Mesmerising, moving wood sculptures!

In the past we have featured the kinetic sculptures of artists such as Anthony Howe and Theo Jansen.

Today we are going to look at the wonderful kinetic wood sculptures of David C. Roy who lives in America and has been making unique, moving wooden sculptures for the past 40 years or so. Here is an example:

David studied physics, engineering and chemistry at college and graduated with a degree in physics from Boston University in 1974. He was always fascinated with mechanics and motion, and so, together with his self-taught wood working skills, and an encouraging wife, decided to become a full time sculptor in 1975.

He hasn’t looked back since, creating over 150 bespoke sculptures which move solely by the controlled release of energy from a spring. No other motor, battery or power source is used. ¹

Each kinetic sculpture is a wooden machine designed to produce interesting patterns which can remain in motion anywhere from a couple of hours up to 48 hours. David says: “You wind them and then sit back to be entertained for hours. My sculptures are fun to share. I love watching people's faces as they break into a smile when they "get it."……” ¹

David uses a solid birch plywood as the main material in his sculptures, sourced from the Baltic region of Finland and Russia. He uses a plywood verses a plain hardwood because of its stability to keep moving in all sorts of conditions. ¹

And why does he do it? David says: “I design and build kinetic sculptures because I enjoy the act of creation. Taking an abstract idea and turning it into a physical object that "works" is a thrilling experience. I highly recommend it!” ¹

You might like to look at a couple more short videos showing the mesmerising movement of David’s sculptures:

It's like staring into the hypnotic, relaxing flames of a cosy, living room fireplace, isn't it! You could look at it for hours!