2013 Joint Mathematics Meetings

Gabriele Meyer

Artists

Gabriele Meyer

Senior Lecturer Emerita

University of Wisconsin, Madison

Madison, Wisconsin, USA

gemeyer60@gmail.com

https://people.math.wisc.edu/~gemeyer/

Statement

My work deals with curves, curved surfaces, and hyperbolic surfaces. I do lino prints, paint and crochet. My work is inspired by the sea shells I found as a child in many happy summer vacations with my parents and brothers on the German North Sea coast. And it is also inspired by the mathematics I studied as a young person and have worked with ever since. Seeing the beautiful curves and surfaces that are the object of so much of mathematics has been a great motivator for my studies, my work and it makes me personally happy. I always loved art and I am happy to be able to combine it with my work.

Artworks

Image for entry 'white hyperbolic disk'

white hyperbolic disk

20"x17"x17"

polyester yarn and shaped line

2012

I started crocheting 5 years ago as my eldest child went off to college. That's when I saw Daina Taimina's crocheted surfaces. My surfaces have come a long way since then. This started out as a white disk crocheted in a spiral fashion. By making more than the necessary stitches, it takes on this characteristic wavy form. The hyperbolic disk is the most basic form of a hyperbolic surface, other possible shapes include blossoms and algae. I particularly like the play of light and shadow on this hyperbolic surface. That's the reason why I made this one just pure white. The holes created by double and triple stitches allow further light and shadow play.