adam
what does this button do?
today’s class homework
metatronic artwork
how can multiple lines pass through the centers of polyhedra and form a knot, so that each face is identical?
dead temple visions 23X-tile
This is a wall tile recovered from the excavated temple. The room was a small enclosed space with no windows to the outside. The gas lamps we were using revealed the dimensional texture of the tiles. A relevant offering was placed in its stead upon removal. This pattern tiles a plane divided by either triangles…
surface-tiling curves
semi-technical description and examples of a new way to use space-filling curves
negative single twist component (deconstructed print)
a site-specific, multilayered print based off of other artwork
rana viam
a way to visualize overwhelming choices
surface-tiling curve hex band
band composed of surface-tiling curve segments
partial dimensions
a collection of several works from previous knot theories shows
cube sliced by surface-tiling curve
mirrored nets make interlocking cube fragments
kaanp april 2023
Probably despite his better judgment, Thomas Zachary has once again invited me to appear on his podcast, The Knoxville Area Artist Networking Platform, a.k.a. the KAANP. Listen as he, cloverfinearts, and I destroy pieces of our own art, practice ephemerality awareness, make fart noises, and discuss Batman. Oh, we talk about art too. For reference,…
Pool of the Black Star video
short film to accompany music by KillDry
knot theories iii
Geometric and abstractive works in metal sculpture, painting, woodworking, papercraft and other media illustrate basic principles of topology and tiling.
axonometric tiles
Lattices of three different colors intersect over a field of triangles. The large hexagon contains the basic unit for the pattern, made up of transformed copies.
double quad knot
Two knots based on 90° radial symmetry intertwine. The same material (steel) is heat treated with different processes to create two different colors.
cistercian counting bands
Listing bands with odd and even numbers of twists
negative single twist components
A helix and a hexahedron are both composed from a single component, a negative single twist knot.
double tri unicursal knot
Rotated copies of two identical outlined knots weave together.
infinity knots
Five knots are bent into the shape of a larger knot, the symbol for infinity.
perspective hex
Eight knotted hexagons cover the surface of a cube in a pattern which is identical on each face of the solid.
branching unknot
Two unknots are arranged vertically above a charred wood base. The shape of the metal makes self-supporting convex and concave arrangements possible.
multi-dimensional hex knots
Two sets of interlocked hexagonal rings traverse three color fields.
woven tile hexahedron
Copies of a single metal tile are woven together to form a cube with a concave vertex.
isometric hexagonal lattice
A three-hexagon structure repeats to form a lattice made of knots.
metatronic solid face (hexahedron)
A single shape shows four negative paths curving around the center where they would otherwise intersect.
penta angle swirl
A unicursal decagonal star intersects five chained quadrilaterals. The chain gives the impression of a five-pointed star.
isometric hex knot
Outlined knot segments are inlaid with copper wire. Each segment follows a path which eventually returns to its origin.
unicursal polygonal tercet
Stippled paint creates a unicursal knot design. The aggregation of dots suggests straight lines not present in the artwork. This single component is connected end to end with two rotated copies to create the knot. Doubling the individual segments of the knot design does not disrupt the over / under pattern that knot diagrams have.
hadassah 5783
lattice knot detail in cut paper
cusp
14 short pieces for traditional and electronic instruments
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artist statement
Motivation / Goals Identifying a challenge For me, making a new artwork begins with a question I don’t immediately know the answer to. It ends with the artwork as the proof that the answer I came up with is true. The middle part, figuring it out, is often more time consuming than shaping the actual…
tri unknot
A line broken by an inner negative space rotates to form an unknot, a continuous line with no overlapping. The component used as the basis for this piece, as well as the resulting structure, can be unraveled to form a loop. Tri Unknot was on display at the McGhee Tyson Airport (TYS) in 2023.
tri unicursal knot
A unicursal line is inlaid in copper on the face of a hollow truncated tetrahedron. The knot creates a cognitive visual illusion of three shapes versus two. The illusion that there are sort of 3 shapes but only really 1 is something I like about this one.
layered multi polygon knot
A group of three similar polygons rotate to form a knot. Multiple glass layers show colors, the knot itself, and a faint outline.
metatronic solid (hexahedron)
Four lines make a reversed knot pattern covering all faces of a hexahedron, regardless of rotation (this same pattern can tile a plane).
unicursal hex knot
A self-intersecting line rotates to create a hexagonal shape. The line can be followed from any point all the way around to loop back to its beginning. This was another experiment involving cut paper on charred wood. My first attempt at realizing this design was with wire in encaustic medium, shown here. Even though it…
tri angle polygonal knot
A parallelogram and a triangular line rotate to create an overall triangular shape.
lattice tile
One component of an interlocking tile extends its connectors and uses color variations to imply depth and an isometric perspective. Stained veneer is inlaid in a wood background. This piece involves a bit of experimentation with an isometric knot. The interlocking square shapes require more than one color to give the effect that they are…
knot tiling triangle-faced polyhedra
A single shape tiles the faces of all three equilateral triangle-faced regular polyhedra with knots.
exploded hexahedron tiled with a plane-filling curve
A single line bisects a hollow cube into two mirrored sections.
tile hexahedron
A shape with interlocking edges tiles a plane. The edges of these planes bend to form a hexahedron.
scale tile listing band
Twenty-three identical scales are tied together in a continuous loop representing a non-orientable surface. A pattern of accented hexagons covers interlocking segments which twist and bend in an infinite knot.
Pool of the Black Star album art
album art and some extras for guitar duo KillDry
knot theories ii
A collection of artworks further exploring the use of repeated, simple shapes and lines translated or rotated to create complexity in a knot design.
unicursal spiral tercet
Intersecting spirals become one line. The line can be traced from any point back to its origin.
KAANP March 2021
Here I am on a podcast talking about art and music. It’s proof that I can ramble on for at least an hour. Thanks to Thomas Zachary for asking me to do this. The artwork I’m talking the most about can be seen on the Knot Theories page.
knot theories
Using a formalized system of knot creation, the artwork here represents knots in multiple “in-between” dimensions in three categories, each based on a partial dimension.
chatoyant tercet knot
the quintessential knot
triple knot listing band
three braided knots as a listing band
translucent listing band slice stack
stacked slices of an image
collapsible scale listing band (deconstructed)
deconstructed listing band segment
reversed metatronic solid (hexahedron)
how to create a piece of art that you can see from all angles?
metatronic solid faces
isolated polyhedra faces
metatronic solid (tetrahedron)
Three lines make a reversed knot pattern covering all faces of a tetrahedron, regardless of rotation (this same pattern can tile a plane).
tercet chain knot
copper knot inlaid in wood
self-intersecting tercet knots with encompassment
Three triangular twists are abound together by an encompassing shape echoing the group’s perimeter. The way the paper is cut and overlapped gives the illusion that each of the four main components are made of single pieces of paper. You have to cheat a little to give the illusion of self-intersecting lines made out of a…
encompassed unicursal tercet knot
A hexagonal ring bound to another triply-twisted ring is suspended vertically.
projected isometric tercet knot
This is a double-lined, triple-component knot based on an isometric grid. The rules of knot making are slightly bent with the double line, but half the fun of making your own system is breaking its rules. It is “projected” is because its construction uses small wooden dowels to lift the individual pieces above the surface.…
unicursal pentad knot
Follow the (implied) line with your eye. The line is unicursal, meaning there’s only one line. At first you might be tempted to assume there are five sections, and of course there are, but the radial symmetry is just a property of this particular line. These are probably the most difficult knots to design because…
tercet knot progression with self-similar encompassment
knots entangled with smaller versions of themselves
crest
pandemic long-distance collaboration for piano, clarinet, flute, marimba, guitar, and synthesizers
axonometric scale listing band
repeated, interlocking shapes forming a Listing band
interlocking panel box
an attempt at making a box with identical interlocking panels
tile: 6-12-15-24-30 (x3)
straight up permutative counterpoint
knot: legend three
15 movement instrumental journey for chamber ensemble
student work
artwork completed long ago