Crossing between the realms of chemistry and creativity, Dr. Patricia Hill, professor emeritus of chemistry, has explored the science of art and artist’s materials with students and educators on high school and university levels. In conjunction with SUU’s Department of Art and Design. Dr. Hill offers a unique series of hands-on workshops in November 2015 and January and February of 2016 in which participants discover for themselves the chemistry behind the materials they use to create art.
The first workshop, “Metal Working and Patinas,” is scheduled for 9 a.m. until noon Saturday, Nov. 21, in SUU’s Sculpture Studio, room LEC 105b in the Leadership Engagement Center Building. Parking is free on Saturdays, and there is ample parking in the lots surrounding the building. All workshops will take place on Saturday mornings in the SUU sculpture studio or chemistry lab.
The topics for additional workshops include etching metals for jewelry on January 16, anodizing reactive metals on January 30, electroplating and electroforming metals on February 13, and enameling on February 20.
Dr. Hill, the daughter of a microbiologist and an art teacher, grew up loving both science and art. She successfully combined these diverse interests during her 28-year career as a university chemistry professor by developing and teaching a course to hundreds of undergraduates on the chemistry of art and artists’ materials. During her career, she also served as a Principal Investigator on three large National Science Foundation grants. These grants funded 19-week workshops and numerous shorter ones for university, high school, and elementary faculty members on how to integrate chemistry and art in their teaching. She also has worked during sabbatical leaves in the art conservation laboratories at both the Smithsonian Institution in Washington D.C. and at the Arizona State Museum at the University of Arizona in Tucson. Dr. Hill and her husband have retired and recently moved from Pennsylvania to Cedar City.
The sessions are limited to 20 participants, and the fee is $10 ($5 for students) to cover the cost of materials. If a participant registers for all five workshops, the cost is $40.
To register or for additional information, call (717) 413-8839 or email pat.hill@millersville.edu. Space is limited. Registration for the first session is required by Nov. 13.
