Agronomy Graduate Student Art Featured in Gallery – Wyatt Bailey

Agronomy Graduate Student, Wyatt Bailey, has two pieces of his artwork featured in the “Crosspollinating Art and Science” exhibit located in the Dean’s Gallery of Curtiss Hall (Floor 1). Wyatt became aware of this exhibit from announcements by Dior Kelley, a professor in Genetics, Development, and Cell Biology and a 2024 Entrepreneurship and Innovation Faculty Fellow. He said, “I jump at any opportunity to exhibit my artwork, as I’ve found it is one of the most rewards ways to express my artistic goals: to show the general public that agriculture is a beautiful, often misconceived science.” His two pieces include The Lay of the Land and the Exhibit’s “Most Inspired” Award Winner, A Muddy Night.

The Lay of the Land. Oil Pastel. Over the last century, the diversity of Iowa landscapes has greatly diminished. Historical aerial imagery provides a glimpse into what the lay of our land used to look like. In this piece, I let my oil pastels lead in the direction they desired, as no reference photo was used. The vibrant hues of green and yellow blend together the science of agricultural land management and art.

 

 

A Muddy Night. Mixed Media. One of the most iconic paintings in history was completed by Vincent Van Gogh. As a soil science major, the greatest cross-pollination in my mind between science and art is a rendition of The Starry Night using earthen materials. I attempt to reimagine the movement of brushstrokes with mud and the prominence of a French town with a windmill and farmstead.

 

 

 

As Wyatt reflects on this opportunity, he is extremely grateful to have been selected to showcase two art pieces in this exhibit is proud to positively represent the Department of Agronomy and CALS in any way he can. He says, “As a master’s student pursuing co-majors in Entomology and Soil Science and a 2023 graduate of the Department of Agronomy, the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Iowa State is intertwined in most aspects of my life.”

To learn more about this exhibit, click here.

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