The following is an interview from 09/01/2025 by @LukasFractalizator and can be found here on DeviantArt.

In this today’s edition of Hidden Fractalist, we’re thrilled to celebrate @sragets, an inspirational fractal artist and a cherished cornerstone of the DeviantArt fractal community. With nearly two decades of breathtaking creations, Stan mastered blending elegance with innovation. His leadership in the Apophysis community, through challenges like “Pushing the Envelope,” and their global presence in galleries across the US, Germany, Italy, and Australia, showcase a legacy of inspiration. Join us as we explore their extraordinary journey, diving into the passion, creativity, and vision that make @sragets a true fractal visionary!

Hello and welcome to the Hidden Fractalist interview! Could you please kindly introduce yourself to us?

Hello! My name is Stan Ragets. I currently live in Utah, USA. I work as a freelance researcher and programmer and have been enjoying using and exploring AI for work and play.

How did you discover Fractal Art and why did you decide to get started? Can you tell us about your first steps?

It was the very early 2000’s and I was searching the world wide web on my AOL dial up account for cool desktop wallpapers. I stumbled across one of @Zueuk‘s amazing fractals and I was instantly hooked. I wanted to know… how can such a thing be made? I immediately signed up for an account at DeviantArt and sent @Zueuk a message asking him how he made it and if he would teach me. From there…I just kept on digging and experimenting.

What media(s) do you work with? Do you have experience with other software? Do you make art professionally, or just as a hobby?

I work mainly digital (aside from some sketching in pencil or pen). Common software I use include Blender 3D, GIMP, Apophysis, Chaotica, Ultrafractal, Mandelbulb 3d, Xenodream, and a few other things. Fractals in particular started off as a hobby, then I entered a few competitions, and people were requesting my artwork for purchase, so I started selling it professionally. I took a bit of a break for about 5 years, and now I’m just getting back into creating and selling my artwork professionally again. I’m also toying with the idea of rewriting Apophysis from scratch, in python (crazy), and incorporating gpu support and ai. Time is a scarce resource, so we’ll see how it goes.

Do you have any inspiration here on DeviantArt, any favorite artists you would like to mention?

There a quite a few!

Joel Faber: @JoelFaber

Michael Faber: @MichaelFaber

A quick story about Michael. I was working on this crazy fractal that is a fractal, but it’s not really a fractal, and it used close to 500 transforms in the end. When I got close to 100 transforms, Apophysis crashed and would not work anymore. I sent Michael a message, and said “will you please send me a custom version of Apophysis that will handle more transforms.” Within a few hours, he had one to me that did 300 transforms. A few days later, I was bugging him again, “please…sir…I need more transforms!” He was like “what are you doing????” but he still very kindly provided me with a custom version of Apophysis that would do “unlimited” transforms. I was soooo happy!

Of course, @Zueuk , @zy0rg, George, @SuicideBySafetyPin, @NatalieKelsey, @IDeviant and others were a huge source of inspiration to me. We collaborated a lot in the DA chat days.

Do you find that you become more proficient and experienced with each new piece?

Yes, most definitely. Every time I create new fractals it feels like I’m exploring something new. It’s exciting because it’s a combination of creativity and learning, and I thrive in that kind of environment.

What is a favourite piece you made so far and why?

This is a challenging question. The Fractal Periodic Table was a labor of love and I learned a lot about both chemistry and fractals in making it.

However, I think my favorite piece thus far is Frost on the Tip of Your Nose. For me, this piece is so soothing to look at. I love how calming it is. While I really wanted this piece for my family, a very enthusiastic buyer in Australia purchased a one-of-a-kind original metal piece and it graces his wall.

When you look back at your earlier artistic self, would you say you grew as an artist? If so, in which aspects?

Yes! I have grown a lot. I went from knowing nothing about fractals to coming to have an eye for them and an appreciation for them. One way I have grown, solely relating to fractals, is that I can recognize many of the original fractal artists (and still some today) just by looking at their pieces. I look at them and say “that was Light’s work, or this is Niels, Thomas, Tatyana, etc.” Seeing the little nuances is exciting. For me, as a creator, I learned to push boundaries and try new things.

Your work spans for nearly over two decades, with pieces from varying fractal softwares, showcasing your mastery of several fractal mediums. How has your approach to creating fractals evolved over the years, particularly in balancing technical precision with artistic expression?

Yes. When I began, my style was all about the look. I wanted my pieces to look “cool.” Then I dove heavily into the technical aspects, and, as you can expect, popularity sank. I didn’t do it for the likes, it was about exploration and understanding. That phase lasted for several years while I made what some people called “ugly” fractals. That knowledge then allowed me to bring things back into balance with the aesthetics. When I make fractal artwork now, I seek to combine the technical and artistic aspects to produce something appealing to look at and intriguing to those who want to go a little deeper.

You’ve been a pivotal figure in the Apophysis community, hosting challenges like the “Pushing the Envelope” series and encouraging artists to experiment with specific variations. What inspired you to take on this leadership role, and how has organizing these challenges influenced your own creative process?

For a while, there was a lot of cookie cutter flame fractals and people just copying what they saw. Apophysis (and fractals in general) are capable of so much more. I wanted to see people grow as artists, and there were a lot of people eager to learn, yet resources were scarce. That’s why I started the Apophysis challenge series and some of the other series and challenges. It was motivated by seeing others want to learn and create but not having the catalyst to help them get started.

Your fractal art has been featured on unique mediums like guitars and in international galleries across Germany, Italy, and Australia. Can you share a memorable experience from seeing your work displayed in these settings, and how does the physical presentation of fractals impact their perception compared to digital viewing?

Seeing a fractal outside of the digital realm is a very interesting and different experience. You see details and shapes that you wouldn’t pick up on the screen. It’s like you have more time to really sit and view, rather than a quick flick of the screen and onto something else.

I remember the first time I walked into a gallery and saw my fractals hanging on the wall, it didn’t seem real! In fact, it seemed crazy to me that people would want to come and view my artwork. Then, to have PONGS in Germany approach me and say that they’re remodeling their office space and they want to have one of my fractals as their ceiling…I didn’t think the offer was legit. One of my favorite memories came after I signed a deal with a jewelry maker in New Zealand. Just a week later, we received in the mail several pieces of jewelry featuring my artwork and my wife still wears them today, around 15 years later!

Question from the suggester: I see a lot of your fractal creations take on a sci-fi theme. What pop culture or science fiction properties influence your creations?

I grew up with sci-fi movies of all sorts and much of the lego I built were sci-fi and robotic-themed. For a very long time, I listened to primarily progressive rock and space opera style music, which often carries a sci-fi theme. The idea of exploring unknown and fantastical worlds has always interested me. Of course, this led to a Doctor Who phase for a while…

What do you think is the hardest part about creating a fractal and why?

Knowing when to stop. There are infinite possibilities!!!!

What was your reaction when you have gotten your first Daily Deviation feature?

I didn’t know what was happening. My inbox was blowing up. I was so confused, then grateful and happy that people appreciated the art.

Timeless – Widescreen by @sragets | Given August 22nd 2007 | Featured by @KariAnnLax

“Timeless – Widescreen by =f–l–A–r–k The title really fits this work. It’s a wonderful combination of design and color for a widescreen WP. Great work and beautiful on the screen.”
~ @KariAnnLax

If you could describe fractal art in one word, what would it be and why?

Phantasmagorical. Some of the images are very dreamlike, and they invoke a feeling a weightlessness and encourage further exploration.

BONUS QUESTION (from the suggester) – So tell me Stan, what is your favorite defunct search engine?

Oh my… there were so many. I’m always looking for a better search engine. I know way back it was AltaVista, then Ask Jeeves, Startpage, then Qaunt…there were so many. For the last 6 years, I’ve been using Presearch because it’s awesome. I also run a node (used to do several) for them, just as a way to support the service.

Thank you so much @sragets for the interview and to everyone reading this issue as well!