Fine Arts Instructor Receives Innovation Award

Visual Arts Instructor in the Department of Fine Arts, Laura Marotta, is one of two NWP faculty members to receive the Fall 2023 Faculty Innovation Fund Award. Initiated by The Office of Applied Research and Innovation, the Award provides recipients with seed funding to help scaffold larger research projects, moving from concept to project.

Continue reading to learn more about Laura's exciting work, From Flat to Form: Nets for Undulating Spiky Forms.

This interdisciplinary research project, conducted in collaboration with my colleague, Dr. Brian Redmond, resides at the crossroads of art, mathematics, and technology. Our approach combines 3D digital prototyping, physical modeling, mathematical exploration, and computer simulations. This synthesis enables us to produce a foldable net from aluminum sheet material, incorporating both mountain and valley folds to achieve an undulating and spiky compound with 240 faces, 360 edges, and 122 vertices. Meticulous manual folding will transform this net into its final three-dimensional form. The structure will be secured using blind rivets and enhanced with a powder-coated finish, resulting in a sculpture approximately 16 inches in diameter.

Click here to view a larger image of the Net