As in genArt, experimental photography produces dull and forgettable outputs, acceptable and interesting results, and utterly delicious surprises. I began work on Serendipity with a specific creative goal. My confidence in using p5.js to code works of art had grown immeasurably since my first published projects, but I felt there was too much of directed thinking and too little of serendipity in my work. I wanted to open up and give my algorithms more room to breathe. I wanted to see if an intuitive aspect could be incorporated into such a fundamentally logical process. In experimental photography, there are many variables outside my direct control - that is a reality I have to not only accept, but embrace. In code, I can seize as much control as I want. Loosening up meant I had to relinquish more of the process to random variability, to focus on creating a structure that defined some wide set of bounds and then let the details take on a life of their own. Serendipity is not the end of this exploration, but the beginning of what I expect will be a long journey.
Serendipity also continues my exploration of symbolic communication, using symbols rather than math to generate marks on the canvas. It is a fully algorithmic work of art drawn in text, using fonts that I created specifically for the project.
It is published as a holiday gift to the collectors who have supported my entrance into genArt on fx(hash) during the past year.
May 2023 bring joyful serendipity to all our endeavors.
Love and creativity always,
Wanda