In her BLOODWORK series, Emily MK combines historic paint analysis with contemporary microscopy and printmaking to form works that exemplify a unique union of science and art. MK’s multi-step process begins with paints made from natural sources, like dye made from crushed cochineal bugs. These paints are used to create tiny “microsculptures,” typically not more than 1 inch in length. The microsculptures are photographed under a microscope, and the images are digitally merged to form a single, seamless print of the microsculpture at a monumental scale. According to MK, “I look at the micro and the macro, the historic and the contemporary, and I combine them to create a world of modern giants made of old traditions; beauty from blood.”