As a biologist and artist Erick uses art as a form of science outreach. His pieces convey the wonders of the natural world to the audience. Erick has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree from the University of British Columbia and an Honors Metal Certificate from the Kootenay School of the Arts at Selkirk College. Erick has worked and studied in labs for more than 20 years and still finds wonder there. It is this curiosity and excitement for the natural world that Erick brings to his art. In larger than life metal microbes, scanning electron micrographs in gilded frames and framed fixed specimen slides, the often invisible are made visible.
Commissions
Commercial
2014/2013 Rookery & Roost: City of Richmond Public Art
2009 I Think: Dr. Patrick Keeling , University of British Columbia, Vancouver, B.C.
2008 Geodesic Dome: Alderwood House School, Richmond B.C.
2006 Heron: London Lane Development Corporation, Richmond B.C.
2005 Bridge Troll: London Landing, Richmond B.C.
Private
2009 Brass Band-Aid
2009 Pediatstrum
2007 Heron
2007 Octopus Gate
2007 Fish Arbor
Exhibitions and Craft Fairs
2022/2023 Oak Bay Arts Alive: Copper Finch
2022 ArtSea – Sidney Art Walk: Sidney/North Saanich Branch Library
2020-2022 ReCollections: Creative works from past and present. Beaty Biodiversity Museum.
2017 Royal BC Museum. Fixed. Celebrating Excellence in Science Journalism and Communication.
2015 VIVO Media Arts Centre. Spark! emerging collisions between art & science.
2015/2014 Science World, Invisible Portraits
2014 Beaty Biodivesity Museum. Pure Beauty. Science and Your Inner Artist. Panel Discussion.
2014 AMS Art Gallery. Paradigm Shift
2014 Beaty Biodiversity Museum. Invisible Portraits
2013 International Congress of Protistology XIV July 29 – Aug 2
2009 Circle Craft – 2008 Student Scholarship Recipients Exhibit
2008 One of a Kind Vancouver – Kootenay School of the Arts Graduates
2008 READY – Touchstones Nelson, Museum of Art and HistoryKootenay School of the Arts at Selkirk College Graduating Class Exhibition:
2008 Roundhouse Community Arts Centre. Urban Artisans Craft Fair (Juried)
2008 Farmers & Artisans Market – Steveston, B.C.
2007 Kootenay School of the Arts – Student Christmas Show and Sale
2007 Nelson District Arts Council – Kootenay Artisans Christmas Market (Juried)
2004 Richmond Art Gallery – Artists Among Us Exhibition (Juried)
2003 Richmond Art Gallery – Artists Among Us Exhibition (Juried)
Awards
2022/2023 Oak Bay Arts Alive People’s Choice Winner – Copper Finch
2008 Circle Craft Student Scholarship
Media Coverage
2014 Breakfast Televison. Invisible Portraits.
2014 Global BC, Art from a Petri Dish.
2014 24 Hours Vancouver. UBC researchers turn science into art.
2014 UBC Science. Beauty and the Microbe on YouTube
2014 Eye of the Beholder. UBC Science
2014 Breakfast Television. A Tour of the Beaty Biodiversity Museum
2013 Popperfont.net I guess it might look like this if microbes were to suit up like Iron Man.
2013 Small Things Considered. American Society for Microbiology
2013 Germs and bacteria beautified in Invisible Portraits (The Ubyssey)
2010 Thieves steal Rasmus (Richmond Review, Richmond News)
2009 CBC North by Northwest Interview
2009 Circle Craft Gallery Reviews
2008 Nelson Daily News, April 29
2008 Nelson Daily News, February 21
2007 Nelson Daily News, December 12
2006 Kool Thing article in November 16, 2006 issue of The Georgia Straight.
2005 My belt buckles were part of a Vancouver magazine shopping article.
2004 The Richmond News. The Beat: Art and Leisure Q&A.
2003 The Richmond Review.
Education
2008 Kootenay School of the Arts at Selkirk College – Metal Certificate
1999 University of British Columbia – M.Sc Zoology
1995 University of British Columbia – B.Sc Biology
Erick James 