Natural Beauties
“Natural Beauties” explores the relationships between art, nature, math, and digital vs. physical spaces.
Each piece in the series is a part generative art, part painting and is accompanied by an interactive program.
This collection of “natural beauties” is both a digital and physical work. For each piece, mathematical algorithms that are found in nature are used to programmatically generate representations of these natural phenomenon. The results were then taken and drawn with a pen plotter and then painted over using watercolor and gouache.

A comparison of the gouache painting for “flowers” (right) and a test pen plot of the generative art component (left)
Each piece is accompanied by a site you can visit to explore the results of these algorithms, and try to match the pieces yourself.
These works explore dichotomies. Math versus nature, digital versus physical, rigid mediums versus fluid mediums, computer versus artist. Just as math can be found in organic structures, natural beauty can be found through programmatic art. Some believe that digital art, especially generative art, removes the artist from the equation. “Natural Beauties” challenges this and asks the question: Does the presence of the computer exclude an artistic presence any more than math excludes a divine presence?
To explore the interactive elements, please visit the Natural Beauties site.
The natural beauties site is currently undergoing updates. Thank you for your patience.
Natural Beauties was on display at the Golden Thread Gallery in Belfast in November 2022.