Pencil Cups

During my first two years of medical school, I was drawn to the beauty and complexity of histology. Even tissues often regarded as “gross” revealed an unexpected elegance when viewed up close. This series began with a single object: a pencil cup depicting granulomatous inflammation. The juxtaposition of a piece of decor with a granuloma felt both unsettling and humorous, and it became the conceptual foundation for the larger collection. 

The resulting set of pencil cups explores medicine as both science and art, with histology as its central motif. Most of the designs are artistic interpretations of microscopic structures translated from slide to surface. Moving clockwise from the upper left, the pieces depict myelin sheaths with an overlying neuron, assorted pills and tablets, alveoli, additional neurons, vertebrae, skeletal muscle, folded protein structures, and finally, granulomas. Each was chosen for a combination of aesthetics and association with a faculty member. For example, Dr. Eden’s enthusiasm for granulomas started the whole project. Other subjects, like the alveoli, were good subjects for the sgraffito style used on these: three-dimensional structures that lend themselves well to bold line drawing. 

Rendered on an object intended for daily use, these images invite repeated, casual engagement with the forms that often feel distant once removed from the microscope. Intended as a gift to Phase I faculty, the collection serves first and foremost as an expression of gratitude. As I worked on this project, it became a reflection on the aesthetic dimension of medical training as well, an acknowledgment that beauty and creativity exist in pathophysiology.