They take puzzles to infinity and beyond
In upstate New York, two algorithmic artists make wooden puzzles inspired by natural shapes.
PALENVILLE, N.Y. — While on a meandering mushroom hunt north-south of the lake in New York's Catskill Mountains, Jessica Rosenkrantz spotted a favorite mushroom: the hexagonal-pore polypore. Ms. Rosenkrantz loves life forms different from humans (and mammals in general), although two of her favorite humans joined the ride: her husband Jesse Louis-Rosenberg and their toddler, Xyla, who gave the your. Ms. Rosenkrantz likes mushrooms, lichens and corals because, she says, "they are quite strange, compared to us". From the top, the hexagonal polypore looks like any boring brown mushroom (although sometimes with an orange glow), but flip it over and there's a perfect set of six-sided polygons decorating the underside of the cap. p>
Mrs. Rosenkrantz and Mr. Louis-Rosenberg are algorithmic artists who make laser-cut wooden puzzles—among other curiosities—in their design studio, Nervous System, in Palenville, N.Y. Inspired by the way shapes and forms emerge in nature, they write custom software to "expand" intertwined puzzle pieces. Their signature puzzle cuts go by names like dendrite, amoeba, maze, and wave.
Beyond the natural and algorithmic realms, the pair draws creativity from many points around the compass: science, math, art and the gray areas in between. Chris Yates, an artist who makes hand-cut wooden puzzles (and a collaborator), described their puzzle-making as "not just pushing the envelope; they tear it up and start over."
On the day of the hike, Mrs. Rosenkrantz and Mr. Louis-Rosenberg's new puzzle came hot out of the laser cutter. This creation combined the age-old craft of paper marbling with a time-tested invention of the nervous system: the infinity puzzle. Having no fixed shape or defined boundary, an infinite puzzle can be assembled and reassembled in seemingly endless ways.
Nerveux System launched this concept design with the "Infinite Galaxy Puzzle", featuring a photograph of the Milky Way on both sides. “You can only see half of the picture at a time,” Mr. Louis-Rosenberg said. "And every time you do the puzzle, t...
In upstate New York, two algorithmic artists make wooden puzzles inspired by natural shapes.
PALENVILLE, N.Y. — While on a meandering mushroom hunt north-south of the lake in New York's Catskill Mountains, Jessica Rosenkrantz spotted a favorite mushroom: the hexagonal-pore polypore. Ms. Rosenkrantz loves life forms different from humans (and mammals in general), although two of her favorite humans joined the ride: her husband Jesse Louis-Rosenberg and their toddler, Xyla, who gave the your. Ms. Rosenkrantz likes mushrooms, lichens and corals because, she says, "they are quite strange, compared to us". From the top, the hexagonal polypore looks like any boring brown mushroom (although sometimes with an orange glow), but flip it over and there's a perfect set of six-sided polygons decorating the underside of the cap. p>
Mrs. Rosenkrantz and Mr. Louis-Rosenberg are algorithmic artists who make laser-cut wooden puzzles—among other curiosities—in their design studio, Nervous System, in Palenville, N.Y. Inspired by the way shapes and forms emerge in nature, they write custom software to "expand" intertwined puzzle pieces. Their signature puzzle cuts go by names like dendrite, amoeba, maze, and wave.
Beyond the natural and algorithmic realms, the pair draws creativity from many points around the compass: science, math, art and the gray areas in between. Chris Yates, an artist who makes hand-cut wooden puzzles (and a collaborator), described their puzzle-making as "not just pushing the envelope; they tear it up and start over."
On the day of the hike, Mrs. Rosenkrantz and Mr. Louis-Rosenberg's new puzzle came hot out of the laser cutter. This creation combined the age-old craft of paper marbling with a time-tested invention of the nervous system: the infinity puzzle. Having no fixed shape or defined boundary, an infinite puzzle can be assembled and reassembled in seemingly endless ways.
Nerveux System launched this concept design with the "Infinite Galaxy Puzzle", featuring a photograph of the Milky Way on both sides. “You can only see half of the picture at a time,” Mr. Louis-Rosenberg said. "And every time you do the puzzle, t...
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