“The Nature of Pale: Science Meets Art” opens at the Gadsden Museum of Art on April 1 and runs through May 8, 2015. Oil painter, Anna Mullin, has developed an interest in science through her passion for painting. Rather than simply painting things that are pale—such as blond hair, snow, sand, and dry bones—she wanted to find out the “nature” of these objects, or the scientific reasons they were pale in color. “The Nature of Pale” is a result of this yearlong study.
Anna’s previous one-person shows have led to her deep connection between science and art. In addition to the 10 paintings in “The Nature of Pale,” there will be 20 paintings that trace the development of her scientific inquiry, including paintings from “Cloudscapes: God’s Picture Show,” which showed extraordinary cloud formations in the first part of the 21st century; “Elements: Earth, Wind, Fire, Sea, & Sky,” which highlighted the good and bad aspects of the ancient elements; and “Into the Night,” a study of how the human eye perceives changes in light from dusk until the dead of night.
Teachers may arrange to bring students on a free field trip to “The Nature of Pale” by calling the museum at (256) 546-7365. They can also arrange for a free, guided tour of the exhibit by the artist. Individuals are also welcome anytime without charge. Museum hours are Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday—10am-5pm; Thursday and First Fridays—10am-7pm; Sunday & Monday—closed.