My exquisite corpses
Here are my two 'exquisite corpses'. The first one was a bit rough...
but represented a lot of what science means to me (from the top left hand corner and going round clockwise):
DNA profiling, from when I did little work on finding a fluorescent DNA probe);
an electronic circuit representing the relay circuits I made for a surface acoustic wave gas detector;
the head and the hooked molecules represents psychiatry and my novel on Heinrich Hoffmann;
a conical flask representing my years as a chemist;
a light bulb representing an ill-fated book proposal on the eureka moment;
water molecules to represent my time as water analyst;
cells dividing (represents my little foray into immunology for another ill-fated book proposal);
chains of aromatic molecules, representing my PhD project;
volcanoes and plate movements representing my novel on Alfred Wegener;
a little diagram representing biological cycles of the silkworm sort;
various hazard symbols (representing my teaching days)
and finally an H-bomb cloud and 'hard rain' because after reading P D Smith's Doomsday Men it is in the fore front of my mind.
The second one is a bit more colourful and simple. Hodmandod Senior kindly helped me out drawing some of this on the computer. Then I stuck drawings on on top. There are similar ideas to the first one but instead of a general cycle I simply have a silkmoth laying eggs...
Please have a go. The organiser, Tim Jones, would appreciate entries from everyone. Details are here.
but represented a lot of what science means to me (from the top left hand corner and going round clockwise):
DNA profiling, from when I did little work on finding a fluorescent DNA probe);
an electronic circuit representing the relay circuits I made for a surface acoustic wave gas detector;
the head and the hooked molecules represents psychiatry and my novel on Heinrich Hoffmann;
a conical flask representing my years as a chemist;
a light bulb representing an ill-fated book proposal on the eureka moment;
water molecules to represent my time as water analyst;
cells dividing (represents my little foray into immunology for another ill-fated book proposal);
chains of aromatic molecules, representing my PhD project;
volcanoes and plate movements representing my novel on Alfred Wegener;
a little diagram representing biological cycles of the silkworm sort;
various hazard symbols (representing my teaching days)
and finally an H-bomb cloud and 'hard rain' because after reading P D Smith's Doomsday Men it is in the fore front of my mind.
The second one is a bit more colourful and simple. Hodmandod Senior kindly helped me out drawing some of this on the computer. Then I stuck drawings on on top. There are similar ideas to the first one but instead of a general cycle I simply have a silkmoth laying eggs...
Please have a go. The organiser, Tim Jones, would appreciate entries from everyone. Details are here.
posted by Clare Dudman at 1:01 pm
6 Comments:
Clare - I find the hints you've dropped of your life path (chemist, water analyst) fascinating. Having discovered you mid-stream, so to speak, I've always thought of you as a writer with a scientific bent. It's interesting to see that you seemed to have been a scientist first. Or have you been a writer steadily along, too?
I've just spent the last ten years of my life writing (and sometimes teaching it). Before that I was, working backwards, science teacher, full-time mother, development scientist in industry, research scientist at university, student. But all the time I've written and never really stopped because, like you Mary, I think, it's what I've always loved.
Very interesting pictures, Clare, and even more interesting journey through life.
Thanks, Jud :)
I like picture stories, confessional maps etc. I think sometimes they can carry so much more information than words on paper, and you can feel closer to the subject when making them. I'd love to be able to draw a little better to be able to incorporate images more easily into my notebooks.
Yes, I agree, jem - but I wonder if all you lack is confidence. I think we all worry about art too much. Maybe the important thing to do is just have a go...maybe :-)
Post a Comment
Comments are subject to moderation.
<< Home