I am an obsessive person.

I am obsessed with certain shapes, and I paint them continually. I am particularly attracted to shapes found in nature: the repeating, wavy arcs in wood grain, the writhing of seaweed in water, the curls of a vine as it grows, the sliced pie shape of lily pads floating in a lake. I meticulously paint these shapes over and over with a tiny brush, marrying them and recombining them in different ways to see what grows, like creating my own little ecosystem. The shapes in my work grow and compete for space and the viewer's attention. Some will dominate, some will fade to the background, and new variations on the previous patterns will emerge.

The rules which govern growth in nature fascinate me endlessly. Plants can only divide and multiply in certain ways, respond to the constraints of their environment in certain ways...there are rules - or an algorithm - controlling what they can become. When I paint I first place a single mark somewhere randomly on the paper...one line or one small shape, like a seed that has fallen. As I look at the shape, my intuition then tells me what the rules are for its growth, where it is possible to place the next shape or how a particular shape is able to branch and divide. As I respond to these rules within the work, the shapes grow into a pattern like an organism.

When I was a software engineer, I used to look for ways to automate repetitive tasks. My job was to express my complex intentions as simple, unambiguous computer instructions. This way of thinking crept into my artwork and led me to explore new ways to paint. I automated my very repetitive painting process using computer programs to grow designs made of the simple shapes that I love. While at first I thought I was handing off the decision making to the computer, I was surprised to find I am still just as engaged working this way as when I paint by hand. The resulting images, though generated by a computer, are very much a product of my vision and intentions. Working both with the computer and painting by hand has also created an unexpected feedback loop of inspiration. The shapes created by the computer influence the shapes I make when I paint by hand. What I paint by hand influences what I ask the computer to do.

I am trying to map my artistic process to an algorithm, to a set of concrete steps and rules executed by a computer. This exploration gives me insight into my own process and ideas of beauty in a new and unusual way. As I continue down this path, I hope to create immersive artworks that are moving and alive, yet are beautiful, and never the same.

To progress the art of painting by combining technology and mathematics with traditional techniques. Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, RI
MFA Digital Media, expected 2012

Brown University, Providence, RI
Sc.B. Applied Mathematics/Computer Science, magna cum laude, 2005
GPA: 3.85/4.00

• Designed and programmed websites
• Designed logos, icons, business cards, and other graphics
• Developed a cohesive portfolio ranging from traditional painting to generative art
• Participated in four art shows including one solo show

• Frontend developer for iGoogle, Google's personalized homepage (22.5 million users and 20% of all visits to Google's homepage in 2008)
• 7th engineer on iGoogle team
• Implemented new user experience, RSS feed reading experience, shared Google Gadgets, and many other UI features like drop-down gadget menus
• Executive Management Group (EMG) Impact Award for outstanding innovation and regional impact
• Implemented prototypes and contributed to design of iGoogle's skinning, new user experience, social features, and more
• Worked closely with usability researchers, quality assurance, and user support to resolve bugs and usability problems
• Mentored new engineers, managed an engineering intern

• Designed and wrote some of the most popular Google Gadgets (millions of users)
• Go-to person for internal developers writing Google Gadgets for code and design advice
• Worked closely with business partners including CBS, NY Times, Sports Illustrated, Entertainment Weekly, etc. writing and designing Google Gadgets and taught them to develop their own
• Google Gadget API Speaker - presented at Google Developer Day in Tokyo and Google Developer Night in Seoul; gave many internal talks at Google offices all over the world; spoke at several universities in Japan. Overall, reached thousands of developers and students through these talks.

• Tested scheduling and resource management features in MS Project
• Wrote software test design specifications and developed test cases
• Tested software manually and wrote code to automate testing

• Classes taught: Introduction to Algorithms and Data Structures, Javanese Gamelan, and Head TA for Advanced Algorithms
• Hired and managed a team of teaching assistants for Advanced Algorithms
• Taught sections, held office hours, worked with professor to develop course material, graded homework and solutions, debugged student code, and performed multiple administrative tasks

• Researched thin films in materials science/mechanical engineering departments
• Independently led an entire research project as a freshman

• C/C++, JavaScript/DHTML/HTML (cross-browser), Java, Python, FLEX/ActionScript, MatLab
• Mac OS X, Linux, Windows, Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Office
• Fluent Polish, proficient French

Framed - solo show at Scout, Santa Cruz, CA, 2009
Watercolor - group show at Cabrillo College, Santa Cruz, CA, 2009
Student Exhibition 3 at Cabrillo College Gallery, Santa Cruz, CA, 2009
Student Exhibition 4 at Cabrillo College Gallery, Santa Cruz, CA, 2009

• Rock climbing, yoga, guitar, piano, working on sports cars, glassworking, woodworking, metalworking
• Interior design and home renovation; published online on Apartment Therapy and AOL ShelterPop
• my blog