Andrzej Gutek was a Professor of Mathematics and an artist. He passed away in 2015, shortly after retiring from Tennessee Technological University. His MS in Mathematics (1974) and PhD in Topology (1981) were from the University of Selesia in Kotowice, Poland. His publications focused on Topology, Functional Analysis, and the relationship between Mathematics and Art. He spent the 2000/2001 academic year at the University of Dschang in Cameroon as a Fulbright scholar, later authoring articles and a paper about the crafts of Cameroon.

Andrzej was inspired to make candle holders when he visited Mark Smith's wind chime studio. Andrzej's first candelabra was made from copper pipes left over from a plumbing project. He used a torch, copper pipes, solder, and imagination to fabricate it. The candelabra on the left was one of his favorites and received an Honorable Mention Award in The Best of Tennessee Crafts 2000 Biennial Exhibit. The copper surface was sealed with polyurethane. The surface of the candelabra on the right has a greenish patina produced by applying a mixture of ammonia, salt, water and copper sulphate. The surface was then sealed with polyurethane.


Wilanow, Poland
Image Transfer

Polaroid image and emulsion transfer captivated Andrzej when Cathy Stewart introduced him to the process in 1999. By varying exposure time, imbibe time, and colors, the same original image can result in very different transfers. The image on the polaroid film's release paper (normally discarded) can actually be transferred to another piece of paper to create another photograph. The emulsion of the photo can be lifted off and transferred, too. For more about emulsion transfer, please look at Andrzej's tutorial and photo transfer galleries at Transfer Gallery, Doors of the World, Flowers, and Guatemala.

Chair Spring,
emulsion transfer


From Andrzej's "Math is Fun!

Mathematics is one of those human endeavors that mainly requires brain power, and a little time. It can be entertaining, frustrating, satisfying, relaxing, very easy and very complicated. Sometimes it is possible to do a lot with a little effort. Sometimes a lot of effort is rewarded with no results. As in so many other areas, mathematics is subject to the universal law of achievement:

In order to be lazy you have to work very hard first.


Unfortunately, it usually takes a long time before mathematics can be enjoyable, and even more time before it can be done in a leisurely manner. There are, however, elements of mathematics that can be entertaining from the very beginning. For some it is observing the behavior of a live mathematician.

The study of mathematics can be made less frustrating by an appropriate choice of textbooks. There is no "one size fits all" approach. Some prefer to begin with a lot of examples and no theory, yet others begin by learning the concepts. Here, the preference is on concepts. This approach is described by the first law of learning:

Know the meaning of the words you are speaking.


Mathematics requires and improves, problem-solving skills. Fairly often, a student faced with finding a solution to an exercise will begin by looking for an example that is just like the exercise. The solution is then found by mimicking the procedures described in the example. It works; for a while. Yet, this does not lead to understanding. The recommended approach can be described by what we call the second law of learning:

Know the meaning of the words you are reading.

The following may help with the classroom instruction:

The art of writing on the blackboard is the art of selective erasing.

From Mark Twain:

"I have never let my schooling interfere with my education."

Andrzej enjoyed researching "real world" math. During the summer of 2006 he learned about "Maya Mathematics" in Guatemala from Dr. Christopher Powell and Dr. Ed Barnhart of the Maya Exploration Center.

 

To the right is a picture of a Maya Day-Keeper preparing for the calendar ceremony.

Before the class, Andrzej spent two weeks learning Spanish at a language school in Antigua. It was the beginning of the rainy season, and on a few occasion the roads became roaring rivers of water and mud. At those times the local taxi, "tuk tuk", was very helpful.
While in Antigua, Andrzej visited several museums, including Paseo-de-Museos. The museum included a small collection of Maya artifacts.
A trip to Valhalla Experimental Station, an organic cosmetics macadamia nut plantation, was one of the trips organized by the Spanish language school. A facial was a highlight of the trip!
Maya mathematics class participants visited Guatemala City, Antigua, Maya ruins and a museum in El Baul, Panajachel, Santiago Atitlan, and Chichicastenango. Antigua is a vibrant city of parks, churches, fountains, and tourists.

Parque Union

Church San Francisco

Fountain in Antigua

La Merced
The ancient Maya are not gone! On the contrary, they are present in every facet of Guatemalan life. A stroll through any town makes this obvious. Proud of their heritage, they wear the traditional costumes, worship their gods, and engage in both modern and traditional activities.

Polishing jade

Calendar ceremony of a Maya Day Keeper

Backstrap weaving

El Baul, Stela 1

Andrzej studied archeoastronomy in the US and Central and South America with the Maya Exploration Center. Zenith days, solstices, and equinoxes fascinated him. In Peru he learned about the khipu and visited Sacsayhuaman, Machu Picchu, the Sacred Valley, and the Nasca Lines. Later he explored Lake Titicaca, Tiahuanaco, and the Island of the Sun in Bolivia. Andrzej is missed, but not forgotten.

Ruins of Sacsayhuaman

Sunrise at Machu Picchu

Designed by the late Andrzej Gutek. Maintained by Carol Ventura.