Explore the fascinating evidence left by the microscope that molecules are more than chemistry.
Decades ago. I, the scientist, was invited to be artist-in-residence for Napa Valley’s Sterling Vineyards. The winemaker’s response to the photographic expression of that first wine I captured with my microscope – It looks like it tastes.
I knew nothing about wine but spent the next few years working with the winemakers’ questions and photographing everything.
Tartrates
Those crystals that you are looking at are only tartrates, was a response I often got from other wine people.
So I photographed the molecules of taste and an interesting visual pattern emerged. The microscopic forms mirrored the words we use for taste, at least in the wine world. Sweet sugar and savory umami were rounded and gentle on the palate. Sour acids were angular and sharp while bitter caffeine was prickly. Molecules giving us signals for our language?
Sweet sugar
Sour citric acid
I was pushed into photographing minerals supposedly connected to astrology. And out of this exploration came an AMAZING REVELATION.
The twelve mineral salts aligned with the four elements of the Zodiac. 
Molecules of Air signs were all square or linear. Water minerals were wavy like water. The mineral salts of Earth signs were round like Mother Earth. And the Fire sign minerals were hexagons, like seen in sacred geometry and the molecules of life.
