"The face of the water, in time, became a wonderful book - a book that was a dead language to the uneducated passenger, but which told its mind to me without reserve, delivering its most cherished secrets as clearly as if it uttered them with a voice. And it was not a book to be read once and thrown aside, for it had a new story to tell every day." - Mark Twain a.k.a. Samuel Langhorne Clemens (1835-1910)
Nature's Nexus is excited to offer an exceptional story on Earth's most abundant element: water. Creative artist and storyteller, Martin Waugh, shares with us his curiosity and passion for fluids in motion. By combining science and high speed photography, he reveals the character of liquid water drop by drop. Martin calls his droplets captured mid-splash Liquid Sculpture® images.
Nature's Nexus: So Martin, exactly how do you create a Liquid Sculpture image? Martin Waugh: I orchestrate these sculptures by accurately aiming the drops and releasing them with precise timing. As nature takes its course, I photograph the unfolding forms using a digital camera and electronic flash. I instigate the shapes by varying the drops' trajectories and manipulating their physical properties-color, viscosity, and surface tension-with dye, glycerin, and soap. Nature's Nexus: What personally inspired you to pursue this subject for photography? Is there a story that brought you to this field?
Martin Waugh: Originally, it was having seen drop and splash images in physics classes many years ago. About seven years ago I thought that I’d give it a go just for fun. I had a digital camera with flash, so I went about playing with it. But the real inspiration was luck: one night I happened to capture an image that just didn’t make sense – a splash with a flat top. When I realized that it was caused by a second drop landing on top of the first drop, my imagination was piqued. “How can I make this happen on purpose?” It opened up a whole new world for experimentation and creativity. There are so many possible variations to try. Driven by the vicious cycle of serendipity and curiosity, I keep finding new things to explore. Nature's Nexus: It would seem that only so much of the process can be controlled by the artist; making some factors-like gravity-chaotic. Can you tell us how much time and science is involved in capturing these droplets? Martin Waugh: I have spent several hundreds of hours in the science/engineering side of this endeavor. Part of it is developing the equipment for doing the timing and control, part of it developing devices to create the sculptures. In the end, the photography is the easier part of what I do–wrangling the liquids is the hard part. And, as you suggest, there is only so much I can do to control the liquids. I call them willfully non-linear (which is to say, chaotic.) However without the inherent uncontrollability, there would be little surprise and the attendant joy. Nature's Nexus: On your website liquidsculpture.com you state, "Fluids in motion fascinate my senses. I feel their smooth and effortless curves: structures reflecting a perfect balance of dynamic forces. They tickle some faint physical memory, like a scent evoking a forgotten mix of feelings." Many of our members are aromatherapists, natural perfumers, and soapmakers who also create for the purpose of delighting the senses. Although our mediums are somewhat different, an emotional response is often the aim of our creations. Could you share an example or experience eliciting an emotion response with your work? Martin Waugh: I think some of the sculptures have a contagious energy about them; a joy that spreads upwards and outwards. Others are subtler and introspectively lonely. One that sticks in my mind is an early one that I called “Parent and Child” – it resonates with my experience of being a parent. To me it is speaks about just being with my children.
Nature's Nexus: Where can we see your work? Do you have any current or future exhibitions planned? Martin Waugh: Currently through mid August, there is a showing with Doc Edgerton's Work. I'm a co-exhibitor in "Stopping Time: The Art and Science of Harold "Doc" Edgerton's Life Work" at the Coe Gallery in the Hickory Museum of Art, Hickory, North Carolina. My next exhibition will be starting August 21 at The Arts Alliance Center in Clear Lake near Houston, TX. It is a themed exhibit called “Water”.
If you can't make it to the exhibitions, you can view and purchase your own Liquid Sculpture image at the artist's homepage: http://www.liquidsculpture.com
Martin's work can be found in corporate and private art collections, as well as certain ad campaigns for Smirnoff brand adult beverages!
Martin received his B.S. degree in Physics from Lewis and Clark College in Oregon and currently lives in Portland. He has kayaked many of the gorgeous white water rivers the region has to offer.
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Interview with Martin Waugh Wednesday, 25 June 2008 "The face of the water, in time, became a wonderful book - a book that was a dead language to the uneducated passenger, but which told its mind to me
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