Explore Bio Art: Paint with Fluorescent Microbes!

This is a two-part class. Please note the following dates:

• Tuesday from 6:00 - 8:00 pm
• Thursday from 6:00 - 8:00 pm

The emerging multidisciplinary field of gene editing promises to be infinitely transformative; to problem solve in the realms of agriculture, medicine, manufacturing, and beyond. From fantastic pursuits like dire wolves and unicorns to practical applications like animal-free leather and fabric made from spider silk, gene editing aspires to engineer life to collaborate with humans—whether through wonder or utility.

In this workshop, you will:

Learn about existing and potential applications of gene editing

Consider the various ethical implications of this emerging technology

Use sterile technique to work with safely with microbes

Paint an image of your choosing using gene edited microbes

Experiment with different image capturing methods of your living art

Each participant will receive 2 Petri dishes to create living art. The Petri dish paintings will be incubated over the course of two days, and participants will come back to photograph their pieces in several lighting conditions. Participants will not be allowed to take the Petri dishes home.

The microbes we will use have been engineered to display vibrant colors from sea creatures like jellyfish, sea anemone, and coral, and are classified as BSL-1 (bio safety level 1), which means they do not cause disease in humans. BSL-1 microorganisms are used for safe teaching in schools at the high school and university level.

Through the lens of bioart, we’ll look at some existing, imagined, and evolving applications, and consider how the development and implementation of these applications could impact the world we live in. By combining art with scientific concepts, we can explore the future potential of genetic engineering through themes of growth, collaboration, and the ethics of bioengineering.

This is an introductory class from the new bioart studio at MakerSpace Charlotte. There will be more classes scheduled in the future.

All supplies will be provided.

**Participants should wear closed toe shoes and pull back long hair. No food or drinks will be permitted while we are working with the microbes.

This class is open to ages 10 and up. Children below the age of 16 must be accompanied by a parent who also has a ticket. For questions about this class, please email [email protected]

About your instructor:
Karen Ingram is an artist, designer, and educator working at the intersection of biotechnology and art for over a decade. Her floral paintings made with genetically modified microbes on Petri dishes have been featured in Nature Biotechnology. She's co-author of "BioBuilder: Synthetic Biology in the Lab" (O'Reilly, 2015), was an Emerging Tech fellow at Stanford's d.school, and taught at Genspace, Brooklyn's community biotech lab. Her work has been exhibited at BioBAT Art Space, London Design Week, and Times Square.

Refund Policy:

• Transfers to another class follow the same refund rules as your original date.
• 14+ days before the first class: Full refund.
• 7–13 days before the first class: Refund minus a 50% administrative fee.
• Fewer than 7 days before the first class: No refunds.
• Seat transfer: If you find a replacement who pays for and takes your seat before the first class begins, you are eligible for a full refund.

To cancel or request a transfer, please email [email protected]. For general questions, you’re welcome to visit MakerSpaceCharlotte on Wednesdays at 6:30 PM. For urgent, time-sensitive issues with your reservation, contact Steve at (704) 353-3300.

Class may be canceled due to low enrollment in which case a full refund will be issued.
Cancellation Policy:

MakerSpace reserves the right to cancel any class with insufficient enrollment. If a class is canceled by MakerSpace, fees are 100% refundable.

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