Background

I first became fascinated by the intricate geometric details of the decorative artwork found in Medieval and Renaissance art during a trip to Europe in 1997. The Celtic tradition of knot-work in manuscripts and relief sculpture inspired me to attempt to develop my own patterns and ornamental designs for my artwork. The process of learning a craft alone is not easy. I struggled as I worked on my own to discover how I might draw a knot.

This process of learning became symbolic of the knot itself: I was trying to untie a secret which was hidden from me. As I worked on this problem, the symbol of the knot became very personal to me. It became a symbol of my struggles, my successes, and my view of life as a whole. Years later, after deciding to pursue an MFA at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, I began to think about possibilities for my MFA project.

Almost as an afterthought, I threw the idea of exploring the symbolism of the knot into the mix. Although I wasn’t sure what potential it would hold, I was still interested and intrigued at the thought of exploring something which had become connected to me. Bud Peen, my advisor at the Academy of Art University, helped me to visualize some of the possibilities, and encouraged me to pursue a route which was more artistic and more personal than the other ideas which I had presented. My fascination with knots quickly re-surfaced, and I found myself energized and excited to tackle the topic.

I found plenty of artistic freedom, and the topic challenged me to explore something with which I had developed a strong spiritual connection. The topic was perhaps unusual for a computer arts project, but it presented opportunities for me to use the computer in unique ways.