Kinetics
All artwork displayed in this gallery is for sale. Please use the contact link above to inquire about the price of a particular sculpture.
I love building kinetic sculptures, especially those that involve the viewer. Much of my kinetic work actually requires viewer participation in making the piece work.
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These pieces are a combination of artwork and engineering, as it not only has to look good, it has to function as well.
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I cut my gears on a band-saw, using mostly re-purposed wood from dresser drawer sides. The thickness is nice, they are often oak, maple or mahogany, and they have been saved from a landfill.
I try to integrate antique items in my sculptures, such as glass, brass, wood and other interesting odds and ends I find, so you never know what you may recognize.
3 or 4 O'clock
One antique clock case, 13 oak gears, mahogany, maple, copper, brass, glass and stone make up some 40 mostly hand-made parts, including the original bell.
The first in a series of kinetic sculptures built inside salvaged wooden clock cases from the 1800's. They just begged me to save them from the landfill and I was happy to oblige. All the brass clockworks had been removed so the cases were empty save some of the chimes.
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These were produced in CT. in the 1800's by C.J Jerome: http://www.newenglandhistoricalsociety.com/rise-fall-chauncey-jerome-connecticut-clockmaker/
The two cranks lift stone weights that drive the gears. The lens is positioned to magnify a sticker attached to the inside of the case, showing it was "Set in Order" in 1874 by "Traveling Clock Repairer J. Farnham". A run cycle produces 3 or 4 chimes of the bell, hence the title.
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Crankenchime
The back of an antique oak chair, a small round table top, antique mirror frame, parts from a piano, brass candle holder, old doorbell chimes and oak gears.
A simple setup where the small ramps on the spinning disc lift and release the strikers which ring the chimes. The ramps can be re-positioned on the disc to change the playing sequence of the chimes.
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This sculpture measures about XX wide and XX high, with the longest chime coming in at X inches long.
Stepper
Re-purposed oak, pine and brass
As the title implies, this piece is designed to lift a piece of oak to a higher step on each revolution of the lifting gear. At the top, the oak is dropped to a lever that launches a wooden ringer that hits the cymbal-like disk at the top. Mostly, but not always... This piece measures XX tall and XX wide.
Walking Beam
Constructed of oak, glass and brass, this piece animates on a background of flame-colored copper sheet.
The walking beam mechanism has been in use at least since the old steam-boat days, and can be seen today in some oil fields out west.
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I'm not sure what the brass cylinders were intended for, but they have a very nice sound to them! Measuring XX by XX, this is a space centering sculpture that commands the attention of the viewer - and delights the operator.
Video coming soon
The Cipher Device
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Video coming soon
Constructed of oak gears, glass lenses and orbs, and found items
This strange mechanism has four arms that spin slowly when the main gear is cranked. As the magnifying lenses pass over the hammered, flame-colored copper, engraved rune-looking characters can be seen clearly. The meaning is a mystery to all but those who can decipher the characters. The symbols are still a puzzle to even me.
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This piece measures xx by xx and is xx deep. The backing is antique mahogany veneer salvaged from a dresser, and frame is also salvaged mahogany.
The Arcanum
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Constructed of oak and mahogany gears, engraved copper,a glass lens and brass bells, assembled inside an 1800's clock case
The second in a series of Clock-case Contraptions, I give to you 'The Arcanum'. For those who do not know what an Arcanum is, find out and you can join my secret club!
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Turning the crank on the side makes everything inside move and make noise.
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Someone said 'Every piece of junk has a story', well many of my pieces also have a 'back' story. I salvaged these clock cases from the dump the summer before last, and stored them in my shed out back. Then last winter I made my way out through the snow to retrieve this guy, and coming back I slipped on ice and fell on the arm that was holding the case against my side. So we had Arm - Case - Ribs, and everything took a beating except the clock case. No wonder I didn't finish it until the following winter.
Professor Gauthier's Amazing Time Filtration Device
Grill rotisserie motor, oak, maple and carved mahogany, antique brass cabinet knob, my old toaster oven timer, brass bathroom cup holder, analog telephone brass bell,
brass candle holder, wooden piano key mechanism, piano strings and wire, assorted re purposed brass pieces, barrel hoop, aluminum disk (engraved), glass lens, copper wire,
dresser drawer handles, snuff tin, and springs
Why suffer through unpleasant moments of the day when you can simply 'filter' them out? With this amazing new invention you can easily cruise through your day skipping right over any stressful times. While currently undergoing clinical trials, this revolutionary device should be available to the general public soon, however this rare and very valuable prototype can be yours now!
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Tea Cart Justice
This was an antique tea cart that was in the family for many years. At one point it was repaired and refinished in the "Antique" style of the time. Beyond salvage, but antique mahogany can't just be tossed away. Also includes sewing machine parts, brass scale parts, telephone bell, clock gears, glass lens, brass whistle key and lock, and an old hand drill.
The wheels of justice might spin just a little faster with this device in use. Turn the crank, examine the clues, watch as the strings are pulled, wheels turn, and facts are weighed by this Judge, Jury, and Jailer.
Sea Horse
Oak, brass, glass, copper, piano strings birch and stone
There are 47 different species of seahorses and 14 of those were only discovered in the last eight years! Seahorses’ ability to change their color and shape to blend in with their environment makes identification of individual species challenging. This one is obviously a Queen of the ocean, with oak framing and gears, birch planking, glass, copper and brass, she calls the sea home.