CHAROSCURO -Photomicrograph of crystalline resveratrol found in wine. -NEW!
NOTES FROM THE VASHON STUDIO/LAB:
Here on the shores of Puget Sound, summer is slowly unfolding. June’s erratic skies are giving way to the steady warmth of July, and with it, the shore is alive—porpoises gliding past, seabirds circling, the tide in constant conversation. It’s a place of natural transition, and that seems fitting, because there’s a big change to share.
After a decade of participating in the Arizona Fine Art Expo, I’ve decided to close that chapter. Due to recent policy shifts at the Expo that no longer align with my core values, I’ve stepped away—leaving behind two Phoenix storage units filled with exhibition materials and one very full chapter of my life.
But when one door closes, another opens. I’ll now be working full-time from my Vashon Island studio, dedicating myself to creating new crystal photographs and exploring innovative ways to connect with you—online, directly, and more meaningfully than ever. Stay tuned: a whole new Photography of Crystals is in the works.
Cheers,
Lee
Vashon Island — July 2025
"Train yourself to see the awe behind the obvious." -Rick Rubin
WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS:
Leave a Review • Earn Rewards • Support a Cause: Without a doubt, you are the greatest ambassadors of my work—collectors, art lovers, and fellow explorers of the crystalline beauty under the microscope. You’ve helped bring this artwork to homes and offices around the world, and now there’s an easy way to continue that journey.
If you’ve purchased a piece from the Photography of Crystals collection, please consider leaving a review. Just click the button below (or visit the artwork page on my website) to leave a star rating, write a few words, or even upload a photo of how the piece looks in your space.
As a thank you, you’ll receive a 10% off coupon for your next order.
Even better, For each review I’ll make a donation to Fotokids, a nonprofit that empowers young people through photography and education.
That’s a triple win in my book.
WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS:
Leave a Review • Earn Rewards • Support a Cause: Without a doubt, you are the greatest ambassadors of my work—collectors, art lovers, and fellow explorers of the crystalline beauty under the microscope. You’ve helped bring this artwork to homes and offices around the world, and now there’s an easy way to continue that journey.
If you’ve purchased a piece from the Photography of Crystals collection, please consider leaving a review. Just click the button below (or visit the artwork page on my website) to leave a star rating, write a few words, or even upload a photo of how the piece looks in your space.
As a thank you, you’ll receive a 10% off coupon for your next order.
Even better, For each review I’ll make a donation to Fotokids, a nonprofit that empowers young people through photography and education.
That’s a triple win in my book.
SMALL WONDER -Photomicrograph of crystalline THCA found in Cannabis. -NEW!
"Nature is painting for us, day after day, pictures of infinite beauty." -John Ruskin
ART AND SCIENCE:
Raphael, AI, and I
It's hard to avoid it, it seems to be everywhere, AI that is. The ability of computers to analyze, find and learn from patterns in large amounts of data has found application throughout our lives.
In the art world there is plenty of legitimate concern over the "originality" of AI generated art and copyright infringement of existing work, its use as a tool to assist in answering questions as to the provenance of existing artwork has proven useful.
A team of researchers from the UK and US recently developed a customized AI algorithm to determine if a painting, Madonna della Rosa, thought to be the work of the Renaissance painter and architect Raphael, was indeed by his hand. The painting in question, done on canvas, was thought to have been painted around 1518-1520, but as early as the mid-19th century critics were questioning whether the work was by the master.
AI enters the picture, figuratively and literally, when the researchers used "deep feature analysis" of paintings authenticated as Raphael's to teach the computer to recognize his brushstrokes, color and shading on a microscopic scale; details that would escape the human eye.
Their custom AI neural network was turned loose on Madonna della Rosa and the results were a resounding "yes." And "no." It seems that while most of the painting appears to be Raphael's work, Saint Joseph, seen in the top left of the painting was most likely not painted by him. One of Raphael's pupils, Giulio Romano is a likely suspect, but that is purely conjecture.
AI technology is just one of the variety of modern analytical tools, including x-ray diffraction, infrared spectroscopy, and advanced 3-D rendering that can be utilized to help determine a painting's provenance. Of course, science deals with probabilities and different AI algorithms have been shown to disagree as to the provenance of the same artwork.
I began to wonder what ChatGPT would say about this Science and Art installment which I wrote. So I asked it "Was Raphael, AI, and I written by a human or AI?" Chat's verdict, that the document "...could plausibly have been written by a human," is only moderately reassuring.
LOOKING AHEAD
While I’ll miss seeing many of you in person at art shows, this shift allows for deeper focus and more creativity. You’ll continue to see regular updates in this newsletter, on my Instagram and Facebook pages, and of course on the website.
If you’ve ever thought about adding another piece—or introducing someone else to this unique intersection of art and science—now is a perfect time. Your support is what keeps this journey going.
Thanks as always for being part of it.
—Lee
