SciArt Spotlight: Peggy Muddles

Ever looked for a muse in a microscope? Found beauty in bacteria? Unearthed inspiration in the insect world? Science artist Peggy Muddles has — and she has the stunning sciart portfolio to prove it. Peggy, a.k.a. The Vexed Muddler, creates art related to all kinds of scientific phenomena from single-celled organisms to the cosmos. Not only are Peggy's subjects diverse but so are the mediums she works in. Peggy sculpts, draws, makes wearable art, laser woodcuts, and more. Art-appreciating artichokes, it's hard to articulate how awesome that is!

Not only is Peggy an artist, she's also a super scientist — a sequencing technician — who works in the University of Toronto’s Centre for the Analysis of Genome Evolution and Function. Read on to find out about her fascinating job there, but spoiler alert, polar bear poop is mentioned!

Whether Peggy is in the lab or in her studio, she's doing something super interesting! We love that Peggy creates at the ever-intriguing intersection of art and science. Through her imaginative interpretation, Peggy conveys scicomm concepts in creations that can only exist as products of the scientific mind's eye. Bonus: Her art also looks really cool! You'll surely wanna sport one of her science-themed skater skirts ASAP.

We were thrilled to ask Peggy about her advice for young artists, what she enjoys most about working in a lab, where she gets her inspiration from, and more. Meet Peggy Muddles, scientist and sciart creator.

When did you know you were an artist? 

I don’t recall a time when I wasn’t making art, but I still have a hard time identifying myself as an “artist” because that somehow still feels like a goal that’s always just beyond my grasp. 

When did you know you were a scientist? 

I was still a preteen when I got my first dissection kit. I’m still not sure why my parents didn’t worry I was going to turn into a serial killer. Thankfully, instead of being concerned, they encouraged my insect collecting and other weird hobbies by supplying tools and books and opportunities.

When did you first combine your art with your love of science?

Somehow the two existed in completely separate realms until I started an undergraduate biology degree at the tender age of 31. I had just discovered the joy of playing with mud. Pottery lends itself so well to organic forms that I soon found myself sculpting insects and bacteria and sea creatures.

What led you to major in biology?

It’s kind of a long story, but I’d drifted a lot after high school because I feared I wasn’t good enough at maths to pursue science. I was on the cusp of deciding to purchase a bike shop, and my then-spouse suggested I should get a degree first, because it would only get more difficult after I was a business owner. I went in with no particular goals besides challenging my brain, but swiftly remembered my early love of biology and decided to just dive in. Best decision ever.

Can you talk a little bit about what your work at the University of Toronto’s Centre for the Analysis of Genome Evolution and Function? 

I wear a few hats at CAGEF, but my favourite is when I get to work on collaborative research projects. CAGEF is a core facility that does sequencing and proteomics and bioinformatics work, but we’re a little different from most cores in that we do a ton of method development and take on some really weird collaborations.

We’ve worked on some amazingly difficult samples to extract microbiome data from everything from coconut trees and polar bear poop to breast milk and lung tissue. A lot of the time my job is mostly running samples and ordering supplies, but when I get to work on those collaborations, it’s both a brutal challenge and an absolute thrill. 

What’s your favorite part about working in a lab?

I love that I get to work on so many different things. On any given day I might be working on one of a half dozen academic projects, maintaining machinery, training students, or designing a new flyer.

Can you describe your artistic process? 

I’m supposed to have a process? See, I’m no good at this artist thing :D

What are all of the artistic mediums you work in, and do you have a favorite medium? 

I’ll use just about any medium, really. Lately I’m mostly doing digital work, primarily either sketching or painting on my iPad or using Adobe Illustrator on my laptop. I think my favourite media are oil paint and clay. Both are so organic and so forgiving, and both lend themselves well to a wide range of scales. 

You have such a cool range in your art — from bugs to space stuff to viruses to fluid dynamics. What attracts you to a certain scientific topic that you want to incorporate in your art?

Honestly, I think it’s mostly about awe for me. If I learn about a thing and my immediate response is “whaaaaaaat” I am definitely going to draw it at some point. I have a long list of things in my brain that I need to doodle or paint or sculpt at some point. I’m also highly affected by other people’s excitement, so I end up listening to people geek out about their pet subject and I can’t help but start thinking about how I’d draw that. 

Is there any one place/activity where you’re more inclined to have an ‘ah-ha!’ moment of “I have an idea for a new project?” 

Talking to nerds does it every time. 

We love that a lot of your SciArt is fashion-based. What do you love most about people wearing your art? 

Okay, real talk: most of my clothing designs came about because I wanted to wear them. I get a huge kick out of seeing my designs in the wild. One of the best feelings is someone loving your art so much they want to be seen in public with it. There’s this wonderful sense of connection when you discover that someone else is as excited about your variety of nerdiness as you are. 

Are you working on any new/upcoming projects you’d like to tell us about? 

I’m playing with some stuff for the kitchen, but it’s a secret for now ;)

What advice do you have for young artists who are interested in creating SciArt?

Do everything. Learn everything. Try everything. Surround yourself with people who are as excited about the world as you are. Reach out to the SciArt community — we’re mostly one big happy family, and we love seeing something new. 

Which [historical or modern] SciArt creators, scicomm luminaries, biologists, etc. inspire you? 

Oh dang, so many. My twitter feed is full of amazing people doing amazing art, science and scicomm. Michele Banks, Immy Smith, Cylita Guy, Rosemary Mosco, Gil Wizen, Corina Newsome, Sean McCann, Maureen Berg...seriously, just follow everyone I follow on Twitter and your life will be full of wonder. 

Do you have any favorite STEM/scicomm/biology-related/bug characters in books/movies/other art forms? 

I am forever team Scotty. Yes, the Star Trek one. 

If you were a superhero, what would your go-to wearable tech device be?

Headgear with optics that can capture and store live high resolution imagery at scales rivalling both the most powerful microscopes and the biggest telescopes. Also, my supersuit would be able to sustain me at any depth under water, and ideally also out in space. And it would make me invisible and silent. Can I have wings and fins too? 

Where can people find you online?

Web: TheVexedMuddler.com

Shop: shop.thevexedmuddler.com and thevexedmuddler.redbubble.com

Twitter: @VexedMuddler

I don’t use Facebook or Instagram much, but I’m on both as TheVexedMuddler: Facebook link, Insta link