BIO

Jaimie Krankel is an oil painter and mechanical engineering researcher. She earned a B.S.E. in Mechanical Engineering with minors in Art & Design and Mathematics from the University of Michigan and is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She paints sunlight patterns found naturally in water and glass. Her paintings have been exhibited in nationally and internationally juried exhibitions, including at Manifest Gallery in Cincinnati, OH, and she has received multiple National Scholastic Art & Writing Awards.

ARTIST STATEMENT

Growing up as a fisherman’s daughter, I’ve spent countless hours observing the reflections and color shifts on the surface of Lake Michigan while waiting for salmon to bite. This early fascination with the interaction of light and transparent materials continues to inspire me today. My paintings investigate the transformation of light as it moves through water and glass, highlighting the intricate beauties found in nature.

My paintings bridge scientific curiosity with a reverence for the natural world. Close observation of natural light brings me a sense of tranquility that I share through painting. I work in translucent layers of oil paint to precisely capture the complex shapes of observed light. By freezing fleeting behaviors of sunlight in time, I invite viewers to experience the visual beauty which emerges from underlying physics.

“Harmonic Interference,” “Moonset,” and “Muse” explore the intersection of nature and mathematics through sunlight. These pieces capture the shifting caustics beneath flowing water and the reflected light upon its surface. Formed through precise mathematical interplay of interfering waves, these light patterns dance with an orchestrated elegance. By revealing how natural beauty is quietly structured by mathematical order, my work invites viewers to look more closely at the patterns woven throughout their natural surroundings.