There was a time when I thought I could be an artist. And indeed, for a while, I thought that that dream was lost, until I found my inspiration again. So I started tinkering with the AFM (atomic force microscopy)-acquired images of the films I have deposited, and found that indeed, nanostructures can be wonderful materials to work with. Just use your imagination!
The opportunity to showcase my “work of art” finally came. I saw an announcement for a “Modern NANO-Art Gallery,” hosted by the ODNN07 (One-dimensional Nanostructures and Nanoarchitectonics) here in Tsukuba. I thought, why not? So I submitted my image. A few weeks later, I was informed that my image was among the chosen top 20 entries for the gallery. I was elated, of course. I also knew that there was an award to be given for the best image, as judged by the selection committee. At any rate, I was happy enough knowing that my entry was to be included in the gallery. And more importantly, I had fun experimenting with that image! I didn’t really mind so much about the award.
But then came another email – informing me that my image was selected as the best image! Surprise, surprise, surprise! 😀
So without further ado, here’s the winning entry, which I titled “Golden whorls on a blue pond”:
The image shown above was obtained by AFM on a YBaCuO (YBCO) superconducting thin film on CeO2-buffered sapphire. Colors were enhanced by Adobe Photoshop. 🙂
When you look at it, does it evoke any particular feelings? When I look at that image, the scene that comes to mind is that of pretty yellow flowers happily floating on a pond, beckoning anyone to come and pluck them. And so my artistic description of this image goes like this:
“I have fallen in love with thee
Thy golden whorls have captured me
Waiting to be plucked by fools like me
And held in our hands so daintily”
This image is currently being exhibited at the gallery. This gallery will only be until tomorrow. Here’s a snapshot of the panel displays:
Anyway, this evening I was invited to attend a banquet and receive this award:
A piece of paper? Nah, it’s much more than that! It’s a testament that my first venture into “science as art” has not been in vain. Not bad for a first try, eh?
This is for you, DAD!
Congrats! That’s a great picture. It looks like the flames of several tiny candles to me 🙂
Thanks for visiting my LJ!
Thanks Christianne!
Candles – what a nice analogy. Good thing I used yellow here – I had to choose among pink, green, and red. 🙂
Wow! Ever wonder how much moolah it will fetch in the market? 🙂
NAKS! Congratulations! I’m glad you got this recognition. ayan. may fallback ka na. hehe. jokes lang. hindi lang pang-superconductor, pa-arts pa! 😉
Snglguy!
Hmm, I never thought of it that way. Oops, there I go, thinking of eBay and auctions, haha. 🙂
Lai! Salamat, salamat!
Obvious bang tuwang-tuwa ako rito, hehe. Akala mo nanalo ng Nobel prize. Fallback ba. Baka nga raw puede pagkakitaan sabi ni snglguy sa taas. 😉
That image at the top looked like a top view of golden pine trees under the blue night. The candles like objects – they look like men with their flashlights on, searching for something beneath the forest. Great images!
Ang galing ng description mo ah! You are an artist, indeed! 🙂
Hi Kats,
Congratulations! Gratuliere (in German). I am always reading your blogs from time to time. You’re a very gifted person. Take care and God bless. Bisitahin mo namin kami rito sa Munich.
Ciao,
Ligaya
Wow your work must have gotten a very high ranking on aesthetic impression and by it self you could have probably won that award but I’m sure maganda din ang iyong scientific vision. Sana post mo din yung description.
Congratulations and we are proud of you.
Congratulations! Wow…ganda! You’re not just a good scientist but a good artist too! keep it up!
O HA!!!!!
ang galeng galeng naman! Actually the only thing I know about “fusion” is Tobey Maguire and the movie Spiderman. Why? Kasi they were talking about fusion in the movie pero symepre di ko gets.
Anyway so happy for you Kathy…yung art mo parang cumulus clouds or melted candles. I love melted candles actually 🙂
Ang ganda! Parang abstract painting ang dating!
G’leng-g’leng =P talaga ni Kathy. What a combination artist/scientist. Bow ako!
Congrats sa award mo. More to come.
P.s.
This time I’ll make sure that I will click ‘submit comment’, kasi I left a msg kahapon but perhaps di ko nasubmit.
have a nice weekend.
Ligaya! Domo arigato! Salamat naman at paminsan-minsan ay nadadaan ka rito. Miss na kita! 🙂 Kamusta na lang sa mga labiduds mo riyan. Bisita sa Munich – naku, sana matuloy. *wink*
Thanks a lot Mon! 🙂
Actually the images were judged based on aesthetic quality, difficulty of acquiring the image, visual impact, among others.
For those interested in the details about the film preparation and characterization, may I suggest that you visit the ff. link. This was a feature article I contributed to BKR many, many years ago. But the essential facts remain unchanged. 🙂
*blush*
Thanks a lot, Hazel! This may be a tough act to follow, but I will try my best. 🙂
Oops, here’s the link again: http://www.bahaykuboresearch.net/index.php?module=article&view=11
Thanks!!! Yep, fusion nga yung ginagawa nong mad scientist na si Doc Ock. Ngayon ko lang naalala hehe.
Melted candles – OO nga! That’s a very apt description, Verns. Nakakaaliw naman yung mga iba’t ibang interpretation ng mga tao. 🙂
Naku, maraming salamat! Alam mo nag-eksperimento dyan ako ng iba’t ibang kulay, kasi otherwise, napaka-dreary ng image na yan hehe. You’d be surprised how the original image looked like. Buti na lang nagawan ng paraan. 🙂
More to come? I’m crossing my fingers! 🙂 Thanks for leaving your comment, and have a nice weekend too!
Congrats. U do your dad (and us — LOL) proud. Splendid, otherworldly images. May pagka-surreal ang dating. Micro organisms ba? Nanostructures — whatever does it mean. Aaah, if it takes too much trouble, later na lang. haha
That’s fantastic… science meets art… Congratulations 🙂
I’m sure your family’s so proud of you!
Thanks Anna! Happy to know that I make you guys proud. 😀 Don sa banquet ang dami nga curious at nagtanong sa akin kung sang galing bansa ako. 🙂
Nanostructures = any structure that has dimensions falling within the nanometer (0.000000001 meter) range. Do you see the line bar in the image? That’s about 0.2 micron, or 200 nanometers.
Thank you Pining! I got lucky, I guess, in my first foray into this kind of thing. 🙂
I got another idea on that image.. cake icing 😀
Kathy,
Beautiful! Congratulations! Sa tingin ko parang melted candles that slumped down. Would love to see more of your artwork.
lol
Oishisou ne! 😀
Thanks a lot Belle! I like your analogy – the image sure looks like melted candles. 🙂
And yes, I hope to find more materials to experiment with. 😉
Nice un.
To me, it looks like a picture of erupting volcanos on some out-of-Galaxy planet.
oh wow. that is just beautiful. congrats kathy.
Galing naman! Congrats!
The composition indeed is very artistic. Its like a nebula.
Thanks Abaniko.
Sounds like you’re a Star Trek fan. Am I right? 😉
Thanks, dexie. I’m glad you find it beautiful.
Thanks for dropping by! 🙂
Thank you Leah!
It’s fascinating how the things having “very small” dimensions can be related to things having large – or in your description, “super large” – dimensions. 🙂
*WOW*
Kathy! Congratulations! See – nagbakasyon lang ako saglit, tapos, pagdalaw ko dito ayan – may award ka na pala! Galing!
Nano art? Is is any different from digital painting? My son has a couple of digi painting, and I posted it in my blog.. if you have time, will you see and comment on it? Thanks…!
Ummm… the image of your art evokes something different to me – it reminds me of Taal Volcano in the middle of Taal Lake spewing its flame and fury! hehe!
Congrats again!
😉 *TNX*
Tita Rhodes, welcome back! Hope you’re ok na. Oo nga eh, hehe, may sorpresa agad pagbalik mo. Thanks a lot!
Sure, I’ll take a look at your son’s digipaintings. I suppose NANOart differs primarily because the images are acquired from “real” objects, those that really exist albeit in the nanoscale world. That nanoimage was obtained through some sophisticated imaging technique that allows the structures of that dimension to be observed. The “art” comes in when we manipulate the image to make it aesthetically pleasing. 🙂
Taal volcano – oo nga no? Aliw talaga.
Congratulations, Kathy!!!
The images remind me of floating flowers and candles on a reflecting pool. Lovely, indeed!
More to come?
reminds me of the beatles’ kaleidoscope world when lucy is in the sky with diamonds. 🙂
actually, shades of the psychedelic era and the flower power generation na parnag design ng mga t -shirts ng grateful dead. haha
Thanks Eric! 🙂
I’m glad you like it. We have the same interpretation, actually.
Yes, more to come…here’s crossing my fingers. 🙂
Honestly, I have no idea what you’re talking about, I’m simply clueless! lol That is because I’m not really into Beatles and Grateful Dead.
But hey, thanks for sharing your thoughts! 🙂
Excellent and congrats ! Didn’t know you have the knack for art as well 🙂
Ate Let!
Surely a winner! Science and art rolled into one…tadahhh! Sorry for late visit of your blog. =)
Magandang ilagay ito sa shirts and book covers, tapos nakalagay, proudy ‘Philippine Made’ oha-oha…
I like the candle-looking flames.
Congrats! Cheers!
Thanks bw! And welcome back – haven’t seen you in a while. 🙂
Karen! Hey salamat naman napadalaw ka…after 48 years grrr. 😛
Oo nga, tangkilikin ang sariling atin. Kaso gawa nga siya ng Pinoy, pero di siya gawa sa Pinas. Puede pa ba yun, hehe.
O pano yan sis, we should go back to our roots – it’s time to let Dad’s passion move us to higher heights! 🙂
for one reason or another, i have commented on “fusion”, 2x yata, but it must have fused elsewhere.
That’s wonderful! Congrats, Kathy.
The yellow flames also looked like candles to me.
Btw, I haven’t forgotten about that thingy. I have started working on it, pasingit-singit. Pasensiya ka na.
hey sexy mom, I searched our spamblock log and found your comment there. seems like there was a problem with the captcha input.
anyway, thanks a lot! nabasa ko naman eh hehe. 🙂
Thanks, Ate Niceheart! 😀
Yes, so many remarked about the yellow things looking like candles.
About the thingy, hehe, akala ko nakalimutan mo na. That’s quite alright! Hintayin ko ha. 🙂
You’re very artistic and talented Kathy! It looks like the inside of a volcano to me. Very magical. 🙂 Congratulations! The artwork does look world class.
awesome! congratulations…fusion—science meets art! all my favorite colors are there 🙂