Dorothea Rockburne (born 1932)[1] is a Canadian abstract painter, drawing inspiration primarily from her deep interest in mathematics and astronomy.

Her work is geometric and abstract, seemingly simple but very precise to reflect the mathematical concepts she strives to concretize.

[3] In 1950, Rockburne moved to the United States to attend Black Mountain College, where she studied with mathematician Max Dehn, a lifelong influence on her work.

In addition to Dehn, she studied with Franz Kline, Philip Guston, John Cage, and Merce Cunningham.

[5] During that time she supported her daughter, Christine, by working as a waitress and a studio manager for her friend Robert Rauschenberg.