Some of my themes over the years have been how imagery is used in science, how women's appearance is socially coded in identity and art, the impact of randomness and chance on pattern-making, the construction of meaning, the virtual within the real, and humor.

What, that list doesn't sound particularly funny? Oh no, it is, it is. The humor is all in the details.

Recently I have been more interested in new media, installation and film. Dynamic and experiential media provide a better lens through which to examine our culture and its philosophy.

I do a lot with collage. What started as a way to 'try out' different styles in the studio became a more theoretical examination of how context influences meaning and beauty. In all media I am interested in 'sampling' things from the culture and holding them up for examination. Plagiarize? No no no, that is for the weak: recontextualize!

It's hip to say that you're interested in the intersection of art and science these days, so I'll say it too: I'm interested in the intersection of art and science! Assuming there is one, of course. But there are definitely aesthetic considerations involved in so-called elegant equations, streamlined charts and graphs, even font choices for numbers. This may seem trivial at first glance. But then you look at scientific drawings from 200 years ago and the aesthetics are apparent - the extra details and decorations stand out more than the lines and numbers. So, what else goes into our factual representations? And is the aesthetic separable from the factual; i.e., can we observe or describe anything on a purely factual basis? That's what intrigues me.

- PEGGY NELSON