I owe a debt of gratitude to the constructivists who have gone before
me and especially to my mentor Harry Weese. It
was from him that I learned that structure can be architecture or
in this case sculpture. I also learned that the inherent properties
of materials can be explored and emphasized to enhance their qualities.
Tension, compression, opacity, transparency, translucency, and curvability
are all properties I seek to explore in my work. My career in architecture
has given me a logical constructivist approach to sculpture, The skeletal
and tensile facets of my work stem from the early introduction I had
to the first aircraft displayed at the Smithsonion while working at
the outset of the Washington Metro. The skeletal and tensile characteristics
of my work derives from the observation that the underlying structure
can be infinitely more interesting than its cladding or skin. Tensile
and compressive members lend a dynamism to the composition while obscure
meaning can add an extra dimension to the three that are physical.
Elementary geometry pervades much of the work with a conscious effort
to combine this geometry in an unconventional way. Construction of
these pieces relies heavily on using appropriate materials which include
sheet acrylic for its transparency, translucency and curvability;
thin Finnish plywood for its warmth and curvability; aircraft cable
for its tensile strength; steel and aluminum for their strength and
compressibility and aniline dye for the introduction of color. The
scale of most of my work is intended for indoor display. However,
I think of these pieces as finished maquettes for larger scale outdoor
work.
It
was from him that I learned that structure can be architecture or
in this case sculpture. I also learned that the inherent properties
of materials can be explored and emphasized to enhance their qualities.
Tension, compression, opacity, transparency, translucency, and curvability
are all properties I seek to explore in my work. My career in architecture
has given me a logical constructivist approach to sculpture, The skeletal
and tensile facets of my work stem from the early introduction I had
to the first aircraft displayed at the Smithsonion while working at
the outset of the Washington Metro. The skeletal and tensile characteristics
of my work derives from the observation that the underlying structure
can be infinitely more interesting than its cladding or skin. Tensile
and compressive members lend a dynamism to the composition while obscure
meaning can add an extra dimension to the three that are physical.
Elementary geometry pervades much of the work with a conscious effort
to combine this geometry in an unconventional way. Construction of
these pieces relies heavily on using appropriate materials which include
sheet acrylic for its transparency, translucency and curvability;
thin Finnish plywood for its warmth and curvability; aircraft cable
for its tensile strength; steel and aluminum for their strength and
compressibility and aniline dye for the introduction of color. The
scale of most of my work is intended for indoor display. However,
I think of these pieces as finished maquettes for larger scale outdoor
work.