OLYMPIA – The Evergreen State College’s Willie Unsoeld Seminar Series is excited to announce an exclusive event entitled “March of the Pigments: A Colorful Trek through History,” featuring renowned pigment chemist Dr. Mary Virginia Orna. The event will start at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, February 19, in Lecture Hall 1 in Purce Hall on Evergreen’s Olympia campus. Dr. Orna will invite the audience to examine the march of the pigments through human history, propelled largely by the concomitant development of chemistry, and the effect they have had on our history.
Orna is a chemist, historian of science and professor emerita of the College of New Rochelle in New York where she taught for 40 years. A pioneer in the field of color and pigment chemistry, she works at the interface of art and archeology, using chemistry tools to investigate them. In 2021, she was awarded the HIST Award for Outstanding Achievement in the History of Chemistry from the American Chemical Society. The author of many books and papers on the subject, Orna’s book titled “March of the Pigments: Color History, Science and Impact” was published in 2022.
After the presentation, there will be a book sale and signing, providing attendees with the opportunity to purchase Orna’s books and have them signed by the author.
This event is open to the public, and admission is free. Seating is limited, so early arrival is recommended.