2012 Joint Mathematics Meetings
Debra Hydorn
Artists
Debra L. Hydorn
Professor of Mathematics
University of Mary Washington
Fredericksburg, Virginia, USA
Statement
I teach a first-year seminar on the geometry in art and started exploring the use of Geometer's Sketchpad as a tool for students to use for their course projects. I found that even very simple manipulations can produce interesting results and that within a piece created through a structured process unexpected patterns and randomness can emerge. These explorations have been very enjoyable for me and have provided an unexpected creative outlet. I hope that using mathematics to create art will help my students to see mathematics in a new way
Artworks
![Image for entry 'Pinwheel'](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fsubmit.bridgesmathart.org%2Frails%2Factive_storage%2Fblobs%2Fproxy%2FeyJfcmFpbHMiOnsiZGF0YSI6ODE3OCwicHVyIjoiYmxvYl9pZCJ9fQ%3D%3D--6e56f441b1ba2007d6718ecbec85fbfac3678a6c%2Fpinwheel.jpg&w=1536&q=75)
Pinwheel
12 inches by 12 inches
Digital print
2011
We study the point, line and plane groups in my first year seminar so I am very interested to see what results are possible when the isometries are used to create forms in these groups. This work began as a pinwheel made from 8 overlapping squares that was then rotated around one of the vertices and then rotated again.