Landscapes Near and Far

Combining her love of art and science, Charles Mary Kubricht follows a daily practice of awe and curiosity inspired by mysteries in the sky and on the land.  She investigates the relationship of human perception to the technical instruments used to view, model and organize space.  From distant landscapes viewed through telescopes to nearby landscapes studied under microscopes, the lenses of science have shaped her understanding of art, varying viewpoints, and the history of human knowledge.  She believes the vitality of our nation originates through educating the artistic and scientific imagination.

In Landscapes Near and Far, Kubricht adapted imagery from two New Mexican sources: the Very Large Array Radio Observatory (an astronomical radio observatory located outside of Socorro) and the Mineral Museum at New Mexico Tech in Socorro.  The Very Large Array, the European Space Agency's Herschel space observatory (in which NASA played a key role), and NASA's Spitzer and Hubble space telescopes worked together to create the photograph of the sky.  The caption released with the image describes two interacting galaxies, NGC 3226 and NGC 3227, that are located 49 million light-years away, in the constellation Leo.  By using this image, Kubricht wants to convey the significance of mutual cooperation and interaction among groups and nations.

To create the landscape section of her artwork, a small specimen of New Mexican fluorite from the Mineral Museum at New Mexico Tech was photographed using a high-resolution camera, lighting and special lenses to scan the object and capture intricate detail and luminosity.  Kubricht’s depiction of fluorite in this artwork suggests any number of associations.  For example, Fluorite is used for making both microscopic and telescopic lenses.  Metaphysically, fluorite is considered a highly protective and calming stone that enhances intellectual and emotional clarity,