Monday 13 August 2012

rust and ferrous snowflakes ....

This morning I braved the cold winds and chill to plant some hydrangeas in front of the studio.  Somewhat distracted,  I looked into the two plastic containers that had held caustic soda and ferrous solution for my rusting some time ago.  The trays had dried out and formed these glorious artworks in the base of each tray.  The first few photos were taken in situ - beautiful marks resembling snowflakes, and snow drifts.  The magic happened then as I turned, tray in hand, towards the sun and the light came up underneath the plastic trays and caused this breathtaking illumination.  Wish I could take the credit - but nature has a way of trumping even our most ambitious ideas.











And here comes the sun beneath ......... other than the natural light,  the photographs have not been manipulated in any other way.








































Many years ago I watched a programme on SBS television on Fractal Geometry and the Mandelbrot Set in particular. I was totally absorbed by the patterns created when a particular mathematical equation was entered into the computer (this was impossible to do prior to computer capabilities), each variable answer was given a different colour and the computer took this information, extrapolated the results and translated them as ever repeating coloured patterns - the more closely you zoomed in on one area, the same pattern was shown to repeat and this went on infinitely.  Of course I am not really explaining this in any adequate manner - you need a mathematician to do that and a superior brain to follow it all.  As an artist though, I was totally transfixed by the gorgeous patterns growing and repeating on the screen - resembling paisley patterns and beautiful mandalas which we have used in artwork over the centuries.  

If you look at the marks often left on the sand as the tide recedes you will see arms with protrusions, and on each of those protrusions more similar patterns occur.  It is completely fascinating.  If you have any interest in trying to understand what I am talking about just google fractal geometry and the Mandelbrot Set and there is a wealth of information and a you tube video to watch.  It is really well worth it.

Why am I writing about this?  Well - I see the same patterns arising here in the dried out chemical solutions. It reminded me so much of this programme on fractals.  Did any one else out there watch it?
I hope so - and if not, head to google!

14 comments:

  1. ahhh theses are fantastic! (I haven't seen the program you've mentioned but I have seen bits and pieces on fractals and find the subject totally absorbing....)

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    1. It is strange how so many of us can respond so eagerly to images of rust, decay, patterns etc. Wonderful when nature puts up gifts like that for us. Have a look at the mathematics behind fractal geometry Ronnie. Really fascinating ...

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  2. What a delightful gift from Mother Nature! I oohed and aahed over each photo...especially those with the sun working its magic...and was reminded of the patterns in sand left by the receding tide on a trip a couple of years ago. Then I read on and wouldn't you know...you'd written about it! Haven't watched or read about fractals, but just might have to now.

    Thanks for sharing the photos. They're amazing!

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    1. I went out wandering around Google and Fractals after posting this ...... good fun. If you ever manage for find the television programme on Fractals with the mathematicians and physicists it is well worth having a copy. You will be enthralled. I watched about six times - and still most of it went through to the keeper. The visual elements hung tight and will be in my minds eye forever.

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  3. I always knew there would be rewards for NOT cleaning up after myself! Laugh. Aren't they just stunning? Gorgeous.

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    1. Yep- when I re visit my posts and comments I find it is very often the dregs, the paint stains, the happenstance that draws most comment! Not sure what this says about my artwork!!

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  4. Susan....most fascinating! Gorgeous color and pattern (you have some claim to the color, certainly!) in each photo is amazing. I only know a fraction about fractals, but it is such an interesting notion....especially how mathematics underlies everything. I wish I had more of a scientific side to better grasp it all. Thanks for sharing your find....and FIona's right...what a reward for not cleaning up!! Cheers!

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    1. Maybe I should never clean up behind myself ... looking through my posts I see ones of paint dregs dried in the bottom of containers, paint stains, marks made from drying rusting sheets of paper ...... all very beautiful in their own right. At least with photography we can capture the momentary gifts that either nature, or our lack of cleaning gift us before the moment changes, or we clean up!

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  5. What beautiful finds and gorgeous pictures too! Jennifer is right, Mother Nature gave you a gift.

    I spent four full years working with fractals till I finally felt I needed to go less virtual and much more physical with my work. You don't really need to understand the mathematics (I don't), just lots of patience and interest to play with a fractal-generating programme. I still have my fractal site up: http://www.wix.com/fractaline/dot

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    1. Don't you jsut love it that like minded people can look at those images and see their beauty and the rest, the vast majority, of people only see the scum at the bottom of the dish .....
      I love that you know about Fractals Ersi. I loved realising that there were mathematicians out there not only wanting to describe mathematically a cube, or prism, but that sought to find equations which could describe the shape of trees and other natural phenomena. I am fascinated by your work with fractals and am so disappointed that I don't speak Spanish so that I could watch your video interview and hear what you had to say about arriving at your artwork. Did you just run with the idea conceptually or did you actually use the mathematics and colour assignation technique to draw out these images? Thank you for you comment and for sharing you work on fractals.

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  6. S- what a stunning find and I just love the detail you captured - nature inspired etching coming up? B

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  7. Thanks Barry. I think nature does it better ...... :-)

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  8. Amazing how these chemicals turned into crystals and snowflakes and mimic real nature... I see the fractal influences in the images in your more recent post.

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  9. Susan, these images are spectacular - yes, Mother Nature sure is the greatest artist of all. I have been familiar with the Mandlebrot Set for a while now but this is the best and most enticing example I have seen 'in the flesh' - much better than computer generated examples. What will you do with the pics? N XX

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I appreciate your comments - thank you!