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Scientists studying the behavior of complex and chaotic
systems have advanced the theory that there is
such a thing as “order for free," that is, Neo-Darwinian
evolution can bring a degree of order out of
chaos. The term “Sacred Science” has been used to describe
this phenomenon.
As a former scientist, I find these ideas fascinating and I
am particularly intrigued by the thought that
creativity lies at the “edge of chaos”. While there is a
human urge towards order and there is a kind of
beauty in it, its very static nature tends toward tedium. A
transition into a more random state carries an
opportunity for a different, maybe more exciting form to
emerge.
All my work, whether carving New Mexico travertine, working
clay over steel, or making monotypes, has
involved materials that have an element of random
unpredictability. Forcing chaos by using these
techniques has been a good strategy. It has helped me let my
imagination run more freely than my years
as a scientist have tended to allow.
My enjoyment in making art is based on this process. Relying
heavily on intuition to bring a measure of
order, without sacrificing mystery, to each piece, I hope to
occasionally obtain a satisfying result. |
