Chemistry Lessons: Key to the Success of Art Students – India Education | Latest education news | Global educational news

Amanda Barnette is passionate about preservation of art.

That means the Arizona State University student’s schedule for the past four years has been filled with classes that fit her artistic preferences: art history, art renaissance, modernism, foundation drawing.

And then there were the chemistry classes—which, to the untrained eye, stood out from her class schedule like an Andy Warhol piece in a Monet collection—lessons the art history major needed to pursue a career in art conservation, specifically the preservation of historic buildings.

Chemistry is important

When most people think of chemistry in college, they probably assume that classes are filled with students pursuing science, engineering, or even medical degrees – but there are many careers that require knowledge of chemistry.

Winemakers, fire researchers and even farmers need to know the ins and outs of the composition, structure, properties and reactions of matter to do their jobs.

“There aren’t many aspects of life that chemistry doesn’t touch,” says Ashli ​​Morgan, assistant professor in the ASU School of Molecular Sciences.

Morgan described some “really cool fields,” such as viticulture (the study of grapes, including everything from wine production to fresh table grapes), brewing, cosmetics and fragrance design, and forensics, which would be impossible without chemical knowledge.

Biological and medical illustrators and certain areas of the law – such as environmental and patent law – also require extensive scientific knowledge, as do science communicators, who must translate complex chemical concepts into terms the average person can understand.

Similarly, other areas of art – such as photography and painting – use chemicals in the production of works.

Crucial for the preservation and authentication of art

And then there are those who want to work in art conservation or, like Barnette, the historic preservation of architecture.

“Having an understanding of chemistry is essential for those interested in a career in art conservation,” said Amelia Hay, program coordinator for ASU’s Department of Culture and Access at the Herberger Institute for Design and Art.

“Artists use an incredibly wide range of materials in their works of art. Therefore, it is important for conservators and caretakers to know how those materials…react to other materials and substances, and how materials change naturally over time.”

Knowledge of chemistry is also necessary to determine the authenticity of art or architecture. Techniques such as dating and analyzing materials help experts figure out where the works of art came from, when they were created and ultimately whether they are real or fake.

“Chemistry is critical to understanding how artists’ materials deteriorate,” said Dana Mossman Tepper, chief curator at the ASU Art Museum. “… And how artists’ materials interact with environmental factors such as temperature, relative humidity and pollutants,”

To give an example of the type of work she is interested in, Barnette pointed to the ongoing restoration efforts of Paris’s Notre Dame Cathedral, which was destroyed by fire in 2019.

“Chemistry helps preserve these artistic and architectural treasures for future generations to enjoy,” she said.

Out of her element

It’s safe to say that Barnette was a little out of her element during her first chemistry class.

Although the labs were fine, it was difficult to understand the theoretical aspect of the subject, she said.

“It took a lot of effort,” says Barnette, who originally studied cosmetology after graduating high school. “Sometimes, when I was studying, I just needed a five-minute nap and everything would be fine.”

Difficult yes, but definitely worth it.

Ultimately, it was the combination of her art history degree from ASU and her chemistry classes that helped her get accepted into the graduate program in historic preservation at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.

When she heard she had been accepted into the school, “I cried with joy for hours,” she said.

For others following her path, she recommends a minor in chemistry – “that way the graduate school application process will be a smoother transition.”

The graduating student credits ASU for her success, saying the university was her “stepping stone before going to graduate school.”

“Here I built the basic skills to thrive,” she says.