One-of-a-kind
Size: 31” w x 43” h x 6.5” d
Approximate Run Time: 35 Hours
Sold
Thunderbird © 2016
About Thunderbird:
I designed and built this sculpture in 2016. It was partially inspired by my sculpture Infinity but I wanted a pattern that was more complex. Infinity had a pattern that was fairly simple. I designed a chaotic mechanism to drive the pattern in unpredictable ways. I wanted to try the inverse, a more complex patterning wheel with a predictable drive mechanism. To this end I started playing with an inside out wheel where the spokes were asymmetrical. Asymmetrical wheels are harder to design because finding the balance point is not a simple matter of just finding center. The mass of each section of the wheel has to match its opposing section on the opposite side of the wheel, regardless of the shape of that particular section. I love this kind of challenge. It often reveals interesting patterns.
I draw my parts in Adobe Illustrator and then animated them in Adobe After Effects. The calculation of center of mass is accomplished in a program no longer produced for the Mac called Working Model. I use a vintage Mac to run this software and it still preforms admirably.
The result was a new pattern that I really enjoyed. I decided to drive it with a double spring long running mechanism and live with it in our home. I like living with long running sculptures because my workday is filled with winding and I don’t need more at home.
The more I watched it the more I wanted to share it. I decided to simplify the wheels a bit using fewer, somewhat thicker spokes and power it with a center drive mechanism. Eventually this became Duality which I introduced in 2017 and it became a collector favorite.
So now it’s years later and although I still enjoy my long running Thunderbird it’s time to sell it and make room for some new designs. I’ve been doing a lot of designing since my “retirement” and I need the wall space!
