Welcome to: The Robotorium: June 2019

Friday, June 21, 2019

Tired and worn down robot

I have been picking away and making a tired and worn down robot. Most of my work has a kind of used look to it, but I wanted to really push that image to the front with this piece. I am pretty happy with the progress thus far, here's a few shots of what I have.

I'll make updates as I move along with this project. I am finding this one much more satisfying than I thought and that's always a good thing.

Tuesday, June 11, 2019

Another Show!

As luck would have it I got into my third show this year. The show is Through the Surface at the 6 Bridges Gallery in Maynard. The show opens July 9th and runs through August 16th. I am feeling quite energized and excited about these shows, but also humbled. It very validating to get into three in a row. Here is the robot that made the cut.

My goal moving forward will be to keep the momentum going in any way I can. I really want to try and build a following for my work.

Artists Statement

Robots, the future was supposed to be full of them. I grew up in the shadow of the Apollo program, transfixed as massive machines left Pad 39A, rising on a pillar of fire. I drank up every episode of The Thunderbirds, Star Trek, Creature Double Feature and Dr. Who. I devoured Asimov, Clark and Heinlein. They showed me a future of great adventure and promise, all accompanied by a faithful metal companion; not a Roomba or a self-driving car. While cool, they lack the reassuring yet potentially sinister metal gleam of Robby, or B9 from Lost in Space. They do not lurch from task to task or generate massive electrical arcs. They are not imbued with superhuman strength, and are missing the frightening single-mindedness of Gort or The Terminator.

I have always loved building things. So, given the robotless state of my present, I grabbed a screwdriver and drill and took remnants from the past to make my missing future. I see potential creations in stuff that gets thrown away. I love the machine age look of polished aluminum, wrinkle finished paint, and Bakelite. I look for parts that complement each other. Using cast-offs from a time before transistors, I try to create something with an aesthetic unity. I want my robots to look like they have been used and worked, while broadcasting a personality and sense of presence. I want them to look real, that’s important. Most of all, when I’m done, I want to look at them and laugh. With each creation I get a little closer to the dreams I had as a boy, a little closer to the future I imagined. Step into The Robotorium and let me share with you the way it all could have been.