Week 1: Rosemary & Jill

Rosemary

I'm a freelance illustrator and concept artist based in the North East of England. You can see a portfolio of my artwork on my website: http://www.rosemaryartist.com/

Originally, I'm from Birmingham (U.K.) but I've lived in many places including South Korea, which I fondly refer to as my second home. I have an MA in Concept Art for Games and Animation with Distinction. Currently, I'm a Lecturer in Concept Art at Teesside University where I teach drawing, digital painting and pre-production for film and games to undergraduate and postgraduate students.

I specialize in Creature Design. My artwork explores the development of creatures through drawing, informed by existing animal anatomy and practice-based research methods. I enjoy experimenting with different approaches to creature design. The outcomes can be highly unique, for example, when beginning a creature through systematic changes to existing animals or through more chaotic mark-making.
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Recently, I’ve been working on analysing the anatomical structure of the imaginary creatures that I create: http://www.rosemaryartist.com/creatureanatomy

​The diversity of animals on Earth inspire my drawings. Evolution fascinates me, and even more so, the possibilities of evolution in the future and on other planets. I also love world mythology and often use it as a starting point in my work. My project "When Tigers Smoked" was practice-based research into the speculative evolution of tigers inspired by Korean folk art and mythology: http://www.rosemaryartist.com/tigers  

Continuing to develop my practice, I aim to create creatures with real-world plausibility. Synthesizing iterative drawing techniques and a visual knowledge of animal anatomy, I hope to further explore how interacting with scientific principles can impact my practice and perhaps beyond.
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Cross-disciplinary collaboration fascinates me because it is all about the process and the documentation of that process. The fact that the final destination of the collaboration is unknown or not even necessary is both challenging and exciting.
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The most exciting aspect of cross-disciplinary collaboration is the potential of the iterative, communicative, back and forth process creating a novel subject that could sustain further research outputs beyond the artistic and scientific disciplines themselves.

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Jill

Hello! My name is Jill Shipman, I am a Ph.D. student in Volcanology and am also pursuing film studies (with an emphasis in directing) at the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF). I have always been involved in some sort of creative endeavor; acting, dancing, directing, photography, drawing, and making costumes and jewelry. For quite some time I felt that by compartmentalizing my artistic and scientific interests I was Dr. Jekyll and “Mrs.” Hyde. Several years ago, I decided to merge my interests wherever possible and haven’t looked back since. This decision has led to several collaborative art-science projects and my involvement to grow the art-science community at the American Geophysical Union. I am thrilled to be a part of this residency program and look forward to working with my collaborator Rosemary Chalmers. 

Poster from IMDB

​I am based in Fairbanks, AK and am fortunate to be at an institution that is a leader in climate and environmental research. I live close to nature with diverse wildlife, majestic landscapes, and hearty and kind people. Fairbanks is such a creative and welcoming place as many still live off the land and depend on each other to get through the simultaneously gorgeous and incredibly depressing winters. 

​Research
My dissertation is a comparative study of Mount St. Helens, Bezymianny, and Shiveluch volcanoes. In 1980, Mount St. Helens experienced a devastating lateral-blast and massive eruption of hot rock, ash, and gases that obliterated everything in its path and has had long lasting impacts on the environment and the many species that inhabit the area. 

​Much like Mount St Helens, Bezymianny and Shiveluch Volcanoes in Kamchatka, Russia erupted in a very similar manner. To better understand the likelihood of devastating eruptions like these occurring in the future we must understand their respective systems. My past work includes using analytical chemistry to analyze mineral compositions of volcanic products and conditions of magma storage.

Bezymianny and Shiveluch Volcanoes on the Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia.

Sentinel-1 RADAR over Northern Kamchatka Volcanoes

I am currently using Synthetic Aperture Radar to quantify ground motion at Bezymianny Volcano. Prior to eruption a volcano generally inflates like a balloon and deflates after the magma has erupted on the surface. We can use multiple radar images to calculate the ground deformation related to a volcanic event. For more information: http://www.uaf.edu/insar

​Film Production
In addition to my geophysical research, I am the Production Manager for FRAME Film Production Services, the production arm of the Theatre and Film Department at UAF. There I write scripts, organize film shoots, serve as film crew, and do post-production editing for a variety of projects ranging from cultural to research oriented. 

Behind the scenes on a recent FRAME shoot with researcher Ricardo Antunes discussing acoustic pollution in the ocean and impacts on Bering Straits. Photo courtesy of FRAME.

​"Life in the Infrared" is a short film project I directed about the use of thermal infrared imaging. Where volcanologist Dr. Jonathan Dehn from the UAF Geophysical Institute explains case studies from applications in volcanology and arctic biology.

My inspiration.
I am inspired by the thrill of discovery, beautifully crafted images, and the sights and sounds of an unforgettable moment. A great story that digs its claws into me and won’t let go, by sounds that transport me to another world, an emotional response that gives me chills and a flood of nostalgia, a sense of wonder and excitement.
 
Why collaborate across disciplines?
I think that true innovation comes through unlikely relationships and interdisciplinary work. I see collaboration as a chance to explore new perspectives on learning and communicating both art and science. I believe that the creative process is important not only in communicating science but to scientific discovery itself. I can’t wait to see where this collaborative journey takes us!