We’re All Related: Descent with Modification

Darwin Week Art Competition 2018

Some photos of the awards reception

Art Alley with the 16 pieces on display

Sampling the good food catered by Cristaudo's

Participants viewing the artwork

Some participants (Neubig family, Jiménez family, Garwood/Thomas family)

Kurt Neubig, the organizer for the 2018 Darwin Week Art Competition, beginning the award ceremony.

Kurt Neubig

Second place winner in the Youth Competition, Araceli Jiménez, receiving her certificate from Kurt Neubig.

First place winner in the Youth Competition, Henry G. Neubig, receiving his certificate from his father.

First place winner, Kate Forer, a student in Art and Design.

Kurt Neubig addressing the participants.

Participants following the awards presentation.

Agustín Jiménez with his daughter Itzel on his lap, Henry G. Neubig to his right, and his older daughter Araceli to his far right.

First place Award - Chartam Artis by Kate Forer

Second place Award - Techno-Flu by Philip Ragan

Third place Award - Cuttled by Rhonda Rothrock

Artwork from the 2018 Darwin Week Art Competition

Click on thumbnail to see full size image

1	Artist: Henry Conrad Neubig (Retired professional artist. Piece not in competition) Title: White Pelicans Description: "Mud on water color paper."
2	Artist: Nick Seaton (Student in Plant Biology) Title: Box Elder Lava Lamp, Osage Orange Bowl, and Box Elder Bowl Description: "The variation that makes these bowls unique from each other has been acquired from minor adaptations over time.  From these adaptations, we find beautiful colors and patterns that have been put on display and are unique to each individual."
3	Artist: Henry George Neubig (Age 6, youth competition) Title: Pelican Description: "I just painted it.  Cause I just wanted to."
4	Artist: Henry George Neubig (Age 6, youth competition) Title: MOTU Description: "I painted it at school.  I think it looks like a dragon
5	Artist: Kate Forer (Student in Art and Design) First Place Award. Title: Chartam Artis Description: "This piece is intended to demonstrate how small base structures can repeat and combine in different ways to create beautiful new structures that are both unique and inherently related, similar to the ways that basic biochemical or biological units (molecules, cells, tissues) can combine to produce diverse forms. Additionally, there are narratives of evolution hidden in the "organisms" presented in this piece. One of the preserved creatures is a single paper module, the base unit of all the paper sculptures present in this piece. This creature is meant to represent the single-cellular original organism from which the other preserved creatures evolved. I attempted to create multiple "chains of descent" that can be seen in the various paper modules; in one case, a row of units connects in a line to form a segmented "worm", while in another line of descent the units connect in a brick-like manner to create a flat dorsal surface. This variety of different structures showcase the trial-and-error process that is prevalent in both art and natural selection as described by Charles Darwin."
6	Artist: Philip Ragan (Student in Ceramics). Second Place Award Title: Techno-Flu Description: "This piece illustrates the evolving trend of integrating technology into our daily life, and even into our physical bodies. If, at some point, our biology becomes so entwined with technology, we would be just as susceptible to viral hacking as we would be to the common flu bug."
7	Artist: Linda Neubig (Retired professional artist. Piece not in competition) Title: Strata Description: "Hand made wool rug."
8	Artist: Dan Nickrent (Professor Emeritus in Plant Biology. Piece not in competition) Title: Jump for Joy Description: "I carved this piece for my father who was an avid fisherman. This is a largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides), the state freshwater fish of Florida where my dad spent his winters. Without a hook in his mouth, the bass is jumping for joy - or with a hook, my father."
9	Artist: Angela Iseli (Student in Plant Biology) Title: Ocean View Description: "Intaglio print. 'Ocean view' represents the clashing between the man made with nature, resulting in an unpredictable outcome. Tension is meant to be felt from the restricted movement allowed to the sea life within the glass cup. The confined space leads to the acceleration of mutations within populations under this stress. Organisms are forced to either adapt or cease to be."
10	Artist: Agustín Jiménez (Associate Professor in Zoology. Piece not in competition) Title: Struggle for Existence Description: "Werner Herzog: 'People see nature and think they are in harmony.  I see struggle, death and fornication.'  Parasites are a selective force that may determine the survival and evolution of their hosts.  Finding a host and infecting them is a major struggle for the parasites.  In the picture, the giant anteater may be infected by Aspidoderid nematodes (SEM)."
11	Artist: Araceli Jiménez (Age 4) Title: Flowerpool Description: "Flowers and butterflies live together… the tree house… I love that
12	Artist: Jessica Fulgoni (Student in Zoology) Title: Divergence of Organisms Description: "Over time one becomes three. Media: Porcelain with underglaze and clear glaze."
13	Artist: Eunsil Leem  (Student in Art and Design) Title: Fish to Spoon Description: "The design of this spoon was inspired by the form of fish vertebra.  While the body is made of copper, the tips of the spikes were made of sterling silver. As a person who is interested in anatomy, the vertebra is the most intrigueing part as the mechanism of movement. I wanted to express the movement by the repetition and subtle transformation of small units."
14	Artist: Marisa Szubryt (Student in Plant Biology) Title: Descent with Modifications Description: NA
15	Artist: Rhonda Rothrock (Staff in Cinema and Photography). Third Place Award. Title: Cuttled?         Description: "Cuttlefish pendant form cast in sterling silver from a design I carved into cuttlebone, some forging required. Toggle clasp cast in sterling silver also from a design I carved into cuttlebone then forged to current form. Chain purchased. Cuttlefish, family Sepiidae, are fascinating creatures with near magical abilities including the ability to change both their visible skin pattern and color. They range in size from 15 millimeters to 50 centimeters and are considers one of the most intelligent of the invertebrates. Cuttlebone (cuttlefish bone) is a hard brittle internal structure (internal shell) made of layered calcium carbonate & found in all members of cuttlefish. Cuttlebone as sold as a source of calcium in agriculture and other industries. Cuttlebone can withstand high temperatures and is easily carved, making it well suited for small metal casting; an ancient art process going back 5000 years. I am in awe of cuttlefish and have a great admiration for them. Some cuttlefish are classified as endangered species. While enthusiastically drawn to this form of casting and its unpredictability, I struggle with the ethics of cuttlebone procurement. Cuttlebone does not rot when the fish dies so cuttlebones are found washed ashore and collected but is that enough for the market?"
16	Artist: Rhonda Rothrock (Staff in Cinema and Photography) Title: Shelf Mushroom / Bracket FungusBrooch? Description: "Found object(s) investment casts; shelf mushroom / bracket fungus cast in sterling silver and twigs cast in bronze; soldered together into a brooch. Worn with bronze topped hat pin."