unweaving the rainbow

Read the first chapter of Richard Dawkins River Out Of Eden. A science book, a biology book which goes into other areas of science and technology, and even grasps at poetry and philosophy (with an underlying claw at organised religion).

I've always been interested in science, in school i wasn't interested in anything, i was bored, unimaginative, unhappy, and didn't get much in the way of comfort or inspiration from either teachers or students. And when i did i started to listen, and express interest, hence my favourite, and well graded school subjects are (or were) English, Maths and Science. Not art, which i have always had a skill for, not drama, which i have always leaned towards. But since leaving school, that's where i have learnt the most. The science books i've read are mostly popular, i've watched tv series on space and 'life'. And i always find myself feeling all homely. Maybe that has something to do with my dad always watching them when i was a child, maybe not.

But i fail to understand how other people (even other artists) aren't inspired by science, by something which attempts to understand and express what we are. Many of the artists i do know are much more interested in spirituality and supernatural occurrences (which possibly explains why they also have an interest in conspiracy theories.) No, at such times i don't feel like i fit in with arty types at all. But maybe i just don't fit in with crafty types, maybe i just havent met many real artists yet. Leonardo, there was an artist, and a great scientist. Lately i recall (for my 21st birthday) my dad taking me to Elgar's house in Malvern, i remember on his shelves, there was the complete works of Shakespeare alongside an amateur chemisty kit..:)

I feel like science is what i should become entwined up in, the direction i should take my artwork. After all, painting is like alchemy, it is definitely chemistry, and when we apply it to canvas the shapes we make and the attempts we have to express ourselves, or to copy life, or to give impressions of life, that is closer to science than anything else. So i don't understand why artists feel they need to ignore it. Art spans out like a web, making connections between science, poetry, philosophy, love and memory. It span out to encompass anything, but these i think are my choices.