And a Lesson Passed On

Another professor from my college days passed away recently. This one was a really decent guy. His name was Norton Starr.

Prof. Starr was the kind of teacher everyone who actually wants to learn something should be lucky enough to have. He was patient, engaging, and supportive. He was also creative. In the 1970s, he established himself as one of the earliest creators of what we now call "computer art."

He mostly worked with a pen plotter, which draws lines on paper with a ballpoint pen. Those fell out of use for a long time, as laser printers got faster and were able to draw finer lines. Lately, they've been making a comeback because the esthetics of the actual mechanical system's output are gentler on the eye than razor-sharp laser print. He developed a family of shapes based on modulated radial patterns, which are now called "Starr Roses." Here's an early one:

In the 1970s, these could take an hour to draw. Today, we can draw them in a split second and, owing to that fact, we can draw them repeatedly, in rapid succession, allowing us to animate them (here's an example I created).

Prof. Starr taught me how to make these shapes in 1977. Today, I teach my students how to make them. I sent him an email, about six months ago, to let him know his work was still in classrooms, exciting new undergraduates, 50 years after he first produced it. He sent me a nice note back, seeming pleased by what I'd told him. I'm glad I did, when I did, because he passed away a few weeks later, at the age of 88.

Norton Starr may be gone, but I'm making sure that the fun and joy I had with math and art he showed my generation is passed on to the next generation after mine. Here's hoping the Starr Rose lasts forever.

Rest in Permanence, Professor.