Austine Wood Comarow facts for kids

Austine Wood Comarow (born November 10, 1942 – died July 31, 2020) was an American artist. She was famous for inventing a special kind of art called Polage art. This art uses clear materials and light to create amazing colors and changing pictures. It's like magic, but it's science!

Early Life

Austine was born in Louisville, Kentucky. Her father, James Morgan Read, was a diplomat. Her mother, Henrietta Morton Read, was an artist. Austine lived in Germany when her father worked there for the United States. In 1951, her family moved to Geneva, Switzerland. Her father worked for the United Nations helping refugees.

Austine came back to the United States in 1960. She went to Swarthmore College. She later earned a degree in Russian Language and Literature from Indiana University in 1964. She also studied art in Chile. Later, she earned her Master of Fine Arts degree from Syracuse University in 1981.

Her Art: Polage

In 1967, Austine started creating a new type of art. She called it Polage art. She used special filters that work with light, called polarizing filters. She also used clear pieces of cellulose, which is a material found in plants. She would cut these pieces and layer them to build images.

What makes Polage art special? It creates bright colors without using any paint or dyes! The colors come from how light passes through the materials. When you move the art, or if the art itself has moving parts, the colors and images can change. It's like watching a living painting.

Austine's art is displayed in many places. You can see her work in the permanent collections at the Museum of Science Boston. It's also at the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science. Her art is also found at Swarthmore College. You can find her pieces in hospitals, museums, and public spaces all over the world.