Chromatic Cells

A glasswork installation by Cleveland Institute of Art student, Ryan Garcia, that bridges the gap between science and art.

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Chromatic Cells includes five glass pieces, made by Ryan Garcia, inspired by the research of plant physiologists Juliana Medeiros, Dylann Nakaji-Conley and Miranda Shetzer, who conduct research at the Long Center for Plant & Environmental Science at Holden Arboretum. The pieces explore the processes of plant pigmentation in response to environmental stressors. The pieces draw upon the ideas of pigment concentration as well as pigment layering. Each piece has its own unique color variety; however, when viewed as a whole, it can be seen as a sequence of change from one state to another. These pieces invite viewers to consider the possibility of there being more than one way to look at the world around us.

Artist Talk
October 25, 3pm

Garcia, Nakaji-Conley, and Shetzer will provide further details about the making process and the research that inspired the pieces.

About Ryan Garcia

I am a Craft + Design senior studying Glass at the Cleveland Institute of Art. I like to draw inspiration from science to create work in my practice. A lot of my work revolves around the relationship between me and my environment, and I sometimes look to science to show these relationships. I wanted to use this opportunity to grow my knowledge of the scientific field and work side by side with researchers.

I am not suited for scientific research, but when I chose to pursue the arts, I always kept my interest in biology close. The Creativity Works opportunity gave me the chance to work with plant biologists and expand my knowledge of plants while creating work that directly related to that newly acquired knowledge. My creative process calls for a lot of experimentation, whether it be with color, technique, or presentation. I draw on past experiments when faced with a new idea or concept I want to share. Working with glass suits this process of experimenting extremely well and has allowed me to discover a variety of techniques that I can use for future projects. Glass provides an interesting perspective on approaching my ideas; it can be manipulated in numerous ways, allowing for a vast variety of artistic outcomes. Additionally, glass is a relatively new medium in art, with many techniques that are yet to be discovered. I enjoy looking at old glass craft techniques and figuring out how I can use them in my modern-day work.

To learn more about Garcia and his art, follow @ryangarciart on Instagram.

Chromatic Cells was created through the Creativity works program, which is made possible by the generous support of the Fenn Educational Fund and the G.R. Lincoln Family Foundation. Creativity Works is a self-initiated internship program with the goal of supporting a student’s professional development. Participating students create proposals that align with their long-term professional goals.