MAN ON THE STREET: Avatar to Art

G.WIZ — The Science Museum opened the first exhibition of three-dimensional, fine-art canvases in Sarasota July 2. The upstairs gallery is filled with painter and scientific animator Jeff Hazelton's latest large-scale works, called "Avatar to Art," which require viewers to don special 3D glasses.

Jeff Hazelton, artist and scientific animator
What’s your favorite piece in this collection and why?
“‘Disruption.’ It’s the marquee piece. It’s very involved with breathing and oxygen. It’s the disruption of all of these elements that kind of came together. There’s a balance to it, yet you’re trying to make each panel stand on its own.”

Your animation company, BioLucid, produces medical movies and video games designed to educate physicians — why did you decide to create 3D artwork on canvas?
“I always got to be creative with BioLucid, but I was more of a producer. This exhibit is me shaking that off. I wanted to pull it over to fine art, and after I spent two years sailing around the world, I decided to switch it up because I felt like I needed to create.

Jay Hopkins (Hazelton’s college roommate)
What are your thoughts on this exhibition?
“I’m not much of an art fan, but his concepts are so colorful and vibrant. He’s really the only one, maybe in all of the U.S., doing this format in 3D.

What’s your favorite piece and why?
“‘Macrophage Immersion.’ It reminds me of his medical animation movies, which show the method of action for drugs moving through the body. In my personal opinion, his medical animation is as high grade as what you see on the Discovery Channel.”

Kelly Morrell
What’s your favorite piece and why?
“The Disco Ball is my favorite because it’s a fiesta of time. I feel like I’m in the party.”

Have you ever seen 3D art before?
“Not besides a movie, no.”

What are your thoughts on this exhibition?
“I think it’s really neat. I’m curious how he does it.”

Colleen Yuskaitis
What’s your favorite piece and why?
“‘Macrophage Immersion.’ It took me reading about it to realize it’s about white blood cells. I really thought it was just a surreal painting, but it turns out it’s part of the human blood stream.”

Have you ever seen 3D art before?
“The only kind I ever saw was the books I had a as a kid.”

What are your thoughts on this exhibition?
“It’s more geared toward a variety of audiences. It’s not just for kids and not just for adults.”

Contact Loren Mayo at [email protected].