Artist’s Statement

Ornithopters and Little Walkers

The pieces in this show are made from bamboo, fabric or paper, hot glue or string, motors, motion sensors and electricity. Though I did not intend it, they grew into figurative sculptures ~ birds, insects and animals.

I’m not a mechanically inclined person, though I do love to tinker. My lack of sophistication in this area provides an opportunity ~ an opportunity to participate in the process of discovery.

My intent was to discover basic mechanical and electrical principals with fresh eyes.

Leonardo Da Vinci studied the flights of birds and translated that knowledge into mechanisms to allow human flight. Now we have supersonic jets and space shuttles, so this kind of study is unnecessary from a scientific view point.

What interests me is the process of invention. To do my art I take on a sort of "mad scientist" persona, so that I too can participate in discovery even though so much has already been discovered. I labor to work out basic mechanical principals that have been known for a long time.

It is the feeling of discovery that thrills me.

The feeling is analogous to flight.

Larnie R. Fox

choice

chance