TML News and Notes: February 2012

Expressions of the science of art made to inform and the art of scientific illustration are on view March 8 through September 28 at Tompkins-McCaw Library for the Health Sciences at Virginia Commonwealth University.

INTERSECTIONS: ART AND SCIENCE. is curated by James Miller, chair of VCU's Department of Communication Arts, and organized by VCU Libraries' health sciences library on the MVC campus. Event Web site

The exhibition includes human anatomy: structural, muscular and anatomical drawings of the figure. Images in various media and digital technologies include plants, animals, insects, microorganisms, surgical procedures and animations.

"These artists' objective is to observe, draw, describe and reveal the majesty and wonder of our subject matter with the insight and vision of an artist and the acuity of a scientist," says curator Miller.

Works are by students, alumni and faculty of the Scientific and Preparatory Medical emphasis area. In 2006, the Department of Communication Arts created this academic focus area to prepare students for careers as scientific illustrators and for advanced study in the field of medical illustration.

Fitting for a university with both world class arts and medical schools, the VCU program is among a few in the nation. Students gain the skills and knowledge to produce images that present complex scientific and/or medical information for the purpose of explaining and understanding scientific, technical ideas, concepts, principles and facts.

"Students develop the ability to accurately interpret and portray the real and the abstract, fact and conjecture with either extreme precision or interpretive expression as required by the content," says Miller. "Observation and critical thinking are key to being a scientific or medical illustrator."

Participating artists are:

Students:

• Austin Anderson: "Insect Study," watercolor on paper
• Grace Huddleston: "Arm Study," graphite on paper
• Emily Bradfield: "Bone Study 1," and "Bone Study 2," graphite on paper
• Caitlin Johnston: "Artichoke," digital print
• Mary Carter: "Insect Study," watercolor on paper, "Phalaenopsis Orchid," digital print, "Feather Study," watercolor on paper, "Observatory," acrylic on panel, and "Chicken Heart Study," acrylic on panel
• Lucy Koo: "Figure Study," graphite on paper
• Jessica Foley: "Squid Dissection," watercolor on paper
• Lori Panico: "Cicada Study," watercolor on paper
• Juliana Phung: "Female Figure," graphite on paper.

Alumni:

• Anastasia Demson: "Portrait of a Hand II," graphite on paper, and "Performing an Emergency Cricothyrotomy," digital print
• Lauren Conroy: Animations entitled "Revolving Skulls and Endocasts," and "Bacteria World"
• Don Di Fiore: "Fish Head Study," watercolor on paper, and "Mouse," ink and watercolor Vinh Chau: "Open Clam," watercolor on paper, "Pompano Dissection," ink and watercolor on paper, "Hawk," ink and watercolor on paper, "Vulture," ink and watercolor on paper, and "Cricket," Prisma markers and graphite on paper
• Suzanne Ghuzzi: "Pedicle Graft," digital print, "Fontanelles: A Guide to an Infant's Soft Spot," digital print, "A Closer Look at Foliculogenesis," digital print, "Acute Otitis Media," digital print, "Chelydra serpentina: The Common Snapping Turtle," digital print, "Culex pipiens: The West Nile Virus Vector," digital print.

Adjunct faculty member:

•  Sarah Faris: "Laparoscopically Assisted Right Hemicolectomy," graphite and digital media, "Hands," graphite on paper, "LBWC," digital print, "Hip Bone," carbon dust on paper, "Muscles of the Pharynix," digital print, "Malaria," digital print, "Lumbar Surgery," digital print.

"Their illustrations suggest the beauty in the complexity of science and medicine," says Tompkins-McCaw Director Teresa L. Knott. "My aspiration for the attendees is that they come away with an appreciation of the amazing talent of those affiliated with this unique arts program and a broader vision of medical and scientific illustration and how it might be used. I believe that the exhibit will stimulate conversations and cooperation between the Monroe Park and MCV campuses."

Medical illustration is far more than art just for art's sake. Graduates are in demand for scientific, medical and biomedical visualization artwork in teaching, in digital and textbook illustration, as well as in patient and consumer health education. Artists with this specialty are hired for medical legal illustration, pharmaceutical advertising, web design, medical iPhone/iPad applications, to name a few. New digital imaging technologies and 3D interactive applications enable the scientific and medical and biomedical visualization illustrator to animate and employ movement and sequential imaging. These advanced technologies make possible imagery and special visual effects that are changing, expanding, and enriching the possibilities of the discipline and the way we learn and teach medical and scientific concepts.

The public is invited to attend an opening reception on Thursday, March 8, from 4:30 to 6 p.m. RSVP for the reception at www.support.vdu.edu/event/intersections. If special accommodations are needed, please contact Thelma Mack at (804) 828-0017 or mackta@vcu.edu. The exhibition will continue through September 28, 2012. The Tompkins-McCaw Library Gallery is at 509 North 12th St. on the MCV Campus. It is open to the public during regular library hours. 

Monday, February 27

Tuesday, February 21

On Tuesday, February 14 at noon, the Community Health Education Center will host a program about heart health in recognition of American Heart Month.

Dr. Vetrovec, Professor of Medicine, Director of the Adult Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory, will present "No one lives forever, but you don't need to die of your heart!"

Space is limited and registration is required. Light refreshments will be provided. For more information or to register, please contact Sarah or Dana at 828-2432, or email seamick@vcu.edu.

The Community Health Education Center is located in the VCU Medical Center Gateway Building, Ground Floor, 1200 East Marshall Street, Richmond, VA 23298.

Take advantage of a number of upcoming classes offered by the Tompkins-McCaw Library on a variety of topics, including sessions on Complementary & Alternative Medicine, Finding Health Statistics Online, RefWorks, Finding Images, and more.

Information about upcoming events and orientations offered by the Tompkins-McCaw Library and the James Branch Cabell Library is available through the Library Events Calendar. 

For more information about training opportunities at Tompkins-McCaw Library, please contact Thelma Mack at 804-828-0017 or mackta@vcu.edu.

This past Friday, February 3rd, was National Wear Red Day, a campaign of the American Heart Association to raise awareness of women's heart health issues. Many Tompkins-McCaw faculty and staff members showed their support by wearing red!


You can read more about the American Heart Association's campaign at http://www.goredforwomen.org/

Wednesday, February 8

Early in February 2012, the Tompkins-McCaw Library (TML) is kicking off the renovation of the basement Multimedia Collaboration Room, B-037.    The renovation will take the existing room to bare bones and then add layers to create an exciting, contemporary space focused on collaborative learning. 

Existing furniture and equipment will be removed or relocated February 2-3; demolition begins Monday, February 6.  The five week process will transform the room from dated 1970s shabby to 21^st century chic. 

With the exception of workstations and café booths, furniture in the room is designed to be moveable and configurable by users.  There will be mobile soft seating and white boards too.  Walls at the end of the room will be finished with whiteboard material.  The color scheme of the room is shades of charcoal with pops of fuchsia, green and gold.  The design board showing all the exciting changes for B-037 is on display at the TML Service Desk. 

Enjoy the pictures of the planned renovation.  We'll be posting photos as the project progresses.