Her threads are like the microtubule fibres that are created when a cell divides. They grow from the centers of activity, one on each side of the cell, and attach to chromosomes lined up at the center. Each half of the cell will get its own set of chromosomes. The setting sun symbolizes the degrading nucleus, which disappears during the cell division process.

The birth of the cyclic character Dionysus is shown across the bottom. His life represents the cycle of the grape in greek mythology.

Dawn of the Double Helix
oil/mixed media
18" x 25"
2003

This one will be an enhanced digital print. The owner of the original could not be reached.

Human figures form this double helix, with one strand of people right side up and the other strand with their heads upside down. This reflects the actual configuration of the molecular building blocks that come together to form DNA. At the center, they grip hands and feet, but this bond is broken and rejoined all the time as the DNA is being read by worker molecules or replicated during the division of the cell. The cooperation and flexibility, as well as the three dimensional organization of the building blocks in the structure of DNA are reflected in the contorted poses of the individuals engaged in their dance.

Collection of Dr. Sam Dychter

These two figures represent one wrung of the ladder in the double helix structure of DNA. Like a base pair of DNA, one figure has its head up and the other is upside down. Both faces would look out of the canvas at us, with one head up and the other down, in the actual molecular structure of the base pair.

The discovery of the structure of DNA was fraught with tension between the scientists involved, which is also reflected in the strain between the figures. They must let go at some points in the life of the cell to allow the information they contain to be read by other molecules in the cell, or to be replicated for cell division.

Collection of the Artist, $2,600 framedo

RNA is a structure much like DNA, but the building blocks are slightly different. This allows RNA to take many forms other than the double helix. Primitive figures make up the structure in this painting, as RNA may be a much older molecule, capable of self replicating and doing work in the cell - things DNA does not seem to do, or be as capable of doing.--

Collection of Drs. Devavani Chatterjea and David Matthes

Human figures depict a helix structure found in proteins. Bright reds and yellows evoke the high energy surrounding molecular structures. Proteins are the work horses of the body. The building blocks of proteins contain unique sidechains that project out into the world, like the flowers in the hands of the figures.

Collection of Drs. Devavani Chatterjea and David Matthes

Human figures in a protein structure called a beta sheet. This is like a wall of protein. A field of side chains, like flowers in the hands of the figures, come out of this wall. The attraction or repulsion between different flowers causes this wall of protein to either stick or shy away from other proteins and molecules.

Collection of the Artist, $5,300 framed

The microscopic cells that make up the pattern on this kimono painting are based on three-dimensional microscopic images of taste cells from a frog.

Collection of the Artist, $5,300 framed

The imagery in this painting was inspired by views of the microscopic cells inside the nose that receive smells.

Collection of the Artist, $5,300 framed

The inspiration for the design of this kimono came from anatomy of tiny parts of the inner ear. The spiral shape is called a cochlea, and is the place where actual hearing takes place in the ear. The small elongated diamond like shapes are called otoliths, which means “ear stones”. They are part of our system for detecting how fast we are moving.

Collection of the Artist, $5,300 framed

The sun-like image at the top is inspired by what the human retina looks like through a camera focused inside the eye. The image across the bottom is a stained cross section of the cells at the back of the eye responsible for seeing, which includes the rods and cones.

Collection of the Artist, $5,300 framed

Featured in this Kimono are cells and neurons related to the sense of touch.

Collection of the Artist, $5,300 framed


This painting contains molecular representations of the receptors of each type of taste; sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and umami (a more recent addition to our list of types of taste we experience, which is somewhat like a savory receptor that detects things like monosodium glutamate, a flavor enhancer often used in Asian cooking). The central object is a taste bud from a fish. It is no longer believed that these different taste sensations occur on discreet parts of the tongue, but that they are distributed all around the tongue.

Collection of Dr. Chris Cullander

The artist's first look at DNA which had been made to form a cube took her by surprise, and it was immediately obvious to her that it was a breakthrough, a window into something that would be important to our future. The DNA cube was the first structure to be synthetically produced as a candidate for scaffolds onto which molecular machines could be mounted. Nanotechnology is the science of making and using molecular sized machines. Although it seemed at first like a science of the distant future, it now looks as though these machines will become a reality in our lifetime.

Collection of Mr. and Mrs. Newdoll

Formation of the DNA cube. Along the way, a ladder is formed. A perfect nanotechnology machine and scaffold would also be able to destroy itself when necessary, and build itself back up or create more of itself.

Collection of Dr. Nadrian Seeman

The DNA cube, nanotechnology scaffold.