Friday, August 13, 2010

Crocheting Adventures with Hyperbolic Planes



We went to hear and see the artist and mathematician, Daina Taimina at a Talk & Book Signing. She delivered a fascinating presentation at the Lion Brand Yarn Studio on West 15th Street NYC.






We were invited to "Enter the amazing world of Hyperbolic Crochet. Come be inspired with the sculptural beauty of what a little yarn & a little math can create."


Daina Taimina: “I thought if something can be made out of paper, it can also be crocheted, so I made my first crocheted hyperbolic planes in June 1997 by increasing stitches in constant ratio – after every two stitches I did an increase by one stitch. The number of stitches in each row grew exponentially, so after finishing my first small, very ruffled one I realized that to explore the hyperbolic plane I have to change the ratio of increase.”

The Land and the Sea

Her work is quite beautiful. In addition to illustrating the mathematical concept, these hyperbolic creations are just a pleasure to regard. I love the colors of this one, and the way she placed it in a nature setting.

Cairns

Birch bark from the Adirondack forest, pebbles from the beach at Blue Mountain Lake, glass beads and a crocheted cairn and crocheted growth of some kind. Combo Cairns!

Friday, August 6, 2010

Cairns for my mushroom creations




A cairn is an intentionally laid pile of rocks, carefully stacked without mortar (but with hot glue guns!). Cairns are thought to have some meanings associated with marking property ownership or control, such as a landmark, a territorial marker, or a grave marker. Or the meaning can be purely aesthetic, created merely for the sake of beauty.
... some of this info from http://archaeology.about.com

Long Lake items collected for compilation creations to be considered back in New York City

Camera case goes with my new shoulder bag