish rework his illustrations to show the details of the natural environment. “Being part of the Critical Zone Observatory, I know the nuance. I got to study dirt,” said Parrish. “It definitely has variations in color and sedimentary layers. Showing that is all about light and texture and artistic tools.”

“I think my favorite page is the one about cycles,” said Anderson. “I love Eric’s graphic that connects the water cycle—which is taught widely—to the carbon cycle and plants, and this all connects to this big, slowly-turning rock cycle. This is how soil is made, at the interface between hydrosphere (water cycle) and lithosphere (rock cycle).”

It’s important to understand how connected everything is. We all think we’re separate, but we’re not.
--- Eric Parrish

The search for an agent or publisher took years, and eventually ended at the door of Muddy Boots, an imprint of Globe Pequot, the trade division of Rowman & Littlefield. Ironically, a previous incarnation of Muddy Boots had published a series of children’s books from the Long-Term Ecological Research program, including some with INSTAAR ties: the My Water Comes from the Mountains series and The Lost Seal. “They understand science,” said Anderson.

In the meantime, the Boulder Creek CZO program concluded and was succeeded by the Critical Zone Network in 2020. The Dynamic Water Cluster, part of the Critical Zone Network led by Holly Barnard, is supporting The Living Landscape as part of its public engagement activities.

While the book isn’t specific to a particular landscape, babyֱ��app readers may recognize scenes from Rocky Mountain National Park, Elk Meadow, and Gordon Gulch.

Example pages of the Living Landscape

The book is designed for 8 to 12-year olds. “They’re at an age where they’re asking questions about how things work and connections between things,” said Anderson. She added, “We still have questions too.”

“When I came into the CZO, I didn’t think I’d ever love the Critical Zone,” said Parrish. But the principles of connection soon had him hooked. “It’s important to understand how connected everything is. We all think we’re separate, but we’re not.”

Parrish said, “The underlying message of my projects—if I am successful anyway—is all things are connected. Life, love and caring for our world and each other.”

The Living Landscape is available wherever books are sold, including Rowman & Littlefield, Tattered Cover, Barnes & Noble, Amazon, and local retailers.

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Visualizing climate change through abstract painting (Hyperallergic)

Anonymous — Tue, 16 Nov 2021 07:00:00 +0000

Visualizing climate change through abstract painting (Hyperallergic) Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 11/16/2021 - 00:00

The art of INSTAAR Affiliate Diane Burko includes images of melting glaciers and dying coral reefs that are not just pictorially impressive; they have strong emotional impact.

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NEST mural quest takes public art to new level (CU Boulder Today)

Anonymous — Thu, 09 Sep 2021 06:00:00 +0000

NEST mural quest takes public art to new level (CU Boulder Today) Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 09/09/2021 - 00:00

Seven science-inspired, larger-than-life artworks are welcoming students, staff and babyֱ��app back to campus this fall. They include the drawings of birds, bugs and botanicals that now adorn the glass at the entrance of our Sustainability, Energy and Environment Community (SEEC) building.

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