Evolving Virus
‘Evolving Virus’ paintings – a theme that has been with me for many years and being back in Australia with time in my studio (I have to say it is like having a arts residency since I been overseas for a couple of years) is great to visit these works again.
“You are still working on them.. !!” my son asked as he featured in the initial series in which the paintings were created for an installation and more importantly led to my PhD at the National Centre for the Public Awareness of Science (ANU). I remember asking my potential supervisor at that time, Professor Susan M. Stocklmayer AO, if I could combine arts and science for my research and luckily she said “yes” and became my supervisor. These works have undergone a few changes since then and it is great to be looking at them with fresh eyes.

‘Virus’ installation images 2008 by Eleanor Gates-Stuart (Left: Painting, Middle: Video Projection including Kane Stuart, Right: Video Projection including York Stuart)
It is not that I ever forgot them but my research took some interesting directions, such as FingerCodes, StellrScope, Under the Surface and more recently Orchids. Even though I love being in the science labs I have to confess that I enjoy getting my fingers in the paint as well. You never know.. maybe I can ‘paint’ with biological material soon.
‘Home Grown’ sketch – having fun with ideas.
TEDxCanberra
Brilliant day presenting at TEDxCanberra
Amazing series of presenters and excellent event
Photograph of Eleanor by Ian Barndt
A big “Thank you” to TEDxCanberra and all the wonderful volunteers
Snapshot CV: Eleanor Gates-Stuart
Updating a few things…. See Menu CV
Lab coat makes Catwalk – FashFest
Working on the ‘Scientist’ theme for FASHFEST has certainly thrown a different perspective on the research I normally undertake in my science art focus and one that is truly exciting. Seeing images take on a new aesthetic in the form of fabric design and applied to the FASHFEST scientist theme for swimwear is an interesting direction.
Admittedly the lab coats have crept into the spotlight and to be honest an image I have not attached to my work before given it is usually the science itself I have been focused on. However, seeing the fun that the public has in wearing the lab coats and taking on the persona of scientist in the learning environment at CSIRO Discovery Centre captured my attention.
Although the lab coats only have a few seconds appearance as the science inspired fabric prints and swimsuits are the main feature, I am already thinking about the potential of them in future concepts. Collaborators are most welcome.
Eleanor Gates-Stuart

Accessorising the SciArtFashfest
Poster, Prints and Paper @ ASC 2014
Exhibiting a poster at ASC 2014 and showing artworks in the Science Art Exhibition. Also presentation of our research paper, ‘Visualising Insects: An Exploration in Science and Art’ , co-authored with Dr Chuong Nguyen at Computational Informatics, CSIRO.
Visit StellrScope
Art and Science as Creative Catalysts
StellrScope @ CSIRO
Paper presented at IEEE VIS 2013, Atlanta, US
Paper available at this link: http://visap2013.sista.arizona.edu/papers/Stuart_CreativeCatalysts.pdf
Abstract:
People tend to judge the benefits of Science Art collaborations by their tangible outputs, such as artworks, visualisations and other artefacts generally accessible to a wide audience. We argue that the process by which these artworks were created can be a significant, or even the principal benefit of these collaborations, even though it might be largely invisible to anyone other than the collaborators. We describe our experience of Art and Science as mutual catalysts for creativity and imagination within the context of a large multidisciplinary research organisation (The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation—CSIRO) and a major national exhibition—The Centenary of Canberra Science Art Commission. We have formed a view that Science and Art often pursue orthogonal dimensions of creativity and innovation, and that with the right approach and attitude, collaborators can combine these dimensions to access new areas of imagination and ideas. We discuss some of the challenges we have experienced in pursuing this aim, but conclude that the rewards to Art and Science—and the benefits they deliver to society—are well worth it.
Eleanor Gates-Stuart, Matthew Morell, David Lovell, Chuong Nguyen, Matt Adcock, Jay Bradley
StellrScope Banner Poll
StellrScope Exhibition Banners – Please take the poll and help choose which banner
Link: http://stellrscope.com/2013/07/25/stellrscope-exhibition-banners/
Hot Seeds
Hot Seeds
A Series of Artworks Celebrating the Centenary of Canberra,
Science Art Commission Residency, StellrScope, at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation
6 August – 15 September, 2013
Open: Mon – Fri 9.00 am – 5.00 pm Weekends 11 am – 3 pm
Venue: CSIRO Discovery Centre
North Science Road, Acton ACT 2601
StellrScope by Eleanor Gates-Stuart
Celebrating a Century of Wheat Innovation in Australia from the days of William Farrer to CSIRO Research today
5 August – 1 September, 2013
Open daily between 9.00 am and 5.00 pm
Venue: Gallery 5, Questacon – The National Science and Technology Centre
King Edward Terrace Canberra, ACT 2604 Australia
Admission to StellrScope at Questacon is free (conditions apply, see www.questacon.edu.au for information
Titanium Insects
Titanium Insects produced @ CSIRO Titanium Technologies are on Exhibition at:
Craft ACT: Craft and Design Centre Gallery: Embracing Innovation Volume 3
Thursday, 18 July to Saturday, 24 August 2013
The development of Excellence in Research Australia (ERA) has seen changes take place within the Creative Arts in Australian tertiary institutions. Primary practice-based and practice-led research has been incorporated into universities research recognition and funding frameworks. Concurrently, craft practitioners and designer makers are embracing digital technologies, research and design thinking, with innovation and advances in these areas changing the way they engage, design and create.
In response, Craft ACT: Craft and Design Centre presents, Embracing Innovation Volume 3, an exhibition showcasing innovation in the creative arts, with a particular focus on craft and design. The exhibition showcases makers who are exploring these new areas of practice.
via Exhibitions at Craft ACT: Craft and Design Centre.

Longhorn. Titanium Insect by Eleanor Gates-Stuart in collaboration with Chuong Nguyen & Sherry Mayo, CSIRO
Beetles:
Christmas Beetle, Scientific name: Anoplognathus (blue anodised titanium)
Wheat Weevil, Scientific Name: Sitophilus granarius (yellow anodised titanium)
Broad-nosed Weevil, Scientific Name: Gagatophorus sp. (titanium – no colour)
Jewel Beetlel, Scientific Name: Buprestidae (titanium – no colour)
More information can be following on these links:
Seeding the Plant
3D ‘Beautiful Mutant’ and ‘twoxseeds’ are part of the new virtual crop series being produced for StellrScope. This image includes the wheatear ‘point cloud’ as part of the visualisation process leading the object into other artworks.
Vizbi @ Vivid
Connect With Science at Vivid Sydney
30 May 2013, 7:00pm – Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney
Photo: (Weevil – Titanium Insect by Eleanor Gates-Stuart in collaboration with Chuong Nguyen, CSIRO)
Scientists and creative practitioners have more ways, and more reasons, to collaborate than ever before. Discover how the tools of cinematography, storyboarding, graphic design, and sound engineering are increasingly being used to communicate modern, complex science. This is opening up a whole new arena for creatives with an interest in science, and for creative scientists alike.
This event features live presentations from two world-leading biomedical animators and science communicators: Graham Johnson from the UCSF (USA) and Drew Berry – winner of a MacArthur Fellowship, a BAFTA and an Emmy award – from the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute in Melbourne.
Following the talks, you will have a chance to network over a mixer in the adjacent MCA Lounge. There will also be an opportunity for a limited number of participants to briefly introduce their work to the audience. If your work bridges art, creativity, and science, and you wish to take advantage of this opportunity, please send short description of your work (one paragraph and one PNG image) by 23rd May, 5 PM EST, to vizbiplus@vizbi.org after you have registered for this event.
This event is presented by ‘VIZBI+ Visualising the Future of Biomedicine’, a new project funded by theInspiring Australia government initiative, the Garvan Institute of Medical Research, the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute for Medical Research (WEHI), and CSIRO.
Kinect’ing the Dots
PlantSeedMan Installation Development Research for StellrScope Science Art Commission Project – see post
Video composition using 3D kinect body scanning by Chuong Nguyen – PlantSeedMan Video and Artwork by Eleanor Gates-Stuart
3D Wheat Section
Wheatear CT Scan extracted as a mesh file and reconstructed in Maya. Part of StellrScope research for the Centenary of Canberra Science Art Commission.
CT scan by Research Scientist, Dr Sherry Mayo (CSIRO)
Image shown – Low res’ image with watermark. High res’ image available – contact Eleanor
InterVisible: Visions from the Intersection of Science and Art
Poster by Eleanor Gates-Stuart, Chuong Nguyen and David Lovell
CSIRO Computational and Simulation Sciences and eResearch Annual Conference and Workshops, 2013
InterVisible: Visions from the Intersection of Science and Art
Abstract: “Usually, scientific images are conversations stoppers; Science art is a conversation starter” – Dr Matthew Morell, CSIRO Food Futures Flagship. This work highlights the complementarity of Science and Art. Our recent experiences have shown that Art can take Science to places and audiences that it could not otherwise reach. We believe that through, and with Art, CSIRO and other research organisations can engage a much broader audience and, in doing so, increase the impact of Science.
National Library of Australia – Architectural Projections

Enlighten 2013: Architectural Projections at the National Library of Australia by Eleanor Gates-Stuart
National Library of Australia – Sketches & Projection Photographs
Referencing the library’s collection of Australian board games in juxtaposition with historical artefacts to explore Australia’s history.
The Federation Game
The Federation Game was published for Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia by the Australian Government Publishing Service (1987) and is an interesting use of the snakes and ladders theme. I have used these references in re-sketching the board and aligning these references on the building
Race to the Gold Diggings of Australia Game
Game based on the Voyage to the Gold Diggings of Australia based on travelling the seas. I have playfully juxtaposed objects, altered visual perspective, rearranged numbers and direction of timelines to create a larger than life surreal viewpoint.
BUGS: Canberra is Enlightened by Chris Kimble
BUGS: Canberra is Enlightened by Chris Kimble, ABC 7.30 Report
Canberra is Enlightened
Posted Fri Mar 1, 2013 7:56pm AEDT
Canberra’s public buildings have become canvasses for art – it’s Enlightened.
Source: ABC 7.30 ACT
Duration: 4min 34sec
The report features previous Enlighten Architectural Projections as this is a preview to the Enlighten 2013
Sneak Peak ENLIGHTEN 2013
ENLIGHTEN: A sneak peek at one of the architectural projections starting tonight in Canberra.
It has been an amazing experience to make the concepts become real and to see the buildings transform with the artworks. Wow… large scale and in 3D .. amazing.
Electric Canvas are brilliant to work with and have created an excellent showcase for Enlighten 2013. The above image shows Questacon actually lit up (centre image) whilst the other smaller images are my concept sketches. I hope to publish these here soon once the Enlighten Program is well on its way. The National attraction buildings that have my artwork: the National Library of Australia, Questacon and the Museum of Australian Democracy (Old Parliament).
With thanks:
CSIRO, The Australian National Insect Collection, Electric Canvas, Enlighten 2013, The Enlighten Venues (NLA, MOAD, Questacon, NPG), The Centenary of Canberra 2013, ABC
Link: FEATURED ON ABC 7.30 REPORT ACT
Night Bugs
Night Bugs.. ENLIGHTEN 2013
Here is a clue to what is happening at Questacon during Enlighten 1-9 March. Who let the bugs out!!!
Check out the event and program : ENLIGHTEN
ENLIGHTEN 2013 – Architectural Projections
Selected as one of the five artists for Enlighten 2013 – Architectural Projections in Canberra. I created the above image as a sneak peek poster for my visual snippets. Looking forward to working with the artistic team, host organisations, Curator Gemma Pepper and the Electric Canvas.