Our customers buy glass test tubes for an impressive range of arts & crafts projects. Most have little to do with science but this is a unique exception. Take a look at this unusual blends of arts and science. The images shown below are in a class of their own. While they speak for themselves we have included some of the artist’s & gallery curator’s own words. Read more below.

Test Tube Arts & Crafts

In Cindy Stelmackowich‘s own words:

SLICED consists of a series of cut-up vintage anatomical transparencies. Each unique set represents a stage or process in the dissection process. Isolated in dangling test tubes, images of the dissected human eye are divided into reduced, yet still recognizable, sections. The blank physical spaces in-between the test tubes allow for mental reflection and emotional/ethical contemplation about scientific methods and applications.

Stylized image of a dissected human eye. Optic nerve entry to the brain is on the left, cornea, iris & pupil are to the right. Various muscles and other tissues in between.

Different perspectives of a dissected human eye. Note the detail of the iris & sclera shown in the image in the middle.

Close up of some of the test tubes from image above. The details are exquisite.

About the Art

Sarah Patterson describes this work on display at the City of Ottawa Art Collection:

“Cindy Stelmackowich believes that visual images can pass on knowledge in science and medicine. In each of her projects she applies techniques used in medical dissection: cutting, splicing, isolating and preserving individual organs and body parts. Inspired by vintage microscopic slides and anatomical charts, SLICED is made up of images of the human eye taken from a 1920s student anatomy textbook.

The images are each represent a stage in the dissection process. Stainless steel clips reference laboratory instrumentation.”

For more information on the artist’s work, see: Between Art and Biomedicine

About the Artist

Cindy Stelmackowich is an Ottawa-based artist, curator and professor. She completed a BA and BFA at the University of Saskatchewan, MA at Carleton University and PhD in History and Theory of Art at Binghamton University (New York).

Stelmackowich is the recipient of the 2009 Mid-Career Artist Award from the Council for the Arts in Ottawa.

Glass Test Tube Arts & Crafts

The test tubes pictured above are 25x150mm (1×6″) which are slightly larger than the standard 18x150mm (3/4×6″) lab test tubes. But, we have both smaller 13x100mm (1/2×4″) test tubes and really big 38×200 mm test tubes. These can hold anything from fine sand up to coffee and vanilla beans. We’re also unique as this one customer noted in a review:

What Customers Say About Us

Deshana Barua (select newest, as of 2022.01.19)

“I brought some glass tubes to display my propagations and replace a broken one. Their prices are very reasonable (it’s impossible to buy just a single piece from online retailers like Amazon, which I’d rather not support anyway) and they processed my order and shipped very quickly. They arrived well-packaged with no broken glass and appear to be well-made.”

If you need more, we offer 50% off on test tubes bought in bulk, with or without cork stoppers.