Kinetic Sculpture at Ashford School

Nearly two years ago a team of four 7th grade students at our local school saw my website. They were working on an Internet unit created by their teacher, Martha Hardisty. Mrs. Hardisty requires her students to complete a community service project and Michael Varga, James Potter, Ron LaMonica and Jordan Parent approached her with the idea of earning enough money to purchase a David Roy sculpture for the school.  The boys were impressed by the combination of science and art and felt that connection made it a perfect sculpture for the school. Two years later, as they are graduating from 8th grade, they have achieved their goal.  Last week at a school assembly they presented Fiesta to the school and helped me install it in the Main Office where it can been seen by students, staff and parents

Left to Right: David Roy, Jordan Parent, Michael Varga, James Potter and Ronald LaMonica at the presentation of Fiesta to Ashford School, May 25th 2011.

Michael Varga helping with the installation of the sculpture in the Main Office at Ashford School.

The group first approached me and selected the sculpture that best fit their goal.  They then did brainstorming on ideas to raise enough money to purchase Fiesta. It was at the presentation I learned that they had raised the money by offering a series of after school workshops for younger students at Ashford School centered on arts and crafts.  How appropriate.

I extend my congratulations to the four boys for completing their community service project in a unique way.  Their teacher Mrs. Hardisty also deserves recognition for encouraging community service and inspiring her students to strive to give back to their community.  I am honored to have one of my sculptures on display as a result of these efforts.

Michael Varga winding the Fiesta for the first time.  

Color • Motion and Design by Julien Vallée

The striking color and the motion of the composition in this sculpture caught my eye and led to exploring (and wasting a chunk of time - rationalized as collecting inspiration) the fascinating work of Canadian graphic design Julien Vallée at his Motion and Design website.

I don't use color in my work - or at least not very frequently. I find that motion and pattern are two very strong elements and adding a third complicates the design.  I like the viewer to be able to interpret their own colors from the given elements.  

I do encourage others whom possess an understanding of color theory and mechanics to explore that realm of kinetic art.  As I have regularly said, too many ideas and not enough time!

Here is a photo of the last piece I created with color accents. Called Seascape, it was on display in our home for this photo but is now part of the incredible craft collection at the headquarters of Dansko in West Grove, PA. See earlier blog about Seascape here.

Slightly Windy • Gentle Kinetic Motion

Did you have a collection of music boxes stashed in your junk drawer as a kid?  I did.  I was fascinated by the motion. This kinetic sculpture is the fusion of that classic mechanism with a new twist. It is created by combining a fine music box mechanism with golden barley shafts. 

It was designed by José Ferrufino at Écal University of Art and Design Lausanne. The mechanism is a 144 blade music box crafted by the Reuge of Switzerland. 

The mechanism drives a series of cams that start the grasses gently swaying in the breeze.

The presentation is that of a fine piece of jewelry transformed into sculpture with additional sensory inputs of both sound and motion. I'd love to see it in person.  

I haven't been able to locate a video showing the motion alone or in combination with the music box.  The above photo attempts to show motion, but David learned that it isn't enough.  In the early years of Wood That Works we did many experiments with still photography to try and demonstrate the motion of David's work (discussed in an earlier blog post here).  This photo of Serendipity from the late 1970s is one of the best.  It does make the sculpture appear to be moving at a frenetic pace and it didn't.

The development of home videography, flash animation, and YouTube has changed all of that!

If any one does know of a video of José Ferrufino's
sculpture, note it in the comments and I'll provide a link.

via/Thersic.com

Simple Harmonic Motion - Fascinating to watch

Here is a YouTube Video that could be the basis of an inspiring idea - or maybe it already was! Be patient and watch through the variations.

via Kottke.org

There is an informative site about this working model here.

I found a similar construction on YouTube but the video is taken from an different angle.  Still fascinating to watch.

David used the concept of viewing balls moving in three-dimensional space to create wave patterns in a kinetic sculpture piece back in 1990. The wave patterns emerged when you viewed it from one fixed spot. Symphony is from well before we had a website or video. We do have a still photograph so you'll have to use your imagination!

Symphony by David 1990

Magnet Machine with Fascinating Motion

A reader sent David a link to this youTube video showing a Magnet Machine by Dave Johnson. What fun!  

The motion and mechanism are fascinating but also pay attention to the sounds. People often inquire about the sounds David's sculptures make and it regularly affects buying decisions.  It is important to design for the auditory sensory experience as well as the visual.

If you haven't yet played with the Rare Earth magnets you might miss some of the excitement in this ingenious machine.  We have a set of the Bucky Balls and everyone enjoys fiddling with them. No one ever gets them back into the cube but creating chains like those used in Dave Johnson's machine is entertaining. 

 

Thanks to Dwight Souder for the link.