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When Art Meets Science

Dr. Viviana Astudillo-Clavijo talks with ChildArt’s

Managing Editor, Amy Enke

One spring day in 1999, nine-year-old Viviana
Astudillo-Clavijo’s mother received an important
phone call. Viviana had just won an ICAF art competition.
She was invited to represent her country, Canada, at
the World Children’s Festival (WCF) in Washington, D.C.
Her whole family was excited for her, and they traveled
together to the event. While there, Viviana visited the White
House and made new friends from all over the world.

Before the trip, a local politician heard about Viviana and
brought her pins with a picture of the Canadian flag on
them, to give to other children. Many of the children at
WCF brought items like this from their own countries and
had fun trading them with each other. Now, twenty years
later, Viviana still has the pins she collected at the festival,
displaying them in a frame. She also stays in touch with
some friends she met there—including one who lives
almost 9,000 miles away in Africa.
Viviana’s interest in art began early. As a child, she loved to
draw. Some of her earliest artistic memories are of drawing
on paper napkins at restaurants while her family waited
for the food to arrive. The love of art came quite naturally
to her, but the skill of art required work. She was frustrated
by wanting her art to be better, but she learned early on
to just keep working. Her mother would bring her how-to Viviana’s winning art was a painting entitled, “My World in the Year 2000.” It depicts a line of children walking
books from the library, and finally, at age fourteen, she hand in hand, in pursuit of peace, sharing, and joy—the words she painted onto the canvas.
took her first real art class at a local studio. To kids today Art by Viviana Astudillo-Clavijo
she says, “Continue exploring, embrace challenges, and use
mistakes as fuel for your next project.” Today, Viviana uses her artistic skills in a different way. While concepts in science.” Much of her research Viviana credits ICAF with helping to foster
earning a Ph.D. in Evolutionary Biology from the University is based on specimens of fish, and sketches, her creativity. “ICAF gave me confidence to
of Toronto, she blended art with science and used that diagrams, slides, and images are some of her continue making art. It validated something
combination to teach others. Her scientific specialty is most useful research tools. that I thought was just fun as a more serious
ichthyology (pronounced ik-thee-OL-a-jee)—the study of Many museums conduct research, and part of my life.” She found inspiration at
fishes; her art specialties are murals, paintings, and pencil today, Viviana helps students learn how the WCF in being surrounded by other
and ink drawings. to use specimens in the natural history people with similar interests. ICAF aims to
Several times, she wondered whether to pursue art or section of Canada’s Royal Ontario Museum. help develop empathy and creativity in the
science as a profession. Ultimately, she has found many She presents her research at the museum, world’s future leaders, and Viviana’s story is
opportunities to enhance her own study of biology with answers questions for museum visitors, and filled with both of those qualities. Through
art, and to share and teach science through art. Viviana lectures for groups of university students. her work as an artist, a scientist, and a
says, “Art led me to where I am today. I definitely want it to She has also contributed her artworks to teacher, she has contributed to the mission
remain part of my profession. Art is not officially recognized teaching exhibits, including a series of of peace, sharing, and joy that she imagined
as part of my degree program or my profession, but I find it layered puzzles that show the anatomy of with her first winning painting.
to be a useful tool for both teaching and learning complex different animals.
Viviana at ICAF’s World Children’s Festival in 1999.