Madeleine Shepherd and Rebecca Kaye bring together data, art and mathematics in their work. One of Rebecca’s starting-points was the barometer on the wall by Victoria Street Church in Stromness – one of the few left of those sent around the UK by Captain Fitzroy, formerly of the Beagle, when he became the first head of the Met Office. It led to her design of a wind scarf, and from the pattern of flashes from Noup Head lighthouse has come an image capturing the patterns from lighthouses around the UK coast. Madeleine’s sources range from NASA image data to algorithmic pattern generation. She knits up the results on a hacked knitting machine. Most recently she has been linking Fair Isle traditions with computer-generated designs. Join them both to hear about their work, with a break to tea, coffee and Orkney biscuits as well.

This event has been made possible by the kind support of the International Centre for Mathematical Sciences in Edinburgh and Kyloe Partners.