My work is driven by data. The volume and availability of modern data sources opens up possibilities to visualize, query, model, and map it in new ways. These increasingly large and rich datasets provide opportunities to teach us more about ourselves and our world. That is what inspires me.
Big data sources allow me to work with color in a way that comes natural. For example, I have developed a process for computing dominant color trends for hundreds of images taken from Instagram based on hashtag. These crowdsourced “color portraits” bring together a diverse mix of people, places, and things from all over the world. The process is also a transitory one since the source of images is dynamic and ever changing.
The compositions I use often come in the form of a grid or ThemeRiver. The grid is natural way for me to organize datasets that are often irrational which creates a deliberate interaction between the orderly and unpredictable. ThemeRivers are a vehicle for drawing with data by plotting it over time which creates a form of narrative that I find interesting and often surprising.