VERDANCY -Photomicrograph of crystalline tartaric acid (found in wine) -NEW!
View from the Vashon Studio/Lab
Summer has arrived here on Vashon Island, and the long days of the northern latitudes have left plenty of time for exploring. I recently took a short break to travel across Washington State, beginning in the sagebrush country of the eastern high desert and ending among the magnificent rain forests and wild Pacific beaches of the Olympic Peninsula.
The diversity of landscapes was remarkable, and, as always, I returned to the studio inspired to see what might emerge beneath the microscope. The landscapes of eastern Washington were certainly fresh in my mind when the crystals assembled into the canyon-like forms of "Notes from the Canyon."
You'll find "Notes from the Canyon" in this month's newsletter plus another new piece "Verdancy", both created from tartaric acid crystals—better known as the "wine diamonds." Wine diamonds often grow on the corks of wine bottles as the wine ages. While these crystals naturally grow on corks and inside bottles, persuading them to grow on a glass microscope slide in just the right way proved to be a much greater challenge. Fortunately, the effort was rewarded with these two very different crystalline landscapes.
I'm also continuing work on my upcoming book, reflecting on my journey through both art and science and the unexpected path that led me from research scientist to artist. It's been enjoyable revisiting some of those experiences and considering the lessons they've taught me along the way.
— Lee
Vashon Island · June 2026
Looking for Something Specific?
One of the pleasures of working directly from my Vashon studio is helping collectors find artwork that fits a particular space or color palette. If you're looking for something for your home or office and don't see exactly what you're after, feel free to get in touch. I may have just the piece in just the right size and will be happy to work with you to explore the options.
NOTES FROM THE CANYON -Photomicrograph of crystalline tartaric acid (found in wine) -NEW!
ART AND SCIENCE: Painting for his Life
Although he had become a well-known painter in the Netherlands by the 1930s, Han van Meegeren had more than his share of critics who didn't think much of his talent. One wrote that Van Meegeren was "a gifted technician who has made a sort of composite facsimile of the Renaissance school. He has every virtue except originality."
Clearly stung by their rebukes, Van Meegeren hatched a plan to prove his skills. He would forge paintings in the style of the masters of the Dutch Golden Age. Then, when the critics accepted the works as genuine, he would have proved his talent.
Making his copies look truly 300 years old was his biggest challenge.
He began by purchasing a 17th-century painting and removing most of the original paint. He then mixed his own pigments using ingredients and formulas employed by the old masters. His greatest obstacle was that traditional oil paint takes decades to harden. It took him four years of experimentation to solve that problem. By adding a synthetic resin called Bakelite (phenol formaldehyde) to his pigments and then heating the painting to 120°C, he produced the appearance of centuries of aging in a fraction of the time.
As a final touch, he rolled a cylinder across the painting to create realistic cracks, then washed the surface with India ink to darken them. His "Old Master" was complete.
The results were impressive. Leading experts of the day accepted the paintings as authentic. In 1937, Van Meegeren's "Christ and the Disciples at Emmaus" was declared a long-lost work by Johannes Vermeer. Van Meegeren had finally begun generating significant income from his art with one of his forgeries selling in 1942 for 1.6 million Dutch guilders, making it one of the most expensive paintings ever sold.
"Christ and the Disciples at Emmaus" by Han van Meegeren
Living in relative luxury in Amsterdam during the Nazi occupation, Van Meegeren continued producing and selling forgeries between 1941 and 1943. He even sold one of his fake Vermeers, "Christ and the Adulteress", to Nazi Field Marshal Hermann Göring.
If that sounds risky, it was.
In 1945, Captain Harry Anderson discovered Göring's personal art collection hidden in a salt mine in Austria. Among the paintings was "Christ and the Adulteress", along with information that led investigators directly back to Van Meegeren.
Charged with collaborating with the enemy for selling an authentic Vermeer to Hermann Göring, Van Meegeren was arrested and imprisoned. Collaboration was punishable by death.
It took Van Meegeren about two weeks to decide that his best defense was to admit he had painted the Vermeer himself. A conviction for art forgery would likely mean only a few years in prison.
Unfortunately, no one believed him. He had to prove it.
To establish his innocence of selling a Dutch national treasure, the court detained Van Meegeren for several months at the headquarters of the Military Command in Amsterdam. In what must be one of history's most unusual trials, Van Meegeren—the defendant—worked diligently to prove he was guilty. Every step of his process was observed by reporters and court-appointed witnesses.
The result, "Jesus Amongst the Doctors", would become his final Vermeer forgery.
He was literally painting for his life.
Fortunately for Van Meegeren, the painting convinced the court that he had also painted Göring's "Vermeer." The collaboration charge was dropped, and he was instead sentenced to one year in prison for forgery.
Ironically, during the trial he became something of a folk hero to many Dutch citizens for having so thoroughly deceived the Nazis. Unfortunately, Van Meegeren never had the chance to enjoy his newfound fame. He died of a heart attack only a few weeks into his sentence.
His story brings to mind the timeless words of Sir Walter Scott:
"Oh, what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive."
What I'm Working On:
Alongside new crystal photographs, I'm continuing work on a book exploring the surprising intersections of art, science, curiosity, and discovery. I'll share occasional previews here as the project takes shape.
