Sarah Berube

Artist
Diametric Arts
Shutesbury, MA, USA

I started creating 3D printed mathematical art under the title Diametric Arts in October of 2015. My work, which revolves around the polyhedral symmetry groups, is largely inspired by the geometric sculptures of George Hart.

I pursue this form of art because I am strongly drawn to symmetry and the satisfying sense of beauty and perfection it evokes. My design process is an exploration of the properties of polyhedra. I love learning about these shapes through experimentation as I form my ideas. In a way, my pieces feel more like discoveries than creations.

Entangled Snowflakes
Entangled Snowflakes
8 x 9 x 9 cm
3D printed plastic, LED tealight
2016

The original “Entangled Snowflakes” is comprised of twenty identical snowflakes that are all interconnected. The only places they meet are at twelve nodes where five snowflakes join at their tips. After the original was printed, it became evident that the design would greatly benefit from illumination. A new version was created with an opening to accommodate an LED tealight. This elegantly designed aperture also allows for viewing of the beautiful interior.

The snowflakes in this design are arranged with icosahedral symmetry. If they were to be translated radially outward, they would eventually meet at their tips once again. In the resulting arrangement they would resemble the hexagonal faces of a truncated icosahedron.