Andrew Paul Leonard's microscopic tees
The tees, tanks and sweatshirts bear images of Central Park dandelion pollen and Hudson River diatoms. Credit: Andrew Paul Leonard
Allergy season is upon us, which means plenty of sneezing, wheezing and…T-shirt making?
That’s right — photographer Andrew Paul Leonard uses an electron microscope to capture images of dandelion pollen found in Central Park, diatoms (aka single-celled algae) scooped up in Gardiner’s Bay and Georgica Pond, and other teeny tiny objects we’d ordinarily never see. The shapes are mind-blowing — kidney stone crystals like alpine mountains, zooplankton like meteors, pollen like cranky little faces.
“People are surprised that the inner world comes through in such a crisp and clear way,” says Leonard, who sometimes colorizes his designs for a fresh, Pop Art appeal.
You can check out his artwork at a photography exhibit at the LILAC, a preserved steam-propelled U.S. Coast Guard cutter-turned-museum moored at Hudson River Park’s Pier 25 in Manhattan (May 26-July 31).
Look for his tees, tanks and sweatshirts, $16.99 to $32, at magbar9.com.
