Artists & Makers Studios on Parklawn Drive in Rockville is proud to host Ivan Amato and Michele Banks as they revel in the aesthetic potential of their microscopic obsessions: molecules, microbes and cells along with two additional exhibits and an Open Studio event.

The show, Micromajesty: Intersections of Art and Science, runs from March 29th through April 26th at Artists and Makers Studios. All are invited to opening receptions with the artists on Friday, March 31st, 5 – 9pm and also Friday, April 7th, 5 – 9pm.

Ivan Amato has always been smitten by the gorgeous diversity of data that scientists gather to learn about the world. Drawing upon his background in chemistry and science communication, he embraces the artform of crystal photomicrography. To create his pieces, Amato dissolves substances, from table sugar to prescription medicines, coaxes them to resolidify on microscope slides and then tours the slides to capture the resulting crystalline beauty. His work has been shown in DC Arts Club and appeared in literary publications and science journals. Amato is the author of Supervision: A New View of Nature, a celebration of science imagery. He has written several other books and hundreds of articles, produced podcasts, and orchestrated science café events. His day job is as the science communications manager for the Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute at Columbia University. Michele Banks is an artist inspired by science. Her artwork, on themes ranging from neuroscience to the microbiome to climate change, has been shown at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), and at the Society for Neuroscience, as well as at many galleries and art festivals. Her paintings have been featured on the covers of journals and books and in publications including Scientific American, The Scientist and Wired. Michele’s work in this exhibition explores the idea of the vessel in semi-abstract watercolor paintings inspired by structures in plants as well as in the human body. Her paintings celebrate the tiny, crucial carriers of everything from water to blood to electrical pulses – the flow of life. A sampling of the artists’ works is viewable here.

Enjoy additional exhibits - “Green” with Resident Artists, and 19 Gallery 209 Artists exhibiting their latest work. The theme for the April A&M Resident Artists’ Exhibition is Green. A mix of yellow and blue, green symbolizes life, fertility, renewal, and resurrection; evokes lush grass, trees, and forests and is often described as a refreshing and tranquil color. Other common associations with green are money, luck, health, and envy. This month A&M resident artists ponder their relationships with green.

“Micromajesty: Intersections of Art and Science” with Ivan Amato and Michele Banks
“Green” with Resident Artists
The Artists of Gallery 209
 

Opening Receptions

5:00pm – 9:00pm, Friday, March 31st, 2023
&
5:00pm – 9:00pm, Friday, April 7th, 2023

Artists & Makers Studios

11810 Parklawn Drive, Suite 210

Rockville, MD 20852

Exhibits for Ivan Amato & Michele Banks, the Resident Artists, and Gallery 209 will run from March 29th through April 26th. Viewing hours are 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM, Monday-Saturday, and Sundays by chance or appointment.