Mickey Shaw-Hubbard
My inspirations are drawn from nature, mathematics and science. These inspirations are combined with my own experiences and emotions, creating a union between what is seen, what is known and what is felt internally. As an artist, my goal is to create for the viewer, visually, the concept that art, mathematics and science display a fundamental connection conveying the idea that all three encompass more than what can just be seen. I believe that art is an intrinsic aspect of all visual experiences and mathematics can provide a basis for understanding and recreating those same experiences.
This crocheted fiber soft sculpture is based on non-Euclidean geometry. It represents a variation of the hyperbolic plane ruffle effect. The piece was created using basic crochet stitches which were increased at a rate great enough to create exponential growth. Attention was given to pushing the construction into a form of varying volume and shape. The end result is simultaneously geometric in its basic nature and construction, yet organic in its form. The structure is malleable, allowing the form to morph into numerous shapes. The hyperbolic soft sculpture is a further exploration of what forms can evolve in combining hard-edged geometric concepts with the fluid, textural aspects of fiber and stitches. This combination creates a three-dimensional visual and mental juxtaposition of the interconnection of the two elements.
Spirals are curves emanating from central points, progressively growing further away as they revolve around the point. This drawing is a unique, one of a kind rendition of spirals created in reverse direction from outer edges into a central point. Some variations resembling Sinusoidal, Archimedean and Hyperbolic spirals are created. The drawings are created on a drawing board suspended from a pole with an attached arm holding a pen. The board is set in motion by hand. Drawings are manipulated by changing the motion of the drawing board. This particular drawing was the result of creating one set of manipulated spirals then stopping the motion, reversing the paper and attempting to recreate a mirror image. The spiral drawing conveys a two-dimensional visualization and exploration of the connections between art, mathematics, and science combining drawing, spiral and pendulum theories.
This crocheted fiber soft sculpture installation is based on non-Euclidean geometry. It represents a variation of the hyperbolic plane ruffle effect. This trio was created using basic crochet stitches which were increased at a rate great enough to create exponential growth. Attention, this time, was given to constructing forms of recognizable volume and shape. The end result was simultaneously geometric in basic nature and construction, yet organic in form. The structures' "stocks" are cylinders growing into modified, ruffled pseudospheres caps. These hyperbolic soft sculptures are a further exploration of what forms can evolve in combining hard-edged geometric concepts with the fluid, textural aspects of fiber and stitches. This combination creates a three-dimensional visual and mental juxtaposition of the interconnection of the two elements.