'OUR BODY' open to artists
FROM STAFF REPORTS Gulf Breeze News news@gulfbreezenews.com

Appropriate for all ages, OUR BODY: The Universe Within begins with the history of anatomy and the major breakthroughs that have enhanced the development of medicine, and consequently, improved quality of life for mankind.

In the tradition of Leonardo da Vinci and Thomas Eakins, the Gulf Coast Exploreum Science Center and Mobile Arts Council are proud to sponsor a program where art and science come together. Artists' Evenings is a special event designed to promote science literacy through artistic expression and community involvement. During Artists' Evenings, participants will have access to the human anatomy exhibit OUR BODY: The Universe Within to sketch the human body from a new perspective.

Artists' Evenings will be held March 28 and 29, from 6 to 9 p.m. Admission is free to participants who register in advance. To reserve a space, please con- tact the Exploreum at 251-208- 6851 or e-mail kdreaper@exploreum.com. Artists should bring their own supplies including boards and/or easels for drawing. Chairs will be provided by the Exploreum.

The exhibit will continue to be open to the public; tickets will be available to purchase on a walk-in basis at the Box Office. Space is limited, so be sure to arrive early.

To complement the exhibit, Percipio, a collection of colorful, striking images produced by scientists at the University of South Alabama College of Medicine, is on display in the atrium of the Exploreum. Percipio, a Latin term meaning to learn through the senses, is the cornerstone of the Art in Science program at USA COM that seeks to educate the community about science through the universal language of art.

Images in the collection were created during hypothesis-driven research as a result of adding fluorescent dyes to cell material. Various dyes are attracted to different parts of cells depending on distinct characteristics of specific cell parts. The images were captured using 40x microscopy with filters that allow color variations to be seen and recorded. Titles for the images are based upon a visual impression each image suggests.

The framed artwork, on display through May 11, is available for purchase with proceeds going directly to the USA Center for Lung Biology and the College of Medicine to fund research. For more information about the Art in Science program, contact Charlene Jordan at 251-460-7086 or cjordan@jaguar1.usouthal.edu.

OUR BODY: The Universe Within is an awe-inspiring, educational exhibit comprised of 12 whole-body specimens and 75 anatomical

displays that

have been preserved through polymer impregnation.