Art: Water is Life - Artist in Residence

I will be collaborating and co-teaching with Artist in Residence, Rachel Mirus in Art classes!

Here is Rachel’s website:

Tissue paper printing uses watercolor paint and tissue paper shapes to create colorful patterns by leaching the tissue paper dye while also interacting with the watercolor paint. In the past I have used fish shapes as a water-themed subject, but other water themes could include aquatic invertebrates, water molecules, human watercraft, or anything of interest to students! Watercolor paint allows students to experiment and explore properties of water like flow, diffusion, mixing, and evaporation all while playing and making something colorful and beautiful.

Ice painting uses colored ice cubes to make an abstract painting based on patterns of melting. Students make patterns and stacked sculptures with the ice, add extra color and complexity by spritzing with liquid watercolor in spray bottles, and then wait for the result. I also set up time lapses so that students can watch how the melting process happened over time. Because of the waiting aspect of this project, students naturally anticipate and make predictions about what their melting sculpture will do, which becomes a testable hypothesis when they see their finished project.

Students will have the opportunity to experiment and design individual and collaborative final paintings. The collaborative pieces will be matted, framed and hung as a permanent display in our building!

We are thrilled to explore these new water & ice painting concepts, as we continue to expand our knowledge through and with WATER.

Rachel Sargent Mirus - Artist in Residence

Hi, I’m Rachel Sargent Mirus, a STEAM teaching artist and science writer. Originally trained in biology, I worked in research labs and museums across the country, and along the way I became interested in science writing and education.

I write about subjects ranging from climate change to gene therapy. My art interests focus on drawing and painting subjects from nature following the traditions of natural history illustration. While I do love making art, I am also passionate about using art to teach the life sciences. Drawing and writing encourage you to slow down and think about small details, like a beetle on a leaf, giving you the time and space to really see and understand. This practice of thoughtful observation is the skill I most want to teach: it is not only the foundation of effective illustration and description, but also how to think like a scientist.