10 Dec Octovarius
This piece revisits a few favorite themes. Primarily, other uses for violins, and creatures with tentacles. Attempting to move past the previous “Waste Deep” sculpture, this one moves each tentacle independently.
Archive
10 Dec Little Big Man
This piece was built by request of the San Jose Museum of Art for their show “Robots: Evolution of a Cultural Icon”. Knowing that it would be surrounded by other robot sculptures I felt compelled to use more wood in its construction to help set it apart from the crowd. I also wanted to further explore the “inner world” feeling that I got from my “Alcohologram” piece a few months earlier. I am pleased with the resulting split personality that this piece has. Equally tough and vulnerable. A motion sensor activates the motors whenever a viewer approaches.
10 Dec Blink
A while back I found these cool old display tubes (known as “nixie tubes”) that show scientific symbols. I finally got around to building a little robot that uses the “volts” and “ohms” symbols as though they were different stages of eyes during a “blink”. Hence his name. There is a home made cam mechanism in his head that causes them to switch back and forth.
10 Dec Quicksilver Scooter
Ever since I was a kid I have always loved old scooters. However I have never really wanted the responsibility of maintaining a “vintage” machine. I always thought to myself, “why can’t we have the convenience and reliability of modern engineering like a Honda with the class and styling of an old Lambretta?”
Then it occurred to me that as an adult, I actually have the skills and facilities to address this important issue that has nagged me all these years.
This project began with a very tired looking 1980’s Honda Elite 125 scooter and my usual arsenal of aluminum scrap objects. In this case street lamp, and vacuum cleaner parts make up the majority of it. Many thanks to Rich Humphrey for providing the original scooter carcass and helping with the electrical system, to Wendell Jones for his saint-like patience in bringing the engine back to life, and to Cameron Platt for these lovely photos.
For those curious about the process, I have posted a step-by-step essay of this piece over at Instructables.com.
10 Dec Waste Deep
This was the title piece for my Artist in Residence show at the San Francisco Dump. I wanted to make another large scale sea monster to contend with my Giant Squid sculpture.
10 Dec Guzzler
I had originally considered calling this piece “Foreign Policy Machine”, but that seemed kind of heavy handed. At any rate, he is clearly a big consumer.
07 Nov Alcohologram
If you are like me, you have always thought that wine openers look like little people. After finding several of them at the dump, I decided to finally do something about it. I also like this piece because it reminds me that I once wanted to get into stop frame animation. The T.V. cabinet makes the whole thing feel like you are watching a film, a very repetitive film anyway.
10 Dec Impala
Another entry for the Jackalope collection. Though this one has qualities not unlike a Deer.
10 Dec Catmonkey
I felt that this piece definitely looked like a cat, but with the soul of a monkey.
10 Dec Junkyard Dog
It seemed a fitting title since I made this piece while I was Artist in Residence at the San Francisco dump.
10 Dec Cephalo-Pod
I imagine this as a high pressure suit designed for a deep sea creature to safely visit the surface to study us, obviously.
10 Dec John Deer
This was my second attempt at using brass and aluminum together since the Giant Squid. The combination produces a nice result I think, though it is surprising how much heavier it makes the final piece.
10 Dec Eureka
I like to think of this piece as a moment of discovery. An “Ah ha!” kind of thing. There is also a fair amount of religious art influence here, with the halo and all.
10 Dec Stick Figure
This one drives me nuts because I think he’s terrific, but I can’t seem to get a photograph that will do him justice. He is deceptively tall (8 feet), and has springs mounted in his shoulders so that the slightest upset will produce a lot of waving around. No power needed for this one.
10 Dec General Debris
This piece was built on commission for a private collector, who was inspired by my Goliath sculpture. The sculpture is activated by a motion sensor, and has since been installed out doors.
10 Dec Beetle
Here is proof of how insects are keeping up in the evolutionary race for domination of the planet.
10 Dec Cyclopcycle
This piece was built around the same time that I was making a full sized bike for myself. Bicycles are a real success story in terms of mechanical advantage. It seemed fitting that one of my robots should have one too.
10 Dec Re: Cycle
I had been wanting to make a bike for years and finally got around to it. Its a pretty decent ride, though custom built for my inconveniently long legs.
10 Dec Giant Squid
I have been fascinated by the Giant Squid for quite some time. A real life, terrifying mystery of the deep.
10 Dec LubDub
Hypnotic moves and a visible heartbeat are but a few of his charms.
10 Dec King Of The Road
Another push toy depicting Beasts and their Beasts of Burden.
10 Dec Attackalope
I have always loved Jackalopes, but rarely do you see one with a full body still attached. This one gallops and gnashes its dentures when rolled along a smooth surface.
10 Dec Eye
This blind soldier sees from his heart! Except he doesn’t have a heart because he’s a robot.
10 Dec Elephant Scout
I suppose there is some irony here, because it is a creature with the head of a Rhino Beetle that rides on the back of the Elephant. Mother Nature would not be pleased.
10 Dec Bug
This piece was a commission inspired by its predecessor “Dirt Devil“. I think this one actually turned out better.
10 Dec Ocean Scene
This piece was inspired by old paintings and etchings of ships and sea monsters. In this case it is not entirely clear which is which. Is it a battle, or a love affair?
10 Dec Tool Study
A lot of old power tools are destroyed in the process of making these sculptures. This piece was an attempt to keep some of their character intact.
10 Dec Pod
The spirit of a warrior lies dormant within.
10 Dec Spirals
This piece evolved from an old kitchen mixer. The goal to was to emphasize all of the many rotating elements that the machine provided.
10 Dec Clog
This kinetic piece gets its innovative title from the shoe that forms its head.
10 Dec The Representative
This sculpture was built to be a prop for a short film titled “Land of the lost”. The film was shot, but never produced.
To make up for it, one day I found a bunch of people doing a fashion photography shoot right outside my studio door. After talking a bit we got some really fun photos.
