Robert Fathauer
"Fractal Knots No. 1"
Digital print, 12" x 12", 2006
This print was created by applying overlapping-strand graphics to individual tiles in a fractal tiling. The strands are designed to match up both in location and width when smaller tiles abut larger ones in edge-to-edge fashion. This results in a fractal links design. I.e., the design consists of an infinite number of strands. In the rendered versions shown here, the tiles themselves are not visible, leaving only the strands.
"Infinity"
Digital print, 12" x 12", 2006
This print is based on a unicursal fractal knot. The starting point is a particular projection of the trefoil knot. The knot is then iterated by incorporating two smaller copies within loops in the starting knot in such a way that the resulting more complex knot remains unicursal. Additional iterations using the same algorithm yield a fractal knot.
Robert Fathauer
Small business owner, puzzle designer, and artist, Tessellations Company
Statement about his art:
"Robert Fathauer makes limited-edition prints inspired by tiling and fractals. He employs mathematics in his art to express his fascination with certain aspects of our world, such as symmetry, complexity, chaos, and infinity. His artworks are created on a Macintosh computer, primarily using the commercial programs FreeHand and Photoshop. In the past, he has transferred these designs to paper by hand to create serigraphs and woodcuts. More recently, he has had digital files printed directly on photographic paper. This latter technique allows a greater level of fine detail, required by the small features of fractals."