Art, Science, and the Subtleties of Making
“It is human nature to put things and experiences into categories to aid our understanding of the Cosmos and our place therein. But deep discoveries and inventions often are born from new approaches to sorting Nature’s complexity: new boxes, new senses, new dimensions.” In this lecture, Dr. Jane Cook will share stories of a life challenged by boundaries and binaries, and how perspectives gained have influenced her scientific research, her art, and her teaching - particularly in building bridges between art and science.

Dr. Jane Cook, visiting artist in the ANU School of Art & Design Glass Workshop, is a materials scientist and engineer, and a painter and sculptor working in various media, including glass. In her role as Chief Scientist at the Corning Museum of Glass, Jane teaches and lectures worldwide on “glass science for glass artists,” and on the deep connections between scientific and artistic creativity and invention. For 17 years she was a research scientist for Corning, Inc. and is named inventor on over 30 patent application. Her artwork visually explores the interplay of the ambiguity of consciousness with the precision of science. Trained in youth in painting and design by her artist father, she now combines traditional methods with a deep understanding of the fundamental structure of materials, to push the boundaries of technique and palette in glass-based mixed-media sculpture and painting.