Sea Change: Converting Nature's Fluctuating Colour to the Painter's Palette

Conceived, initiated and led by the artist, this AHRC-funded Art & Science project hinged on a residency at the Natural History Museum, London (May - Dec 2007) and collaboration with Andrew Parker, the Museum's world-leading expert on animal vision and colouration - in particular iridescence.

In conjunction with the renowned scientist (who acted as a consultant), Schenk continued to investigate the complex and varied mechanisms associated with iridescence in a range of animal groups. The aim being to further convert the novel and challenging iridescent "pigments", first employed in 'Mantel of Many Colours', to the painter's palette.

As the title 'Sea Change' suggests, the intention had originally been to further pursue the marine theme. However, as the project progressed the artist became increasingly captivated by butterflies - whose transient iridescent displays she set out to simulate in paint. Although modest in scale, the hyperreal renderings of butterfly wings that resulted do fully emulate the specimens' fluctuating colour - a testimony to the extended knowledge acquired during this formative period.

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Sea Change: Writing