Bridges 2026 Exhibition of Mathematical Art, Craft, and Design

Melissa Schumacher

Artists

Melissa Schumacher

artist

Olympia, Washington, USA

View exhibition history

Statement

I have had lifelong interests in math, art, and mixing them together. I have degrees in science and liberal arts, and I’ve taught high school math. I especially enjoy fiber arts like crochet and quilting, which also let me interact with mathematical objects in a tactile way. I enjoy exploring combinations of simple components and rules to see what patterns emerge, as in these two quilts. Mathematical tilings of solid-colored shapes can create beautiful and complex art, but a lot less attention has been given to tiles that themselves have patterns on them. I was inspired to make these quilts by my dad, Vince Schumacher, who creates digital art from photographic tilings.

Artworks

Image for entry 'Two Angles on Penrose Tilings'

Two Angles on Penrose Tilings

100.0 x 45.0 cm

cloth

2026

These two quilts are Penrose tilings of rhombuses. Both use the same fabric and are assembled in the same way. The only difference is the angle of the stripes on the fabric. In one quilt, the stripes on each rhombus are parallel to two of its edges; in the other, the stripes pass through two opposite corners of the rhombus. When the tiles are sewn together, the stripes connect to form two different patterns. The technique I used is English paper piecing, which is an easy way of making complex quilts from small geometric shapes. I wanted to explore the results of using patterned fabric to make tilings. It was interesting to watch a larger pattern emerge as the fabric pieces were assembled, and the stripes connected in surprising ways.