I was so pleased to learn that our former member Mary Taylor has a piece in this years Quilt National. The glow and inner beauty of this piece led me to want to learn more about it so I've written to Mary.
This piece continues her interest in fractals as a source for her imagery.
She told me that typically “First I set the parameters for a computer app, to generate fractal images. Then I select a suitable image, correct it and render it into a jpeg, this usually takes 2 to 3 hours. The next step is to take the jpeg into an Photoshop, where it will be turned into the final image . Then this image is sent to be digitally printed on cotton or other fabrics. Finally it is stitched and finished.”
Mary also says that “Fractals are complex geometric formulae. Mathematicians have speculated about them for a very long time but until computers became widespread they lacked the tools to visualize the formulae. I am not a mathematician but I find the patterns fascinating. They can be found throughout nature, in fern fronds, lightning, tree branches, the shoreline of England, snail shells. Fractals are called
fractured geometry or the geometry of nature. The Wikipedia explanation takes 18 pages.”
I loved seeing this piece and was prompted to think of the beautiful symbolic works of Hilma af Klimpt https://hilmaafklint.se/selected-works/ whose works I enjoyed at the Guggenhiem show 20198-19. The symmetry, delicacy of color and transparent illusion of depth prompted my memory of the show.
