Polarized Light Art by Austine Wood Comarow

The Artist Mrs. Comarow is a local Las Vegas artist who creates Polarized Light Art, called Polage® art, a term she coined from the phrase “polarized light collage”. This amazingly colorful artwork is made "with absolutely no pigment of any kind. Just as a prism breaks white light into a brilliant rainbow, Austine’s materials – cellulose and polarizing filters – create her palette of pure light colors. Each work starts as a drawing. Then, following the drawing, she cuts various thicknesses of clear colorless cellulose in the form of cellophane into hundreds of tiny pieces at different angles, laminating each piece between polarizing filters. To the naked eye, when the mural is viewed without a polarizing filter, it appears simply as a silhouette of a mountain range on etched glass (Fig. 01). However, when viewed with a polarizing filter, the 25 window panels reveal full-color images of hundreds of species native to this region (Fig. 02). Mountain Home is the name of her Polage installation at the Spring Mountains Visitor Gateway Center. This translucent (back-lit by natural light) Polage art work is integrated into the top set of the building’s front windows, and ranges from 24” to 30” high by 73 feet long. Each of the 25 panels are fitted inside the window mullions, spaced out from the glass much in the same way stained glass is installed. Each of the work’s 1/4” thick panels are constructed of clear acrylic cut into the actual profiles of the Spring Mountain ranges’ 20 major peaks, arranged from south to north (right to left). She then designed the collage content to include images of flora and fauna that are native to the region. When viewed through 2 differently oriented polarizing filters, or if a viewer is rotated 90 degrees, contrasting colors and images will appear, giving the impression of seasonal change.

(Fig. 01)

(Fig. 02)

(Fig. 03) There are three ways to view these panels. The center offers two ways for visitors to view the panels. Either with handheld polarized viewers (Fig. 03) or by using a couple of mountain-range shaped standing viewers (Fig. 04) found on either side of the room. Or, you can view them with your own polarized sun glasses.

(Fig. 04)

The Artist

Bio Austine Wood Comarow grew up in postwar Europe where her father directed the United Nations High Commission for Refugees, which won the Nobel Peace Prize under his leadership. Having lived abroad for many years, she speaks five languages fluently. After attending Swarthmore College, she obtained a B.A. in Russian Language and Literature at the University of Indiana, and later earned an M.F.A. in illustration from Syracuse University. At a crucial point in her artistic development, she discovered that certain transparent materials produce colors when they are illuminated with polarized light and are viewed through polarizing filters. Most of her work since then has been devoted to controlling this phenomenon and creating an entirely new artistic medium. Austine is also an accomplished painter. Known professionally as Austine, her work is held in private, corporate and museum collections worldwide. A book about her life titled “Austine Wood Comarow: Paintings in Polarized Light” by James Mann can be purchased at the visitor center.

Education: Graduate: Syracuse University, 1979-1981: Master of Fine Arts [Illustration]; Catholic University, Santiago, Chile, 1970-1973 [Studied color and printmaking with Chilean Artist Eduardo Vilches] Undergraduate: Indiana University, 1961-1964: Bachelor of Arts [Russian Language and Literature]; Swarthmore College, 1959-1961; Ecole des Beaux Arts, Geneva, Switzerland [Life Drawing] High School: Ecole Internationale, Geneva, Switzerland

Selected Exhibitions, Commissions and Collections 2013 – Middle Kyle Canyon Gateway, U.S. Forest Service, Las Vegas, NV 2012 – Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts, Montgomery, AL 2011 – Margaritaville Casino, Flamingo Hotel, Las Vegas, NV 2011 – Gillette Children’s Hospital, St Paul, MN 1997–2011 – Maui Jim Sunglasses, Peoria, IL (numerous commissions) 2009 – Lakeview Museum of Arts & Sciences, Peoria, IL 2009 – Washington Square East Galleries Small Works Exhibit, New York, NY 2007 – Lakeview Museum of Arts & Sciences, Peoria, IL 2007 – Children’s Hospital Boston, Boston, MA 2005 – Ingham Regional Medical Center Greenlawn Campus – Women and Childrens Center, Lansing, MI 2005 – Las Vegas Art Museum, Las Vegas, NV 2004 – Riverview Medical Center Foundation, Redbank, NJ 2004 – Fairview-University Medical Center, Pediatric Cardio-Vascular Radiology, Minneapolis, MN 2004 – Kaiser Permanente, San Marcos, CA 2004 – St. Joseph’s Mercy at Macomb, Clinton Township, MI 2003 – Aesthetics, San Diego, CA, October, 2003 – January, 2004 2003 – List Gallery, Swarthmore College, PA, June 2003 – NYU Washington Square Windows, NY, April 18 – June 2 2003 – Children’s Hospital Boston, Boston, MA 2002 – Philadelphia Museum of Art, show of motorized works 2002 – Celebration of the Arts, Maui, HI (Selected for Poster) 2001 – Interactive Polage for Discovery Center of Idaho, Boise, ID 2000 –NuAire Inc., Plymouth, MN 1999 – El Dorado Hotel and Casino, Reno, NV 1998 – Roxbury Latin School1998 – Materials Research Society, Warrendale, PA 1997 – Boulder Dam Federal Credit Union, Boulder City, NV 1997 – Boulder City/Hoover Dam Museum, Boulder City, NV 1996 – Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH 1996 – Great Lakes Science Center, Cleveland, OH 1995 – Burgess Junction Visitor Center, WY 1995 – Oregon Coastal Refuges Hq., Newport, OR 1994 – Technorama, Winterthur, Switzerland 1994 – Paradise Valley Medical Arts, San Diego, CA 1994 – Tijuana Estuary Visitors Center, National City, CA 1994 – Butterworth Hospital, Grand Rapids, MI 1993 – Singapore Science Center, Singapore Airport 1993 – Great Bay Research Reserve Interpretive Center, NH 1993 – San Diego Children’s Hospital, San Diego, CA 1992 – Reuben H. Fleet Science Center, San Diego, CA 1991 – Cleveland Children’s Museum, Cleveland, OH 1991 – EuroDisneyland, Paris, France 1990 – Rubbermaid Corp., Wooster, OH 1990 – Sanrio Headquarters, Ginza, Tokyo 1990 – Seiko, Puro Village, Japan 1989 – la Cite des Sciences et de l’Industrie, Paris, France 1988 – Hearst Broadcasting, WCVB, TV-5, Boston, MA 1988 – Montgomery Museum of Art, Montgomery, AL 1988 – Southern Nevada Heritage Museum, Henderson, NV 1988 – Better and Better, Inc., Sedona, AZ 1988 – Roberson Museum of Art and Science, Binghamton, NY 1987 – Boston Museum of Science, Boston, MA (Sponsored by Polaroid Corp.) 1987 – Mississippi Museum of Art, Jackson, MS 1987 – Ryder International, Arab, AL 1985 – New Mexico Museum of Natural History, Albuquerque, NM 1984 – Alexis Park Resort Hotel, Las Vegas, NV 1982 – First Interstate Bank, Farmington, NM 1981 – EPCOT Center, Kodak Pavilion and Living Seas Pavilion, Orlando, FL

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Pages Uploaded in July 2015

July 2015 Posts (by Category & Title):
UPDATED - Birds - Greater Roadrunner (Geococcyx californianus)
Bellagio Botanical Gardens - Bellagio's  Conservatory & Botanical Garden - Summer
Las Vegas Places of Interest - Sunset Park
UPDATED - Black Canyon Petroglyphs at PNWR (Summary Page)
UPDATED - Pahranagat National Wildlife Refuge
Mt. Charleston - Escarpment Trail at Spring Mountains Visitor Gateway Center
UPDATED - Mt. Charleston - Spring Mountains Visitor Gateway
Background Info - Polarized Light Art by Austine Wood Comarow

Ref - Petroglyph Interpretation

Petroglyph interpretation often evokes passionate discussion and is as varied as the number of scholars providing interpretations. Depending upon the person offering interpretation, petroglyphs can be viewed as manifestations of self-realization, art, ceremonial beliefs, maps, markers, or narratives that represent a pictorial language, their relationship to the specific environment and location where they are found can often provide clues to their meaning.

Most archaeologists believe most petroglyphs (or rock "art") were produced for ideological or aesthetic purposes, e.g. ceremonies, mythological narrative, representation of visions, artistic expression, etc., while others believe they were produced for more pragmatic purposes, to convey information by providing markers, maps, counters, labels, etc. Martineau (1973, pages 17-23) refers to some markings of this type as “locators.” For example, some have suggested that certain lines that represent a "U" or cup-shaped element are often associated or, in someway correlated, with the occurrence of modified holes or water basins--tinajas.  The sightings often were directed to easy access routes or trails to the basins. There is also some evidence that spirals may represent pathways. Petroglyphs that have been thought to serve as maps often possess long horizontal or meandering lines.

The "amphitheater" is a great semicircular bay ringed by vertical cliffs of welded volcanic tuff
which rise to 50 or 60 feet above the surface of the wash (Fig. 21). On the enclosing cliffs are
long rake designs. Heizer and Hester (1974, 23-28) propose that this topographic feature was
used as a hunting trap for large animals. Animals moving either north or south in the narrow
canyon could have been forced into this flat meadow-like area and be prevented from escaping
by a fence. Further data has come to light to support their claims. At the Calendar Fence site
(CrNV-04-300) located the Amphitheater another long rake (89 vertical lines, "fence stakes"? or
"tied sticks"?) is portrayed. This may represent some kind of barrier that was constructed or
strung across the canyon, which is quite narrow at this point, to trap game. Burkholder (1993),
however, argues that this unusual and isolated design element is a solar marker (see below).
Nearby, at the Cain site (CrNV-04-125) is a hunting scene showing a human, perhaps with a
weapon in hand, driving sheep and maybe a deer over such a barrier fence. One mountain sheep
seems airborne (Fig. 22).

 It should also be said that there are many  petroglyphs that are representational and ceremonial, the traditional view of "rock art." An article (Swartz and Hurlbutt 1994) involves both approaches and argues for integrated ceremonial interpretations at the Mount Irish area, about thirty miles south of the narrows.

Landscape Place Localities: Spatial analysis is of particular concern to the field of architecture, but can also be applied in dealing with determinative land features. Locational analysis tends to be a large scale geographic approach, but is applicable on a small scale to interpret functional interrelationships,
i.e. Taylor's (1948) conjunctive approach. What makes certain archaeological areas more than just interesting spaces in the landscape are the type and configuration of petroglyphs. It is this evidence of user interaction that transforms these spaces into what Rapoport (1975) calls places. Contextual analysis allows the interpretation of both function and space and, hence, can help define and explain the concept of place. At the site known as Shaman Hill, near Mt. Irish, about thirty miles south of White River Narrows (Fig. 23) is an area (designated as Locality 1, Fig. 24) particularly coherent and
distinctly isolated rock grouping. Entry is defined by a straight pathway leading into the enclosed
space from open ground. A break in the rocks forms an implied gateway. The passage is 22 feet
wide and could accommodate a large group of people. A secondary and smaller entry from the south funnels into an outlet nine feet in width. The size of this entry along with the curvilinear nature of its path suggests an entrance for ceremonial use. Various groupings of rock outcrops form the enclosure of the area. This sweeping horseshoe shaped arrangement clearly defines a specific space of general oval form, measuring approximately 80 by 30 feet. The enclosed surface is rather large, flat and unobstructed, capable of supporting a large gathering of people. The obvious focal point is a commanding rock formation positioned across from, and on axis with, the primary entry. The size of this formation, its positioning in the space, as well as, its positioning in the surrounding landscape,
mark it as a significant feature. At Shaman Hill there are two additional enclosed areas of very similar configuration, all abounding with petroglyphs, which conjoin a side of boulder-strewn hill also replete with petroglyphs, forming a unitary complex. In each of these enclosures there is a dominating figure (Fig 25, Loc. 1; Fig. 26, Loc. 3) that is fully visible in all parts of the enclosed space. Though less obvious, directly above these figures, on the escarpment  which a person could stand and be visible throughout the enclosed area below (Fig. 27, Loc. 1; Fig. 28, Loc. 2). It is an ideal set up as a pulpit before an assembly of some kind. Clearly from this example of contextual analysis interpret

HOW PREHISTORIC PEOPLE OF THE NORTH AMERICAN
GREAT BASIN USED PETROGLYPHS TO READ THEIR
LANDSCAPE
By B. K. Swartz, Jr.

Reference: Types of Rocks Used for Creating Petoglyphs

This page last updated on 01/07/2018

Sandstone (sometimes known as arenite) is a clastic sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed of sand-sized grains of mineral, rock or organic material. It also contains a cementing material that binds the sand grains together and may contain a matrix of silt- or clay-size particles that occupy the spaces between the sand grains. Sandstone is one of the most common types of sedimentary rock and is found in sedimentary basins throughout the world. Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any color, but the most common colors are tan, brown, yellow, red, grey, pink, white and black.

Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate (CaCO3). Most limestone is composed of skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera.Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed primarily of calcium carbonate (CaCO3) in the form of the mineral calcite. It most commonly forms in clear, warm, shallow marine waters. It is usually an organic sedimentary rock that forms from the accumulation of shell, coral, algal and fecal debris. It can also be a chemical sedimentary rock formed by the precipitation of calcium carbonate from lake or ocean water. Limestone makes up about 10% of the total volume of all sedimentary rocks.

Basalt is a common extrusive igneous (volcanic) rock formed from the rapid cooling of basaltic lava exposed at or very near the surface. Basalt is usually grey to black in color, but rapidly weathers to brown or rust-red due to oxidation of its mafic (iron-rich) minerals into rust. Although usually characterized as "dark", basaltic rocks exhibit a wide range of shading due to regional geochemical processes. A fragmental rock consisting of the smaller kinds of volcanic detritus, as ash or cinder, usually more or less stratified.

Also called volcanic tuff. Tuff (from the Italian tufo) is a type of rock consisting of consolidated volcanic ash ejected from vents during a volcanic eruption. Tuff is sometimes called tufa, particularly when used as construction material, although tufa also refers to a quite different rock. Rock that contains greater than 50% tuff is considered tuffaceous. Tuff can be classified as either sedimentary or igneous rocks. They are usually studied in the context of igneous petrology, although they are sometimes described using sedimentological terms.

Andesite is an extrusive or intrusive igneous rock that is higher in silica than basalt and lower than rhyolite or felsite. Andesite is an extrusive igneous, volcanic rock, of intermediate composition, with aphanitic to porphyritic texture. In a general sense, it is the intermediate type between basalt and dacite, and ranges from 57 to 63% silicon dioxide (SiO2) as illustrated in TAS diagrams.

Ref - Cryptobiotic Soil by Dorde W. Woodruff

This page last updated on 01/07/2018

Land and People:

Conserving the Surroundings of Rock Art

Dorde W. Woodruff

Cryptobiotic Soil

   "Now to look at arid and semi-arid lands in more detail. A peculiar characteristic of all the
world's deserts is cryptobiotic (meaning "hidden life") soil, a crust on top of the ground
composed of a mixture of cyanobacteria (formerly called blue-green algae), several different
types of algae (Flechtner et al.1998:296), fungi, lichens (which are themselves symbiotic
organisms composed of algae and fungi), mosses, and sometimes liverworts or diatoms."

   "The original name for this mixture of organisms, cryptogamic soil, is from an old botanical term
for primitive plants without flowers, cryptogam, meaning "hidden marriage" or "hidden gametes",
gametes being the reproductive parts; before microscopes the reproductive phase of these plants
was hidden from human view. Other terms used are microphytic, "small plant", and microbiotic,
"small life". There is no referee or dictator, so researchers use their favorite term."

   "Cryptobiotic soil is quite important to desert ecology, yet easily damaged. It's not easy anymore
to find a complete cover of cryptobiotic soil between the scattered shrubs, herbs, and grasses of the
desert. ..."

   "For a long time cryptobiotic soil was overlooked; study of its ecology is fairly recent. The
landmark fieldwork of Ed Kleiner and Kimball Harper in Canyonlands in 1967 and 1968 (Kleiner
and Harper 1972) demonstrated basic differences between grazed and ungrazed areas. They
compared Virginia Park, a grassy place surrounded by rock walls and accessible only through a
unique, steep, rocky tunnel through the sandstone wall, to adjacent Chesler Park which had been
grazed for many years in winter by horses, while only deer and no domesticates could get into
Virginia Park."

   "Cryptobiotic cover was about seven times greater in Virginia Park (above), and it was much
richer floristically than Chesler, with more grasses and fewer shrubs. Without pressure from domestic grazers, cacti were less spiny. The soil had more nutrients. There was no drainage channel erosion. The vegetation formed a pattern, indicative of diversity and therefore productivity (Siegel 1999). The soil texture was finer. They concluded that the intact cover of cryptobiotic soil contributed to soil nutrients, and stabilized the soil to resist water and wind erosion."

   "In another landmark study Evans and Ehleringer (1993), using a new and more effective method
of measurement, found that cryptobiotic soil was the primary source of nitrogen for desert soil.
Some of the organisms of this crust, especially cyanobacteria, can change gaseous nitrogen from the air to a form usable by plants. In deserts water is the most limiting factor to plant growth, but
nitrogen is second. Cryptobiotic crusts also increase water infiltration and retention, holding it for
use, limiting runoff and its concomitant erosion. They enhance the establishment of seedling plants,
and warm the soil (Utah Bureau of Land Management, Monticello, 1999)."

   "These small organisms may look insignificant. They are not. All this is helpful and even essential to the health of deserts. But cryptobiotic crusts are fragile, and all the more so when it is hot and dry and they are dormant and brittle. When Kleiner and Harper returned to Virginia Park in the second year of their study, they were surprised their footsteps were still so visible. After that they walked in the same paths. People, domestic or wild animals, vehicles, bicycles, and wildfires all impact the crust (Buttars et al., 1998)."

"Recovery rates are slow. The organisms grow only when wet; summer heat and drought inhibit
them. Estimates vary, but ecologist Jayne Belnap thinks that ground left bare is vulnerable for at least 20 years after disturbance (Belnap 1997). If soil is then lost it may take up to 10,000 years to form again. Time for recovery of the different species varies. Cyanobacteria may begin to recover in as little as six months and may be healthy in five years (Allen 1999). But Belnap notes that it may take at least 50 years for nitrogen fixation to completely return. Furthermore, "assuming adjoining soils are stable and rainfall is average, recovery rates for lichen cover in southern Utah have been most recently estimated at a minimum of 45 years, while recovery of moss cover was estimated at 250 years.""

   "Of course, trampling of any kind disrupts or kills other organisms large and small besides the
cryptobiotic ones (National Park Service, Arches 1996) but these small crust organisms are less likely to be noticed. In the photo at left, sand from disturbance blew over these cryptogams and will kill them. Note the micro-topography; the uneven surface helps water absorption into the ground, helping to prevent runoff."

Reference: Excerpted from the PDF - Utah Rock Art -Volume XIX, Papers presented at the Nineteenth Annual Symposium of the Utah Rock Art Research Association (URARA) Vernal, Utah, September 1999 - pages 87-100 "Land and People: Conserving the Surroundings of Rock Art" by Dorde W. Woodruff - ©2000, 2002 by the Utah Rock Art Research Association (U ), Salt Lake City, Utah. All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America on acid-free paper. http://www.utahrockart2.org/pubs/proceedings/volumes/Proceedings_Utah_Rock_Art_Volume_19.pdf 

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