THE AUTHOR

Gary M. Mawe, PhD is the Samuel W. Thayer Professor of Neurological Sciences at the University of Vermont. He and his colleagues conduct research on how the nervous system regulates gastrointestinal function in health and disease, and he teaches a number of courses, including Human Gross Anatomy and Comparative Neurobiology.

Ever since he moved to Vermont in 1988, and learned about the fascinating life of Wilson “Snowflake” Bentley, Mawe has been eager to follow in Bentley’s footsteps and master the art of snow crystal photography. Since December of 2013, he has been welcoming each winter storm as he attempts to capture and photograph pristine snow crystals at his home near the Hinesburg-Huntington border. He has learned that it must be below 27°F so that the crystals do not melt while being photographed, that most of the stuff falling from the sky during winter storms is irregular ice particles and not delicate crystals, and that you can collect beautiful crystals on cold cloudless days.

Motion is a common theme in Mawe’s artistic endeavors. Two of his favorite photographic subjects (in addition to snow crystals) are waterfalls and fireflies, and he has designed and built a weathervane and a series of mobiles, which he refers to as Mawebiles.