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Art vs. Science…Does it have to be “vs."?  Is it right brain vs. left brain? Irrational vs. rational?  I would not pose these questions if it weren’t for a friend of mine. She reads about health and medicine. I read fiction. She counts steps, while I sit at an easel.  She eats organic. I eat ethnic. Her interests support STEM, mine gravitate to ART.  We are each so caught up in our own mindset, that it takes a special effort to truly appreciate and honor the other.  

So… I am thinking about science and art. Not science vs. art. Although I never demonstrated a strong interest or aptitude in science, I have always respected scientists, doctors, and engineers.  I am grateful for their gifts. Science is the driver of progress. Science is wonder and exploration. Science provides explanations. Science heals. One cannot easily say these things about art.  Yet, I am also grateful for the gifts of art.  Art is expression, originality, and beauty. It reflects and enriches the human experience. We are touched by language, images, and sounds. We are entertained and challenged. And, yes, healed.

Increasingly art and science collaborate…animation, 3D printing, graphics, gaming, cooking. Even when there is no overlap in content, there is in practice.  Scientists are creative and artists are detailed and disciplined. Both art and science reveal truths and promote understanding. And, most of all, art and science are the very best examples of human capacity. 

Biome Report: Rainforest Diorama by Morgan Knell, grade 2.

Please enjoy this beautiful video, Patterns in Nature, by molecular biologists-turned photographer, Amy Lamb. Music by Karl Stamitz.

Also…an article about how early childhood arts exposure improves overall learning.

And…a NY Times article how science revealed an art mystery.