Silver Symphony
Limited Edition of 3 • Size: 75"h x 32"w x 50"d • Run Time: 8 Hours
Silver Symphony © 2010 • Sold Out • Silver Symphony Kinetic Sculpture Directions
About Silver Symphony
Using chime tubes to create musical sounds within a sculpture has intrigued me since I was located next to Woodstock Percussion at a craft show 25 years ago. Over the years I've incorporated chime tubes in several different sculptures.
I discovered the Chimes of Apollo a couple of years ago. "Someday I'm going to use these," I thought. This year was the year. The challenge was complex. The chimes generate sublime tones with incredible resonance and are tuned to an ancient Chinese Pentatonic scale. I wanted to control the striking of each chime tube in a random sequence of cords and trills. The mechanism for doing this had to be silent and yet also create some interesting patterns of motion.
I started slow. First developing a striker mechanism and then laying out the rest of the piece. Along the way I had to learn a new 3D program so I could visualize all the complex spacial/mechanical problems and animate the solutions.
I was thrilled when the assembly actually worked and I then spent literally months just listening and perfecting the sound and motion. This is by far the most complex piece I've offered for sale. It is also the most challenging and rewarding piece I've done. It has to be experienced to be appreciated. Enjoy the sounds and sights!
Comments via YouTube:
"I have always enjoyed these sculptures since the early 90's, well, at the least the wall hangings. Now to break into a "walk around" piece is just beyond amazing. Thank you for bringing such visual AND audible beauty into this world. - 9-23-10, Joe
Comments via Website:
"This work moved me to tears of joy! I've never wanted to live with a piece as much as I do this. In reading and listening to your comments about Silver Symphony and your other works, my heart is warmed when you say you've lived with a piece for a few months, re-working a design, still smiling. The wood is warm, the sound and motion are warm and my heart is so warmed! You love your work and so do I. Sold out - no wonder!" - 12.13.10 - Leavity Six
"absolutely brilliant!" - 10.13.10 - Rick
"I thoroughly enjoyed your video describing your creative journey in designing and building Silver Symphony. I've built several kinetic sculptures from Clayton Boyer's plans and would like to try my hand at designing one of my own. Can you share with me the name of the new 3D program you used? Thanks." - 9-24-10, Kevin Oliver
Artist Response (to above)
"I use Strata Design 3d cx primarily because of how well it integrates with Adobe Illustrator, my primary drawing program. I use Adobe After Effects to animate and pre-visualize my wall pieces and the less complex free standing pieces. The Illustrator/After Effects team is a much faster iterative environment but Strata Design allows for more detailed analysis of how parts will actually fit together.
In truth most of the design work goes on in my head because that's the fastest iterative process. I do the drawings and animations to check up on my mental image because I often miss the detail that it won't really work as my brain thinks it should! David
I apreciate your fine and dedicated work. As an engineer, I know the implications of design and construct. Congratulations! - 9/22/10, Oscar Avalos Fernandez
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Reader Comments (3)
I can't wait to win the lottery to by your sculptures!
Hope you do! Would have been a good week to win.
Having to leave the California coast and the Redwoods for Seattle a little more than a year ago was quite difficult and left a vacancy in my soul that was hard to put into words..still searching “my spot” here, but when I stumbled onto your youtube channel today, you gave sound to my silence. Listening to this piece, and getting lost in its beauty, truly made me feel divinely connected to “home” Thank you for sharing your gift with us. If you ever decide to make another or need a “forever-home” for a rescue~ please let me know. This blessed me from the inside out ✌️