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Medical illustration exhibit, auction to showcase student works

Feb 21, 2017 | General News

— Interdisciplinary course brings together art, science to create digital illustrations —
Faculty from Louisiana Tech University’s School of Design, School of Biological Sciences and Biomedical Engineering program will showcase the digital art of their students at the 2nd Annual Student Digital Painting Art Exhibit and Auction, March 10 at the F.J. Taylor Visual Art Center Gallery on the campus of Louisiana Tech.

Students in ART 320: Digital Painting course at Louisiana Tech use digital art to illustrate scientific, medical concepts.


The exhibit will open at 6:30 p.m. and feature the digital illustrations of 18 talented Louisiana Tech students in their ART 320: Digital Painting course.  An auction of the artwork will follow at 7:00 p.m. with proceeds going to building a program in pre-medical illustration and supporting the students involved.  Tickets to the event are $10 and can be purchased at Louisiana Tech’s Marbury Alumni Center or at the door.
Last year’s event raised close to $4,000 that was used to support promotion of the program, tablets for use in the digital painting class and an on-campus visit by Natalie Doolittle, director of animation for High Impact.
The Student Digital Painting Art Exhibit and Auction will feature the final project of the students in the ART 320 class, which was a medical illustration designed for the cover of the New Frontiers in Biomedical Research Seminar Series brochure cover.  The class is focusing on four thematic topics in biology and medicine: Biology’s Central Dogma, The Brain, The Cardiovascular System, and Drug Delivery.  Newman and Caldorera-Moore are the co-organizers of the New Frontiers in Biomedical Research lecture series that has grown into one of Louisiana Tech’s premier interdisciplinary programs.
The winning cover design will be announced at the event and will be one of four pieces auctioned off to raise money for the further development of an academic curriculum in pre-medical illustration.
Nicholas Bustamante, associate professor of art, created this class after collaborating with Dr. Jamie Newman, assistant professor of biological sciences, and Dr. Mary Caldorera-Moore, assistant professor of biomedical engineering, to create images, scientific manuscripts and publications.  Together, the three professors found a need for other collaborations between the arts and sciences as a way to communicate complex ideas.
As a result of their partnership, Bustamante, Newman and Caldorera-Moore established VISTA (Visual Integration of Science Through Art), a program designed to offer a new interdisciplinary curriculum for students who have an interest in both art and science.  The VISTA program will prepare students for application to graduate school in medical illustration and will offer a unique educational experience for students with a passion for art.