In their simplest definitions, art and science seem to straddle opposite ends of a spectrum. It appears that science is constructed on a linear black and white line while art is painted in a kaleidoscope of colors. The reality is that science can be born on the wings of curiosity and creativity and art can be dictated by technicalities and technique. Art and science, like humans in the universe, are connected in weird and wonderful ways.

“Study the science of art". Study the art of science. Develop your senses - learn to see. Realize that everything connects to everything else,” noted Leonardo DaVinci. Artist Deborah Bigeleisen masterfully provokes a dialogue between aesthetics and science in many of her works.

Bigeleisen launched her career by painting Rembrandt-like portraits of luminous white roses. Always working with a single image of a flower, she strips away the mask of the exterior form and magnifies the interior thousands of times to depths beyond what is visible to the naked eye.

Her subject is no longer simply a flower; it is a dynamic system existing in a chaotic universe filled with energy, turbulence, mystery, and beauty.

A unique vision

When you first view Bigeleisen’s flowers, you may think she is channeling Georgia O’Keeffe. However, closer inspection reveals the artist has her own original perspective on flowers, nature, and life. Over the course of her storied career, she has painted more than 150 roses in visions from hyperrealist to non-objective. Her mastery of brushwork is her superpower. Her work probes the bridge between beauty and science, order and chaos and brings a unique perspective to the style of floral painting, blending seamlessly with the modern world. In a culture where one rarely looks beneath the surface, Bigeleisen dives deep into her soul to redirect our vision to the many layers of flowers. Pictured below is Energy 3, oil on canvas, 40” x 70” (© 2011)