Some theories, such as those popularized by Robert Sperry in the 1960s, say that people predominantly use the left or right side of their brain, with one logical side and one creative side.

The Collective of Fine Artists and Scientists would disagree.

The collective is a space for STEM majors, ranging from freshmen to seniors, to collaborate with peers to pursue their passions for different art forms. In the workshops, they do a creative activity together, followed by working on personal projects while discussing common interests.

Within the workshops, members present “art of the week,” where they share personal projects or discuss other artists’ pieces. They also dive into the history of favorite and lesser-known artists.

Two of the founders of UKCFAS are still members: senior neuroscience major Phe Panhavuth and senior digital media and design major Ryan Willard.

Panhavuth broke ground on the organization in August 2021. He said that as a pre-med student, he couldn’t find many opportunities to carry out his passion for art at the university.

“I wanted to give people a space to come together to create art on their own terms,” he said.

UKCFAS has done just that: it’s created an opportunity for students to find fellow STEM majors with the same fervor for the fine arts.

Madie McMillian, sophomore double major in neuroscience and psychology, said she joined the group for the same reason Panhavuth created it. She wanted to keep her love of art while pursuing a career in STEM.

Along with the opportunity to pursue her hobbies, McMillian likes the club for the diversity of art styles and personalities.

“Even though we’re all STEM majors and enjoy art, we’re all vastly different, and everyone is very different in their art style,” she said.

Freshman Alaina Taul, a double major in neuroscience and psychology, said that she was happy to find a group of people who have similar personalities to her own.

Taul also mentioned her excitement with finding an organization that doesn’t just focus on her professional career or a personal hobby but instead combines the two.

Despite a slow start with membership, a spark turned into a flame. What started as a few people trying to balance a career with a passion has built up to a collective of peers combining profession, friendship and creativity. The group meets weekly in Lewis Hall and participates in many on-campus events, such as the Lewis Honors College Art Fair and the university’s Curiosity Fair.

At the Lewis Honors College Art Fair on Oct. 12, members showcased their personal pieces, both digital and physical. This was an opportunity to display the projects that the members work on in the workshops and show off their talents apart from STEM and grades.

The UK Curiosity Fair took place on Oct. 27 in the Gatton Student Center Grand Ballroom. This fair showcased talents of all varieties through interactive demonstrations that participants could be a part of. UKCSAF demonstrated different activities they do in their workshops like blind contour drawings, where artists draw the outline of a subject without looking at the paper.

Panhavuth said, “After a year of having very few members, it’s humbling, and I’m very thankful to see that there are people here right now who love the arts as much as I do.”