Linking Geology and Art in the field - insights from mountains and fold-thrust structures

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• Phoebe Sleath - University of Aberdeen
• Monday 04 November 2024, 18:00-19:00
• Harker 1 lecture room, Department of Earth Sciences, Downing Site.

If you have a question about this talk, please contact ss2849.

Phoebe’s presentation will discuss her journey into field sketching and how this inspires her PhD research on the field interpretation of structural geology. On a break during PhD fieldwork at St Brides Haven in Pembrokeshire, Phoebe started to paint the landscape in watercolours and found it completely changed the way she saw the rocks.

“I painted the vibrant viridian sea and the deep cobalt sky, and then I moved to the rocks, thick paint for the Winsor red mudstones and diluted washes for the pale grey sandstones. As I painted the wind blew the clouds away from the sun and the light changed, moving and deepening the shadows. I mixed red and blue for dark purple to bring out the different faults and fractures. I realised that I was looking at the rocks in a different way, that painting was guiding my thoughts, and creating my scientific method. I felt a beautiful clarity and connection, in both looking at the landscape as a whole and the rocks and structure in all their details. I was enjoying being in the scientific process. I started to ask myself questions, had other geologists been here before me? Had they sat in the same spot? Had they seen the outcrop in the same way?”

With a sketchbook and palette in hand Phoebe went on further PhD fieldwork in Tuscany and Switzerland, fieldtrips across the UK and Europe, and climbing and hiking trips all over Scotland. PhD work includes the interpretation of fold thrust structures in the field and how our perception of an outcrop is impacted by methods and viewpoint. The talk will include a viewing of her short film – The Lost Art of the Land – a sailing and painting expedition around the Small Isles to discover the geology and landscape in the footsteps of early geologists.

This talk is part of the Sedgwick Club talks series.

This talk is included in these lists:

• Department of Earth Sciences seminars
• Harker 1 lecture room, Department of Earth Sciences, Downing Site
• Sedgwick Club talks

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