I really enjoyed Ashley Taylor’s piece, “The Art of the Brain.” People often categorize art and science in two very different and separate categories but Taylor points out the difficult of distinguishing between the two. Both areas involve creativity and methodology and neither can easily be defined as solely complex or solely simple.

When I think about science and art, I associate science with a objectivity  and art with subjectivity. Art and artists can be [debatably] objective, and I know that science can be subjective and personal. Even Surrounded by Science makes a point of how scientists, who are supposed to be unbiased and objective, are, by their experiences and interests and perspective, not actually unbiased. Their view of the subject they study is directed by their personal feelings and inclinations.

Julia Buntaine says that art and science both involve “an unquenchable thirst for understanding the nature of our existence” (The Art of the Brain). First of all, I love the quote; the words are beautifully strung together. Second of all, Buntaine is right. Scientists have gone to great lengths, dedicated and risked their lives and reputations and spent all their pennies on their research and field of study, in part because they love their work and in part because they’re curious and have an insatiable desire to explain why things are the way they are. Artists, too, have an insatiable desire to explain, except that they’re—especially in more contemporary art that doesn’t involve fruits in a bowl or flowers in a vase—work is more about using art and self-expression for self-discovery. Science usually involves measurements and concrete explanations, when there are answers and explanations, but art sometimes says what can’t be accurately conveyed in words. This has been my experience in creating art. Sometimes there are no words, which is incredibly frustrating sometimes, but I can find peace in the “just doing” or “just being” way of art.

I’m conflicted about my feelings towards art and science. I feel that people too often see them are separate and unrelated entities and draw many lines to divide them. But at the same time, I draw lines to separate them, too. I’m also finding that I don’t have the words to explain exactly how I feel. Perhaps I’ll paint.