Ribbonacci
Year in, year out, I walk the same circular routes, past the same front gardens, on my way to and from the shops or seafront. Now, the seafront walk has become a daily pastime. It provides comforting familiarity in these uncertain and strange times. My route takes me past sunflowers. They are cheerful flowers. They call out to me, “Fibonacci”, each time I pass by. At first, planting the seeds of an idea and then, nurturing a creative dialogue between artist, sunflowers, materials and techniques.
Marilyn Rathbone
Worthing, England
Ribbonacci, close-up detail, Marilyn RathboneMaterials: silk thread, grey board, acrylic paint, paper
Ribbonacci, Marilyn RathboneThe ribbon shows the first sixty numbers of the Fibonacci sequence, a set of numbers that starts with a one or a zero, followed by a one, and proceeds based on the rule that each number is equal to the sum of the preceding two numbers.
Ribbonacci, Marilyn RathboneThe last digits of the first sixty Fibonacci numbers also form a repeating pattern.
Ribbonacci, Marilyn RathboneThe Fibonacci sequence has been dubbed, “nature’s secret code” because its numbers and spiral geometry abound in the plant kingdom.
Ribonacci, Marilyn RathboneThe array of seeds in the centre of a sunflower spiral out in patterns curving left and right. If you count these spirals, your total will be a Fibonacci number. Divide the spirals into those pointed left and right and you'll get two consecutive Fibonacci numbers.