Matthew Shlian is an artist and designer based in Ann Arbor, Michigan. His work extends from drawings to large scale installations and collaborations with leading scientists at the University of Michigan, where he is currently a visiting research scholar in the Department of Material Science. Using his skills as an engineer, Shilian’s recent work for the National Science Foundation makes nano-scale interpretations of macro-scale paper folding structures. “Researchers see paper engineering as a metaphor for scientific principles,” writes Shilan. “I see their inquiry as basis for artistic inspiration.” His client list includes Ghostly International, Apple, P&G, Facebook, Levi’s, Sesame Street and the Queen of Jordan. Get to know Shlian and his artistic process through his Ted Talk, “The Implications of Paper Folding.”