Artists and Naturalists at Acadia’ Launches MDI Biological Laboratory’s Art Meets Science Café Series

The MDI Biological Laboratory will kick off its 2016 series of Art Meets Science Cafés on Monday, June 20, at 5 p.m. with a presentation entitled “A History of Scientists and Artists Working Together in Acadia” by Catherine Schmitt, an environmental scientist and author.

Schmitt’s presentation is an ideal choice for the first of six 2016 Art Meets Science Cafés that will be held at the laboratory this summer because her subject reflects the theme of the MDI Biological Laboratory’s annual summer Art Meets Science exhibition, “A Fresh Field of Life: Artists, Naturalists and the Vision for Acadia.”

Schmitt will explore the role of naturalists working in region at the same time, and sometimes in partnership with, 19th century artists. The popularity of 19th century landscape paintings has been credited with stimulating interest in Mount Desert Island as a tourist destination. But the role of the early naturalists is less well known.

The exhibit will include observations by artists on nature — from Acadia’s scenery to the microscopic world of molecular biology. One of the goals is to highlight the how the two disciplines share processes of observation, discovery and experimentation, as well as the drive to communicate a deeper understanding of the natural world.

Schmitt is the author of “Historic Acadia National Park, The Stories Behind One of America’s Great Treasures” (Lyons Press), a collection of true stories about the history of the park that was released this spring. Copies of her book will be available for sale at the event.

The Art Meets Science Cafés will be held every other Monday from June 20 to Sept. 19 (see mdibl.org/events for dates and topics) in the Kinne Library at the MDI Biological Laboratory. The Art Meets Science exhibit will open at 4:15 p.m. on the day of Schmitt’s presentation and will be available for viewing at 4:15 p.m. at all future cafés.

The MDI Art Meets Science Cafés are offered by the MDI Biological Laboratory in fulfillment of its mission to increase public engagement with science. The Art Meets Science Cafés and the Art Meets Science exhibit are free and open to the public.

The MDI Biological Laboratory, located in Bar Harbor, Maine, is an independent, non-profit biomedical research institution focused on increasing healthy lifespan and increasing our natural ability to repair and regenerate tissues damaged by injury or disease. The institution develops solutions to complex human health problems through research, education and ventures that transform discoveries into cures. For more information, please visit mdibl.org.