Welcome to another edition of The F Word. On this edition, i have an interview with a person who need no more introduction, the one and only Janet Parke a.k.a infinite-art. Writer of Ultra Fractal manual and also a teacher of Ultra Fractal course. It is an honor for me to have an interview with her. Enjoy the interview.

Can you please introduce yourself?

I'm Janet Parke, from Memphis, Tennessee. I'm a full-time ballet teacher and choreographer and a part-time fractal artist. I've been creating art since 1997. For several years I taught a series of courses online in the use of Ultra Fractal. These courses are now available for purchase as an e-book. (See my website: www.infinite-art.com for more information.)

What is the first thing that makes you attracted to Fractal Art?

The ability to create art in a manner that bypasses my hands. I've never been able to draw, paint, or sculpt so I never attempted to express myself through visual art. The process of creating fractals with mathematics and computers means that I can tap into the creative ideas in my brain without being hindered by the ineptitude of my hands.

What kind of fractal that you like the most,and Why?

I like escape-time fractals -- fractal formulas that iterate until a bailout condition is reached (Mandelbrot, Julia, Phoenix, Nova, etc.).  I prefer images that are more abstract and less literal or figurative in the traditional sense. I prefer asymmetry and images in which I can see that the artist made specific and intentional choices instead of relying on default settings.

Who is your biggest influence in creating fractal and art in general?

I admire the work of many artists, but I really try to find my inspiration from within my own thoughts and imagination so that I'm not unduly influenced by others' techniques.

what does your art means to you?

I'd like to think that each of my works depicts my thoughts and dreams through shape, color, and texture more eloquently than I could express myself in words. Of course, not every image conveys great meaning. I must usually work through and distill quite a bit of babble to find something worth sharing with others.

Can you please tell us about your creative process?

I start each image in grayscale until I've collected several layers that contain interesting shapes and textures. Then I begin adding colors and working with transparency, masking, and merge modes to control each effect. I often work on an image for weeks before declaring it finished.

how did you see the future of fractal art?

If I could predict a particular future, it would only be based on how other art forms have developed before. Fractal art is unlike traditional mediums, so I hope it will develop in ways we can't entirely imagine.

Do you enjoy creating any other types of art?

My background is in ballet and other performing arts. Fractal art is the only visual art I create.

If there were a single person you would give credit to for getting you started on your current path of Fractal, who would it be?

There are many people from whom I've learned over the years -- particularly some prolific formula writers who provided us all with great formulas and examples of their usage -- Damien Jones, Kerry Mitchell, Mark Townsend, Ron Barnett, and Samuel Monnier. But if I had to name just one person who is responsible for my ability to create the kind of fractal art I enjoy most, it would be Frederik Slijkerman, who wrote the Ultra Fractal software. Not only is his software ideal for my needs, his attention to detail and logic in the development of UF's user-friendly interface sets a standard of excellence that has affected many other areas of my oife.