Artist Statement

My contemporary sculpture refers to the communication of ideas between artistic and scientific creativity, with attention to a spiritual pathway. Through operations of abstraction and transformation, I strive to bring forth metaphors related to high ideals, journeys, and exploration of the unknown.

I have pursued a personal vision that Art & Science and Art & Technology might be tools to help save humanity. The synergistic forces from combining art with science and technology are powerful enough to break through any of the cultural barriers. Let us use this tool to unite diverse cultures and save civilization from conflicts.

I enjoy crafting Space Age materials into works of art that speak to us about reaching for the secrets of the universe. Some of my favorite Space Age materials are the diffraction grating and dichroic films. The diffraction grating film that I use is composed of a microscopic array of dots, imprinted into clear Mylar film then backed with a vapor-deposited aluminum mirror. Dichroic plastic films are so thin that they cause light interference and produce colors in the same way as thin oil films on wet pavement.

When heat-pressed or adhered to a bas-relief surface, these films produce an intense play of colors in much the same way as we find on some iridescent beetles, the wings of specific kinds of butterflies, and the feathers of specific kinds of birds. When the viewer’s motions varies the angle from which the diffraction grating artwork is viewed, a dynamic shift in prismatic color is observed. The choreography of the moving body causes unexpected dynamic allegiances to emerge. These allegiances occur due to the interaction between the color-shifting artwork and the constructed field.

I especially enjoy using spectral transformation and geometry in the creation of Public Art sculpture. Art & Science as well as Art & Technology can be used hopefully to help save humanity from the forces of globalization by breaking cultural barriers and inspiring young people to become scientists. The artworks of Art & Science as well as Art & Technology can also bring science closer to the public and help us understand the new worlds of: artificial intelligence, Space-Time, Quantum Physics, Schrodinger’s Cat, holography, fractals, and our own subconscious mind. I enjoy working with artists, scientists, engineers, physicists, astronomers, and all who search for understanding the universe of which we are integral.

There are ways that art in general can open young minds and help them to avoid the negative forces in the world. For instance, through an immersion in some form of art they might recognize new patterns in the world that they would not have before. This can happen because a painting, a poem, a song, or a metaphor are usually open-ended and provide many unexpected interpretations. There is so much more in a work of art than was originally intended by the artist. There is no one meaning, so in this realization art can free us from artificial constraints and help the young student to become more open minded and developing.

About the “Very Large Array Radio Telescope” and Electromagnetic Waves

The “Very Large Array (VLA) Radio Telescope” south of Albuquerque, New Mexico uses the interference of radio waves to see cosmic structures in our Milky Way Galaxy. Both radio waves and the light that we see with our eyes are electromagnetic waves; however, they possess greatly different frequencies.

My diffraction grating bas-relief sculptures use the interference of light waves as seen by the eye. Therefore, these sculptures may help the public understand interference. I was invited to exhibit three diffraction grating artworks in the VLA Visitor Center for this purpose. Perhaps by seeing the interference of light waves in an artwork, visitors may better understand how the VLA is able to detect cosmic objects across our galaxy.