Mickey Shaw

As my inclusion of mathematical and scientific elements and concepts into my artwork grows, my interest in exploring more connections of all three also expands. Out of a fascination with fractals came a desire to explore the artistic nature of natural fractals, the beautiful naturally mathematical creations of nature. My goal, with this project, was to introduce an altering of the subject’s surface. I didn’t wish to totally disguise the object, but rather examine it from new perspectives, new perimeters of what the surface structure might look like, as well as combining it with color shifts. I wanted to make the viewer really take a look at the fractal object - shape, volume, line, surface and the repeating fractal patterns. My color shifts and surface alterations invite and guide the eye to rethink what it is seeing, not just broccoli florets, but actual living examples of the mathematical concept of fractals.

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, but created in reverse direction from outer edges into a central point. Some variations resembling Sinusoidal, Archimedean and Hyperbolic spirals and even an occasional pseudosphere 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 resulted from creating a circular cycle of spiraling forms. The spiral design 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 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, irregular shape and an integration of pattern and color. The end result is simultaneously geometric in its basic nature and organic in its form. This creation used over two pounds of fibers. 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.