Doug Craft: Artist Statement

There is a perfection and unity of form in nature that I believe represents fundamental aesthetic beauty.  Nature is sublimely organized from the subatomic to the cosmic scale following the mathematics of fractional symmetry (fractals), self similarity, and the Golden Ratio.  For example, adjacent bones in your fingers, adjacent chambers in the shell of a chambered nautilus, and the positions of the features on your face are all scaled according to the Golden Ratio.  Golden Ratio proportioned branching is seen in microscopic crystals, bird feathers, and trees.  The same forms also appear at vastly different size scales in nature: the structural model of the atom is repeated at the solar system and galactic scale, and many microscopic and satellite images are very similar in appearance.

In addition to appearing as a proportion throughout nature, the Golden Ratio has been recognized and used as a formal element by artists throughout the ages.  My collage, photography, and painting continues the ancient tradition of appreciation for this universal geometry with forms based on the Golden Rectangle (aspect ratio of 1: 1.618), overlapping Golden Rectangles (square root of 5 rectangles, aspect ratio 1: 2.236), and other combinations of proportional squares and Golden Rectangles.

My work juxtaposes Golden Proportional images of nature from several levels of magnification, from the microscopic to the cosmic, applying the concept of a Collage of Backgrounds.  These abstract natural images are actually representational and obey the same geometric and mathematical laws of form that are similar at all scales of enlargement.  This combination of micro, macro, landscape, and planetary scaled images in Golden Ratios dramatically underscores the unity of fractal forms in nature.  Further, my work suggests that formal beauty in art is based on a recognition and emulation of universal structure, and that abstraction and realism are part of the same underlying process.

During the past 10 years, I have been consistently productive, creating a large body of work (>1,500 images) that is posted and updated regularly here on my website.   My most recent work has included a large body of 600 new microphotos of chemical crystals, geological thin sections, butterfly wings, and other biological specimens; a new series of 50 mathematical fractals; new Golden Rectangle panorama and landscape photographs, a series of 84 collages, The Elements in Golden Ratio, based on the classical elements earth, air, fire and water; 185 macrophotos; 68 experimental photographs; a series of 20 framed photomontages constructed using microphotographs, experimental photographs, macrophotographs, and landscapes. I have participated in several recent art exhibitions, and organized an exhibition of collaborative paintings, Sacred Geometry 2003, that involved the creation of five collaged Golden Rectangle paintings with four other Denver artists.

Thanks for taking the time to view my work. I am currently arranging and promoting my own exhibitions, but would welcome inquiries regarding gallery representation or licensing of specific artwork. Gallery owners, curators, art brokers, and potential patrons may request this website on a CD-ROM for more leisurely offline viewing. Contact me if you have questions concerning my work or are interested in purchase details.

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