LIGHT FANTASTIC -Photomicrograph of crystalline THCA found in Cannabis. -NEW!
View from the Vashon Studio/Lab:
Fall has fully settled here on Vashon Island. The skies are filled with migrating birds, the streams with returning salmon, and the shoreline with curious seals. The days are growing shorter, but the studio is busy with activity—and anticipation for the season ahead.
I'm currently preparing for one of my favorite annual events: the VIVA Holiday Studio Tour, happening December 6–7 and 13–14, from 10–4 pm. Over 40 studios will be open to the public, showcasing the incredible depth of creativity on the island. You’ll find me in the same location as last year and this past spring—downtown Vashon, right next to the VIVA Info Center at 17816 Vashon Hwy SW.
Alongside prepping new prints, I’ve been working on a few behind-the-scenes projects—including a new time-lapse video of Vitamin C crystals forming under the microscope. You’ll find a short clip included in this newsletter—I’d love to know what you think!
This month’s featured artwork includes tartaric acid crystals from wine and two new pieces grown from cannabis compounds—each one a fleeting, colorful window into the microscopic world.
Hope to see you on the Tour!
Cheers,
Lee
Vashon Island — October 2025
ENCORE -Photomicrograph of crystalline THCA found in Cannabis. -NEW!
It's Crystal Clear: Holiday Gifts Are Here!
This holiday season, surprise someone with the hidden beauty of crystals. Whether it’s crystals grown from wine, chocolate, or cannabis — each piece tells a story in pattern, light, and transformation.
If you’ve been thinking about sharing the magic of Photography of Crystals, now is the perfect time.
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Choose from a wide assortment of limited-edition fine art prints
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Gift certificates now available!
- Order by December 10 to assure delivery in time for Christmas
A NEW LEAF -Photomicrograph of crystalline tartaric acid found in wine. -NEW!
ART AND SCIENCE: Colorfully Confused
Artists study color theory to understand how hues interact and how visual effects emerge from complementary and contrasting combinations. But like beauty, color lives in the eye of the beholder—and sometimes that eye is very, very confused.
Reproducing color accurately and perceiving it consistently is far from simple. For one thing, over 8% of the male population has some form of color blindness. And for all of us, perception is shaped by our ever-shifting surroundings—light, context, and even mood. To make sense of it all, the brain makes assumptions and then makes the most logical prediction. It guesses.
And sometimes, it guesses wrong.
Take the case of Cecelia Bleasdale, who inadvertently sparked one of the most bizarre internet debates of the 21st century. She sent a photo of the dress she planned to wear to her daughter Grace’s wedding. “It’s blue and black,” she said. But Grace didn’t see it that way. To her, the dress was clearly white and gold. Grace, confused and maybe a bit alarmed, posted the photo to Facebook for a second opinion.
"The Dress"
That didn’t help as some of her friends saw white and gold, others saw blue and black. The image spread to other platforms, and “The Dress” went viral, racking up 4.4 million tweets in 24 hours. Celebrities weighed in. Taylor Swift saw blue and black, Kim Kardashian insisted it was white and gold, and Lady Gaga? “Periwinkle and sand.” (Not helpful, Gaga.)
But when celebrities disagree, we turn to science.
Vision researchers explained that our brains interpret color based on both the reflected light from an object and our assumptions about the lighting conditions. In the case of Cecelia’s dress photo, the image lacked clear cues about the light source. If a viewer assumed the photo was taken in bright, yellowish light, the dress would appear blue and black. But if they believed it was taken in bluish shadow, the brain would subtract blue tones—making the dress appear white and gold.
Eventually, the dress designer confirmed: it was never made in white and gold. The debate faded. Grace got married. Kim Kardashian got divorced. And we were all reminded that the human experience—especially visual perception—isn't black and white.
“Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one.” -Albert Einstein
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