What Happens …

What happens when the best minds in the arts and sciences come together for a conversation? What collaborations might result? Why do conversations bring artists and scientists closer to understanding each other’s field of study? And, what if the community can participate in the conversations as equals?

Amazing things can happen when two participants openly explore the world of chaos theory through the lenses of an artist and scientist. Imagine a cat toy (large 4-inch round ball), designed to move in random ways from a small motor inside. Add a bit of cardboard and four colored pens to the outside and release it in a box lined with paper. Yes, you can create works of art, but also open the doors to the exploration of the math and the science of chaos. When a scientist gets inspired by what the artist has created, she might design a computer program to model the mathematics and random behavior of the “cat ball.” The program would allow the artists to turn up and down the amount of randomness to create new patterns. And then, what if they both collaborate to create those same artistic motions in the “cat balls?” You get two people from different fields creating new ways to explore art, mathematics, and science eventually leading to the construction of a toy that can be used by members of the community to take the learning even farther.