From an ongoing series on researchers and their tatoos at CALS Notes:
Today’s ScientifInk! features the botanical tattoo of CALS graduate student, Alex Paya, whose elaborate ink was inspired by his Ph.D. research studying tree physiology in professor of horticulture Taryn Bauerle’s lab.
“I love trees,” he said, when CALS Notes recently paid a visit to the Bauerle Lab. “They are grand, beautiful organisms, and like animals they are unbelievably diverse in how they look, their shape, their function.”
Alex’s fascination with the trees that inspired his tattoo came shining through when he described the nature of his work.
“My Ph.D. research revolves around biodiversity and competition in forests,” he said. “Forests are among the most productive ecosystems on earth: they provide us with wood, natural spaces, and play an important role in the global carbon cycle… Forests also happen to cover about 30% of the land on earth. They are also dynamic and in constant competition with their neighbors for resources. Like sports teams or telecom companies, warring nations or two people at a bar vying for the same person’s attention, competition is everywhere and trees are no exception. Competition has been the driving force of biological evolution, and while I don’t study evolution in forests, I do study tree growth and physiology in order to understand what traits and/or strategies they employ to outcompete, or in some instances, to facilitate coexistence with their neighbors.”
Perhaps the most impressive thing to know about Alex’s tattoo is that he designed it himself! A gifted artist who works in pencil and paper, acrylics, and digital media, Alex wanted his tattoo to showcase the exceptional diversity of the trees he loves, and so he incorporated a multitude of different kinds of tree leaves into the design, as well as elements of grapes and hops to represent his appreciation of fine wine and beer.
In addition, beneath his arm he added a rendering of a chlorophyll molecule backed by a representation of a Fibonacci spiral, which he describes as “a mathematical concept that guides how plants produce their leaves, how ferns unfold, and how broccoli makes its florets.”
Alex’s tattoo was a significant undertaking, requiring over 11 hours of work by local tattoo artist, Phobe Aceto. But this amazing ink isn’t the only way he plans to express his passion for trees. Next up, Alex aims to create a series of stencil prints of trees on wood, displaying various root and treetop systems in different colors and layers, for a possible show in a local Ithaca art gallery.
We look forward to seeing more of your work, Alex!