Twinrocker Paper

Last week during the arctic vortex we drove to Brookston Indiana, to visit the Twinrocker Paper Mill and store. It was a pilgrimage to see where America's most beautiful paper is made lovingly by hand one sheet at a time. Their client list has included the giants of contemporary art, such as Rauschenberg, Johns, Rosenquist, Motherwell and Dine.

©Greg Orth, Paper making room

The photo was difficult to take, as the front of the building was graced with light coming through glass block. Notice the shine on the floor. That is excess water from the paper mould after lifting out of the pulp vats. The 100 ton hydraulic press is the dark shape on the left. It presses water out of the post of couched papers.

©Greg Orth, choosing papers with Fran's help

We learned how a paper is hot pressed. It does not involve heat at all, but rather the paper is burnished between 2 pieces of metal. It makes the paper smoother, which I need for drawing.

©Greg Orth, Fran hot presses sheets of May linen for me

 Twinrocker makes many types and sizes of paper. They are recognized worldwide for their "Feather"© deckle edges - gorgeous.  I chose some smaller "Simon's Green" sheets.

©Kathleen O'Brien, Twinrocker papers

I have ordered their paper from New York Central Art Supply, but being there to feel it, see it and meet the dedicated people who make and sell it is a cherished experience.

©Kathleen O'Brien, Twinrocker papers, 100% linen, May linen, peach, lavender & Mica Rose

10, Decad, Happy Sixth Day of 2014

Following in yesterday's track, here is Decad, the nature of number.

©Kathleen O'Brien, The Mystery of Numbers, Decad, 12 x 7.5"

Decad is a Golden Rectangle.

©Kathleen O'Brien, The Mystery of Numbers, Decad, detail, square

"Based upon the appearance of the first 4 numbers all other numbers emerge. Step by step they approach the decad, or number 10. Step by step we move beyond the ordinary numerical interactions and geometric relationships and find a new beginning with the decad, the beginning of a journey into limitlessness."* Taking this square away, the next Golden Rectangle remains;

©Kathleen O'Brien, The Mystery of Numbers, Decad, detail, Golden Rectangle

©Kathleen O'Brien, The Mystery of Numbers, Decad, detail, square

The Tetraktys, an equilateral triangle made up of 10 dots,

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.     .

.     .     .

.     .     .     .

displays that the power of 10 lies in the number 4. (1+2+3+4=10) Taking this square away, the next Golden Rectangle remains;

©Kathleen O'Brien, The Mystery of Numbers, Decad, detail, Golden Rectangle

The ephemera is of Pomegranate, and the ten botanicals are little white flowers. What are your associations about ten?

*Words in Quotes are from Divine Proportion by Priya Hemenway

5, Pentad, Happy Fifth Day of 2014

Following in yesterday's track, here is Pentad, "the next level of cosmic design... symbol of life itself."*

©Kathleen O'Brien, The Mystery of Numbers, Pentad, 12 x 7.5"

Pentad is a Golden Rectangle.

©Kathleen O'Brien, The Mystery of Numbers, Pentad, detail, square

The method of construction is complicated, was kept secret until Luca Pacioli (da Vinci's teacher) published Divina proportione in 1509. Taking this square away, the next Golden Rectangle remains;

©Kathleen O'Brien, The Mystery of Numbers, Pentad, detail, Golden Rectangle

©Kathleen O'Brien, The Mystery of Numbers, Pentad, detail, square

The geometry of the Pentad is see often in nature, like the seeds of the apple, a starfish, our own hands. Taking this square away, the next Golden Rectangle remains;

©Kathleen O'Brien, The Mystery of Numbers, Pentad, detail, Golden Rectangle

The ephemera is of Forget-Me-Not, and the five botanicals are Forget-Me-Nots. What are your associations about five?

*Words in Quotes are from Divine Proportion by Priya Hemenway

4, Tetrad, Happy Fourth Day of 2014

Following in yesterday's track, here is Tetrad, which relates to 3-D volume.

©Kathleen O'Brien, The Mystery of Numbers, Tetrad, 12 x 7.5"

Dyad is a Golden Rectangle.

©Kathleen O'Brien, The Mystery of Numbers, Tetrad, detail, square

A square is formed within the vesica piscis when two lines are drawn between the two midpoints of the circles and the intersections of the vesica piscis. Taking this square away, the next Golden Rectangle remains;

©Kathleen O'Brien, The Mystery of Numbers, Tetrad, detail, Golden Rectangle

©Kathleen O'Brien, The Mystery of Numbers, Tetrad, detail, square

"Four is the first number formed by the addition and multiplication of equals (4=2+2 and 4=2x2). The square represents justice"* and the earth. Taking this square away, the next Golden Rectangle remains;

©Kathleen O'Brien, The Mystery of Numbers, Tetrad, detail, Golden Rectangle

The ephemera is of Hellebore, and the four botanicals are Lilacs. What are your associations about four?

*Words in Quotes are from Divine Proportion by Priya Hemenway

3, Triad, Happy Third Day of 2014

Following in yesterday's track, here is Triad, which relates to surface. "Three is the firstborn, the eldest number."*

©Kathleen O'Brien, The Mystery of Numbers, Triad, 12 x 7.5"

Triad is a Golden Rectangle.

©Kathleen O'Brien, The Mystery of Numbers, Triad, detail, square

"The triangle encloses the smallest arena within the greatest perimeter. It is the initial shape to emerge from the vesica piscis"*, created by joining the two points of the line with the upper intersection of the vesica piscis. Taking this square away, the next Golden Rectangle remains;

©Kathleen O'Brien, The Mystery of Numbers, Triad, detail, Golden Rectangle

©Kathleen O'Brien, The Mystery of Numbers, Triad, detail, square

"Ancient mathematical philosophers referred to the triad as prudence, wisdom, piety, friendship, peace, harmony, a statement about relationship and balance. Trinity is the preeminent symbol of divinity."* Taking this square away, the next Golden Rectangle remains;

©Kathleen O'Brien, The Mystery of Numbers, Triad, detail, Golden Rectangle

The ephemera is of pineapple, and the three botanicals are Larkspur petals. What are your associations about three?

*Words in Quotes are from Divine Proportion by Priya Hemenway

2, Dyad & Happy Second Day of 2014

Following in yesterday's track, here is Dyad, which relates to line. "One and two are the parents of all other numbers."*

©Kathleen O'Brien, The Mystery of Numbers, Dyad, 12 x 7.5"

Dyad is a Golden Rectangle.

©Kathleen O'Brien, The Mystery of Numbers, Dyad, detail, square

From the center of the first circle one finds the center of the second, between which is a line. The shared space is the vesica piscis. "Duality, polarity, simultaneously divides and unites, repels and attracts, separates and returns."*  Taking this square away, the next Golden Rectangle remains;

©Kathleen O'Brien, The Mystery of Numbers, Dyad, detail, Golden Rectangle

©Kathleen O'Brien, The Mystery of Numbers, Dyad, detail, square

"Two reveals itself as the door between the One and the many, between Monad and all other numbers."* Taking this square away, the next Golden Rectangle remains;

©Kathleen O'Brien, The Mystery of Numbers, Dyad, detail, Golden Rectangle

The ephemera is of sesame, and the two botanicals are Clary Sage petals. What are your associations about two?
*Words in Quotes are from Divine Proportion by Priya Hemenway

1, Monad & Happy First Day of 2014

Thanks to my dear friend Kitty who said of The Mystery of Numbers, "I bet it would be fun to study these in depth discovering all kinds of hidden messages and mysteries of numbers." She started me thinking of how I could create details of this Multiple that is premiering tomorrow at Community Art Center in Danville. People often ask me about the Golden Rectangle and Golden Proportion I use in my art. So I thought I would break it down showing each one on the next 5 days.

©Kathleen O'Brien, The Mystery of Numbers, Monad, 12 x 7.5"

Monad is a Golden Rectangle. One relates to point.

©Kathleen O'Brien, The Mystery of Numbers, Monad, detail, square

"Nothing exists with out a center around which it revolves. The center is the source. The circle encloses the greatest area within the smallest perimeter."* Taking this square away, the next Golden Rectangle remains;

©Kathleen O'Brien, The Mystery of Numbers, Monad, detail, Golden Rectangle

©Kathleen O'Brien, The Mystery of Numbers, Monad, detail, square

"The first, the seed, the essence, the builder, the foundation, unity. Any number when multiplied by one remains itself."* Taking this square away, the next Golden Rectangle remains;

©Kathleen O'Brien, The Mystery of Numbers, Monad, detail, Golden Rectangle

From a hundred year old encyclopedia I chose botanicals, here a one petaled flower, above, one rose petal in the circle.

I would be interested  to hear what associations you have with the number one.

*Words in Quotes are from Divine Proportion by Priya Hemenway