"Fibonacci Poem"

"Pryamids"

"Phi"

"Fibonacci Poem" - Color Version

"Pyramids" - Color Version

"Phi" - Color Version

Artist Statement

“Phi” is the ninth in a series of compositions to be developed for my thesis and by far the most complex of the concepts that I have explored this semester and yet the most fascinating. How does one go about explaining a number that encompasses so much of life around us; it is found in art, music, architecture, poetry, anatomy, religion and science. We know it as the Greek symbol Φ with it mathematical calculation being 1.61803. How can such a number have such an impact on so much? It is the Divine Proportion, the Golden Proportion, the Golden Mean, and the Golden Ratio.

According to Golden Number.net the description of this proportion as Golden and Divine is fitting perhaps because it is seen by many to open the door to a deeper understanding of beauty and spirituality in life. That's an incredible role for a single number to play, but then again this one number has played an incredible role in human history and in the universe at large.

The compositions that emerged this week are clearly in my blue phase but the colors feel right. An explanation for the original poem that I wrote; it is a Fibonacci derived poem, therefore in Divine Proportion, where the first line is a single syllable, the next single…add the two lines together to get the syllable count for the third line which is 2. The number breakdown is as follows: 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, and 34. I feel very exposed by this poem for it reveals what I go through with this life threatening illness on a day to day basis; it is simply my truth and it is what came forward this week. Life changes when you are faced with your mortality but I am truly blessed for it has changed who I am and because of it I am on this amazing exploration into Divine Proportion.

Works Cited:

AU. “Phi for Neo-phi-tes.” Golden Number.net(2007) http://goldennumber.net/neophite.htm

Hemenway, Priya. Divine Proportions: Phi In Art, Nature, and Science. 1st. New York: Sterling Publishing Co., Inc., 2005.

More Previous Work

This work was produced during my first studio class; the beginning of this journey.

Thesis - Outline

Thesis Chapter Outline

Abstract

Table of Contents

Introduction

Chapter I – Compendium of Research Methods
· Analytical and descriptive

Chapter II – Overview of the Divine Proportions
· What is Divine Proportions?
· Historical perspective
· Impact of Divine Proportions in Art and Achitecture
· Examples of Artisans that were influenced by Divine Proportions

Chapter III – Overview of the Principles of Gestalt
· What are the Principles of Gestalt?
Break out and explain Gestalt concepts: proximity, similarity, closure, continuation, figure/ground, symmetry, simplicity, repetition and motion illusion
· How do they factor into design?

Chapter IV – Overview of Jung’s Collective Unconscious
· Background information on Carl Jung
· What is Jung’s Collective Unconscious?
· How does this concept factor into the idea of perception?

Chapter V – Overview of the Eye
· How does the eye perceive?
· Perceiving optical illustions

Chapter VI – Research Procedures
· Explanation of the Myers Briggs Type Indicator
· Layout what is being measured and how it will be measured
qualitative research to determine how individuals perceive
quantitative research to measure the results.
· Background information on Thematic Apperception Test (TAT)

Chapter VII – Presentation and Analysis of Evidence
· Detailed explanation of the art project
· Defense of the art project

Chapter VIII – Conclusions
· Summary, and Presentation of Information to the Industry

Notes: For footnoted entries in document

Figure Table: For visuals and placed art examples.

Bibliography: Work cited and sources.

Previous Work - Mandalas

"Quiet/Mind"

"Knowledge/Wisdom"

"Reality/Believe"

"Truth/Conviction"

"Silence/Soul"

"Change/Inside"

"Healing/Within"

"Meditate"

"Listen/Silence"

"Breathe/Alive"

These compositions were created in my illustration class. All illustrations are hand drawn in Adobe Illustrator and are intended to be printed in large format up to six feet. Patterns seem to be the common theme for my studies during graduate school.

Revised Visuals - Spiral

"The Atom, Shell and Galaxy1"

"Triskele Fern1"

"DNA1"

"The Atom, Shell and Galaxy1" - Color Version

"Triskele Fern1" - Color Version

"DNA1" - Color Version

Strange week with strange reactions to my compositions but that was expected. I look at this as an exploration and the bottom line it is all about perception and patterns. I did revise all three of the compositions shifting the balance of the pieces. I feel that these work better now.

Visuals - Spiral

"The Atom, Shell and Galaxy"

"Triskele Fern"

"DNA"

"The Atom, Shell and Galaxy" - Color version

"Triskele Fern" - Color version

"DNA" - Color version

Artist Statement

“Spiral” is the eighth in a series of compositions to be developed for my thesis. According to Priya Hemenway:

The spiral, an essential tool in nature’s palate has long been regarded as one of the most significant. Spirals are everywhere. From embryos to galaxies, the spiral offers what is perhaps one of nature’s most dynamic proportionate messages in that it arises out of the reconciliation of opposites, harmonious and unaligned. It is the middle way, the path of least resistance, never leaning too far in one direction or the other but always finding perfect balance. (Hemenway, 129)

Nature, the mysterious forces that creates the world we live in, is an experience of such beauty and amazing complexity that it is simply astonishing to stumble across patterns that we can recognize and reduce to numbers and written rules. And yet it happens. As we peer deeply into the smallest parts of what makes up the whole, we find endless reflections of a proportion that describes so perfectly our place in it all; of perfect harmony of dynamics and balance, of known and unknown, of who we are and what possibilities we hold.

~Man was designed for accomplishment, engineered for success, and endowed with the seeds of greatness~ Zig Ziglar

Strange compositions revealed themselves for this week but as always I went with what was being presented to me. So many images flitted through my head as possibilities; hurricanes, rod iron curly cues, galaxies, shells and of course dna and the atom. It will be interesting to see how people react to these.

Works Cited:

Hemenway, Priya. Divine Proportions: Phi In Art, Nature, and Science. 1st. New York: Sterling Publishing Co., Inc., 2005.

Visuals - Symmetry/Balance

"Building"

"Art"

"Flower"

"Building" - Color version

"Art" - Color version

"Flower" - Color version

Artist Statement

“Symmetry/Balance” is the seventh in a series of compositions to be developed for my thesis. According to Bruce Rawles:

In nature, we find patterns, designs and structures from the most minuscule particles, to expressions of life discernible by human eyes, to the greater cosmos. These inevitably follow geometrical archetypes, which reveal to us the nature of each form and its vibrational resonances. They are also symbolic of the underlying metaphysical principle of the inseparable relationship of the part to the whole. It is this principle of oneness underlying all geometry that permeates the architecture of all form in its myriad diversity. This principle of interconnectedness, inseparability and union provides us with a continuous reminder of our relationship to the whole; a blueprint for the mind to the sacred foundation of all things created. (Sacred Geometry)

Again as I delve further into my thesis topic I find myself not lacking for ideas. On some level I need to explore this topic to expand it even more to include the concept of asymmetry too.

Works Cited:

Rawles, Bruce. “Introduction to Sacred Geometry” Sacred Geometry.com (DU) .

Visuals - Optical Illusion

"Tower"

"Nautilus"

"Shapes2"

"Tower"- Color version

"Nautilus" - Color version

"Shapes2" - Color version

Artist Statement

“Optical Illusion” is the sixth in a series of compositions to be developed for my thesis. In reality I was to explore Anomalous Motion illusion but found myself instead looking at other types of optical illusions. Anomalous Motion illusion is characterized by anomalous motion that can be observed in peripheral vision. I have the one that I created at the start of the course but the others do not move. This week was a challenge but one that I gladly faced. I have a wide range of illusions and plan to continue this exploration into this specific topic as I progress through my studio classes.

Again the compositions are an exploration into grunge and retro though I did have to step a little away from that so that there was not too much competition with the illusions. Upon completion of the body of work it is my intentions to have people view the compositions to see how they perceive them. All compositions will be presented in grayscale since color plays too big of a role in influencing the viewer though there will be a gallery that will show the colored version for those that are curious. I have not lacked for ideas this week and I can see Divine Proportion appearing in my work now; it will be interesting to tie it all together. I had the good fortune to show some of these pieces to some new viewers and had nothing but favorable feedback and interesting insights into my compositions.

Works Cited:

AU. “Gestalt” Dictionary.com (2008) .

Visuals - Figure/Ground

"Stonehenge"

"M"

"Leaf"

"Cup"

"Stonehenge" - Color version

"M" - Color version

"Leaf" - Color version

"Cup" - Color version

Artist Statement

“Figure/Ground” is the fifth in a series of compositions to be developed for my thesis. The Gestalt principle of figure/ground is based on our ability to discern a foreground object from its background. The compositions are an exploration into grunge and retro; the idea is to use shapes, textures and colors to covey this principle of figure/ground; the object is to see that the viewer sees the defined object in each composition. Upon completion of the body of work it is my intention to have people view the compositions to see how they perceive them. All compositions will be presented in grayscale since color plays too big of a role in influencing the viewer though there will be a gallery that will show the colored version for those that are curious.

I have not lacked for ideas this week and it is interesting to see how the Gestalt principles factor into design. It will be fascinating to see how it is when I start exploring the Golden Ratio aka Divine Proportions. I will be pulling all of the pieces together to date and see how they all work with each other and posting that for your viewing pleasure – coming soon.

Works Cited:

AU. “Gestalt” Dictionary.com (2008) .