Loosely defined, a fractal is: a fragmented geometric shape whose components can be broken down into smaller versions of the whole. This is referred to in mathematics as the property of self similarity, where the whole geometric body has the same shape as one or more of its components. In many cases fractals are said to be infinitely complex because at fairly predictable intervals of magnification parts of their symmetry can appear in no way dissimilar from parts viewed at other levels.

Understanding the aesthetic appeal of fractals can be traced back generations, where the use of math could be used to establish a relationship or pattern within a process. It wasn't until the advent of computers that their beauty could be generated on the level that we visit them today. While some of the most aesthetically beautiful fractals take place in nature, the homegrown computer generated variety are generally derived from a palate of colored points and fills. The fractal generation software bases these colored patterns on mathematical equations that undergo iteration, a form of feedback based on recursion. The result at this point is far from art.

What separates abstract fractal art from others is the addition of digital texture overlays, multiple fractal layers and a war of color until the piece has reached the desired 'personality'. The process of creation can be completely different from that of contemporary abstract art. The majority of fractal formulas that we explore are useless from an artistic perspective, but once one has potential we may revisit it for weeks to make certain it has just the right foundation to begin our work ... still more weeks of color and texture experimentaion may result in a piece we find we just aren't satisfied with -- quite the opposite of choosing a color and applying it to canvas, but no less consuming.

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