Stitching Science: Exploring Science from A – Z by Lauren Wright Vartanian with text by Keltie Thomas. Reviewed by Susan Latreille

Wikipedia: A coffee table book is an oversized … book whose purpose is for display on a table  … [where] one entertains guests, and …  can serve to inspire conversation …. Subject matter is predominantly non-fiction and pictorial …  accompanied by captions and small blocks of text, as opposed to long prose … aimed at anyone who might pick up the book for a light read.

Why am I starting this review with a dictionary definition of a coffee table book?

Because, other than size (being less than a foot-square and only 63 pages), Stitching Science: Exploring Science from A – Z by Lauren Wright Vartanian, with text by Keltie Thomas (Firefly Books, 2024), pretty much fits that definition. This small but beautiful book should be on display, and, in my experience, it has readily inspired interesting conversation when anyone has taken the time to pick it up.

In the artist’s own words, “The idea for this alphabet project came about when my daughter was around 6 months old.” Initially, it was going to be a science-themed cloth ABC book, the kind meant for babies. The science theme remained, but as the work progressed, Vartanian realized that her project was developing well beyond the realm of a book for babies.

As she states in the introduction, “What the book evolved into was something for anyone, young or old, who loves science and art and how they intersect.”

That concept of how art and science intersect is elaborated in a quote that appears on the title page. Former Governor General and scientist Julie Payette says, “Art and science are often considered opposite disciplines that have nothing in common. But in truth, both are creative and inquisitive methods of describing our world. Stitching Science beautifully demonstrates how the two are intrinsically woven together.”

Now, despite what the artist has said about the evolution of the book, one’s first thoughts of an alphabet book most likely lean towards the idea of something simplistic, very childlike. Stitching Science is anything but!

Each letter of the alphabet is captured by a concept of science in a hand-stitched illustration by Canadian textile artist Lauren Wright Vartanian, and that art is enhanced with the fascinating text of Keltie Thomas, a Canadian author of many children’s books.

The book is basically an A–Z exploration of scientific ideas, from atoms to black holes to quantum physics, an idea that has probably been done countless times before. What makes this book so different is how we get to see, and maybe understand, science as something intricate, interconnected, and very much like art. It gives abstract topics, complex aspects of science, a tactile quality, maybe something to reach out and touch.

A very interesting aspect of Vartanian’s creativity for this book is how she challenged herself to learn new stitching techniques with pieces looking like illustrated manuscripts, tapestry, quilting.

Some pieces are simple and symbolic; others are dense and layered. The variety keeps the book engaging, as well as inspiring any artist who has struggled with creativity. Accept the challenge of trying something new. Who knows where it could lead you!

Stitching Science appeals because it is aesthetically beautiful, intellectually inspiring, while arousing one’s curiosity about so many different aspects of science.

So, is this book about art or about science?

It is less about teaching science in a traditional sense and more about sparking curiosity through beauty. It succeeds because it treats science not just as information, but as something worth contemplating, all while you can feast your eyes on Vartanian’s exquisite art.

This beautiful book was gifted to me by a dear friend who personally knows the artist and her family. She also gifted a copy to the SDG Library; an excerpt from the library’s blurb about the book states: “’Stitching Science’ is a charming and informative introduction to a wide variety of scientific concepts as well as a beautiful art book from a talented textile artist. … Scientific topics ranging from Atom to Zenith come to life at the end of Lauren’s skilled needle, and lively and informative text by Keltie Thomas explains key concepts and delivers interesting facts for each subject.”

Stitching Science is also available for purchase at Chapters/Indigo and Amazon. It would make an excellent addition to anyone’s coffee table.