In Honor of Carl Sagan
I read on Bad Astronomy, as well as on BoingBoing, with a link to Nick Sagan's blog, that December 20th is the tenth anniversary of the death of Carl Sagan. Carl Sagan was the man who made science fun, accessible... and sexy, because he was fun, accessible and (again, I say) sexy.
In his honor and memory, bloggers are being asked to post something about Sagan and how his ideas, writings and character influenced them. it's called the Carl Sagan Blog-o-thon.
In addition to his well-known, and often quoted, TV series, Cosmos, Sagan was the author of many books. They weren't just science books filled with dry facts and figures and recitations of past glories. Nope, his writings were about how each and every one of us could think, and speak, and use scientific ideas and thoughts easily, simply, as part of our lives. His words were inspiring and lofty and practical. Science was important, and vital and active and useful in our every day lives. And science was what would bring us new aspirations, ambitions and glory!
So in honor of the active, living memory of Carl Sagan, I'm re-posting three of the works I made based on Sagan's writings in Pale Blue Dot. 'I have lots other work and ideas in progress based on Sagan's writings and ideas, which, unfortunately, are not ready for posting at this time.
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COMMENTS: The words of Carl Sagan -- the man who believed travel to other worlds is possible -- made me think of other difficult stages of exploration: crossing out of Africa, crossing the Atlantic, crossing the northern hemisphere by Lewis and Clark, and crossing the atmosphere into the space age. I was going for a kind of glazed paint effect, like something out of the Les Très Riches Heures or other medieval illuminated manuscripts. I hope we will eventually make it across the oceans of space.
UPDATE: This Work was SOLD at Boskone, February 2007
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COMMENTS: Carl Sagan said and did things that made space travel seem not only possible, but inevitable. The company I travel in at science fiction conventions are full of people -- scientists, writers, artists, ordinary folk -- who believe that (including me).
UPDATE: This Work was SOLD at Arisia, January 2007
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COMMENTS: I have read, or been told, that the time it took for Columbus to sail his three ships across the Atlantic Ocean to the Western Hemisphere (using the most modern technology and information available at the time) was ten weeks. It seems that with our current technology and information, we could reach Mars in the same period of time. Granted, we'd have to bring a lot more of the necessary supplies with us (food and fresh water), but it's still possible. As Sagan says, the vast ocean of space is no more impassable than the Atlantic (or the Pacific). Isn't it about time we as humans lived up to his enthusiams and ideals, and searched for new challenges and frontiers?
Technorati Tags: Carl Sagan Blog-a-thon, Columbus, Pale Blue Dot, Nick Sagan, Bad Astronomy, BoingBoing, Sagan art,
Comments
I think this might be something you want to take a look at... Pale Blue Dot episode one!
http://kasranov.blogspot.com
Posted by: reader | July 10, 2007 3:35 AM
You are so right! I have recently become interested in Carl Sagan this summer, and the sexy scientist is helping to slowly expand my view of the world.
I just recently wrote a blog about him. Are you still accepting entries for the Sagan blog-a-thon?
I too am an artist and I am pleased to see how lovely your works are, and how you have been able to take his message and visualize it.
Posted by: lubinka114 | July 8, 2008 10:45 PM