Flagstaff, Arizona
Bronze, Steel, Hard Maple, Cocobolo
After shutting down a studio in Downtown Phoenix, the opportunity arose to move back home to Flagstaff. The mountains, crisp mountain air, and comforting, homely energy that Phoenix no longer offered. The city had lost its resonance, making it the perfect time to return to familiar roots.
Back in Flagstaff a significant hurdle emerged: no dedicated space existed for me to produce art or channel creative passion. That changed with the discovery of a sculpture class at Northern Arizona University, focused on foundry work. The realization was mind-blowing—art foundries are rare, especially within a credible university and an established school of art.
Determination set in to enroll. After diligently saving for a semester, a spot in the class was secured. While sorting through a storage unit one day, leftover pieces from a previous commissioned project surfaced— the perfect starting point. The vision became clear: create connector pieces cast in bronze to hold the individual fins together.
The design phase began with a CAD program, Fusion360, to conceptualize the connector pieces. A laser cutter helped create cut outs in order to stack pieces for patterns for rubber molds, which were filled with wax, turned into ceramic shells, and finally cast in bronze. This combination of CAD precision and laser cutting ensured perfect fit and accuracy.
The fins were crafted using water jet cutting, with shapes derived from the CAD model, previously run through simulations to achieve the desired moiré effect, emulating sound wave propagation. After final assembly and fitting, the raw steel fins received a low-tech patina finish: submersion in saltwater. This process imparted a rustic, weathered look that contrasted with the polished bronze connectors.
The central hub of the piece was crafted from laminated hard maple, turned on a lathe, then laser-etched and embellished for added detail. Grooves holding the fins were cut using the same CAD model and laser-cut templates, guiding a router bit and bushing to ensure accuracy and a seamless fit between materials.
To enhance the kinetic aspect of the sculpture, high-quality balanced bearings were used, allowing the initial kinetic energy to sustain motion and create a dynamic visual performance. Additionally, the framework and backlighting from an older piece were repurposed, saving resources.