Right or Left Brain?

This has got to be one of the weirdest things I've seen all week. The woman below should be spinning (if not go here for original) in either a clockwise or counterclockwise direction. And the direction will change. But the direction AND change are entirely in your brain! If you watch it with someone else, you will find that you do not see the same thing as the other person.

Apparently, if you see her spinning more clockwise, then you are using the right side of your brain, and if anti clockwise the left side. Most people see more anti-clockwise, though mine gets often stuck on clockwise. Here is a list that I copied from the original website:

LEFT BRAIN FUNCTIONS
uses logic
detail oriented
facts rule
words and language
present and past
math and science
can comprehend
knowing
acknowledges
order/pattern perception
knows object name
reality based
forms strategies
practical
safe

RIGHT BRAIN FUNCTIONS
uses feeling
"big picture" oriented
imagination rules
symbols and images
present and future
philosophy & religion
can "get it" (i.e. meaning)
believes
appreciates
spatial perception
knows object function
fantasy based
presents possibilities
impetuous
risk taking

Another interesting thing is that it makes my right eye wicked tired. What do you see? What do you feel?

dali-esque

I haven't posted most of my photoshop projects, but here is one that I like rather a lot. It's made from scans of scissors and spools. Hope you like!

Sesame Street Count like you've Never seen him Before!

My Chickadees

One of the many reasons for a complete lack of posts lately has been the addition of two summer students to our lab. They are both aspiring vets, participating in programs that offer, among other things, the opportunity to learn what it's like to be a research scientist. The Boss, in his infinite wisdom, decided that they will be my charges, which I was actually really excited about. It seemed like such a wonderful challenge, to get to teach them the ways of a lab, design a research project, provide them with an interesting summer experience. I hope I succeeded at least on some level. The first week we spent acquainting them with the lab and their projects. By the end of that week I was hoarse from so much talking and completely exhausted. The second week they started their projects. This was an interesting time because the personalities of both students really emerged as they began to work.

The first, whom I shall call Paige, is endlessly inquisitive, full of confidence and little attention to detail. By the end of the first week she had explored most of the town, made friends with a bunch of people, plunged head first into her research, and made innumerable mistakes. I was so exasperated with her because she just did not seem to listen to what I was telling her, always coming up with her own way of doing something, which I generally encourage, but which did not always produce good results. She has subdivided her work flow in a way that concerns me, but I am hopeful that it will produce an abundance of results in time for her deadline.

The second student, whom I will call Mary, is a skinny studious girl, hard working to a point of making me worry about her health and mental well being. She is careful, deliberate, thoughtful and cautious. Despite her best efforts however, her first weeks were inexplicably marked by constant spills and mistakes. To be fair, I think this is a perfectly normal state of affairs, and Mary was simply diligent enough to notice and report her mistakes while Paige just missed them. Most unfairly, Mary's program is much more demanding in out-of-lab activities, and her in-lab project is substantial. Combine that with her careful methodology, and she is lagging a little behind schedule.

We are now approaching the end of their programs. I think the first week of August will be the time for presenting and saying good-bye. For my part I really enjoyed the experience, and I think highly of both girls, different as they are, but both very motivated and hard working in their own ways. They almost remind me of myself and different stages of my life. Mary is the way I was in college, workaholic and neurotic, and Paige is more like I am now, careless and perpetually late. But I am glad that both girls have more ambition than me and I think they will both do well in their future studies, and I hope that I added to their knowledge in some small way.

Random Exchange

This was the assignment on Wednesday, to illustrate two themes. This theme is "Random Exchange" I think, which made me think of passive transport across plasma membranes. Doubt that will be apparent to art students, but I tried to include the envelopes pinched off from the membrane etc. The other theme was "Coolness" but I have not finished it yet. Maybe tonight.

The Jury is still Out

The art class I talked about taking has started now. The first day only three people showed up and it looked like we could get away with a two days per week independent study, but then on the second class more people came so now it will be a full 5 day/week, 6 week course after all. My feelings towards the course are not too warm right now. The teacher is remarkably old, and although he knows his way around Photoshop very well, he is not very good at explaining it, or perhaps I am too dense. Regardless, I find myself confused a lot and when I ask him questions, my confusion usually increases. So yesterday was just a doodle, play around, get yourself familiar with all the buttons kind of day, and here are the two pieces I managed to create. One is finished, the other not. I wish I had a tablet to draw with, and not just a mouse. One kid in the class has one and his drawings tend to be much cooler.



Can you find the girl in the one below? Maybe I'll get to finish it up later.

Door to Door Atheists

Now here is my kind of teachings!

To quote from the website: "Australian filmmaker John Safran is so fed up with mormons ringing his doorbell early in the morning that he flies to Salt Lake City Utah and tries to convert Mormons to atheism. Needless to say, the locals were not pleased."

"Current Venus"

Today was the big festival here in town and I participated in the painting competition. The rules were to start with a blank canvas between 10 and 11am and submit a finished work at 2pm. At 5pm they gave out some prizes and in a few weeks all the pieces will be auctioned. It was definitely a challenge but I got it done. What with the driving and all I painted from start to finish in 2 hours and 15 minutes. Here are the images as the work progressed.




The thing I like the least is the head. It seems out of proportion after all. I tried to fix it but time was running out so that is that. I love her legs. And I love the water. I am also pretty happy about the bathing suit. I think overall I am very satisfied. Also I got an award - Best Acrylic.


Here is the link to the Best of Show winner, Jime Grabowski and her painting "Chaotic Freedom".

A very artistic summer

All over sudden I am embarking on several artistic adventures. This Sunday, in addition to having my scarves for sale at the market, I will be participating in a 4 hour Paint Off, where local artists will paint at a downtown location while onlookers enjoy our work coming to life. Once finished, the works will be judged and awards given out, and then they will be auctioned off.
Then, starting Monday, I will embark on a six week electronic imaging art class, which will use photoshop, some kind of animation program and dreamweaver to teach us how to draw, animate and make websites. The class meets daily for two and half hours, so I am worried about how it will clash with my work schedule. I hope it will work out ok.

Way to go California!

Am so tired (more about that later) so I won't write much but I just want to give two thumbs up to California and congratulate all the gay and lesbian couples who will now be able to get married in at least one more state. Also, kudos to the Republican state supreme court and the Republican Governor for supporting the rights of ALL it's citizens, at least in this matter. I honestly don't see what all the fuss is about and why same sex marriage is not allowed in every one of our 50 states. Any ideas? Though I bet I won't agree with your opinions. Tee hee (giddy with tiredness)