Join artists Rebecca Marino and Bethany Johnson for a conversation centering around the research and inspiration behind their current artworks. Marino and Johnson’s works — currently on display in “Staycation 2” at MASS Gallery — are generated out of an interest in the sciences, and represent a distillation of learning about various scientific technologies, current events, and theoretical concepts.

In this pair of talks, Marino and Johnson will share interesting factual information from their research, as well as open up conversation around a learning-intensive, curiosity-driven artist practice.

Johnson will be discussing her research into the astronomical pursuits of the McDonald Observatory, and the observatory’s interaction and outreach within the oil and gas industry in the neighboring Permian Basin. Marino will present on the history of experimentation in physics and the various ways we can apply these larger concepts such as energy, matter, and motion to our smaller domestic settings.