ROYAL RICHARDSON MIREE
METAL ARTIST
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The son of a general contractor
who was educated as a civil engineer and a mathematician with a
love of nature and wildlife, I spent much of my time walking
construction sites or the local zoo. At fifteen I began an
apprenticeship to kinetic sculptor Edward Hendricks and found an
entirely different side of art not bounded by the margins of a
static canvas, but an art that utilizes every piece of itself to
be realized. |
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| Four years later I left
Birmingham to study architecture and explored new media and
subject matter. I began a sketch study of movement and shadow,
fascinated with how minimal an object could be and yet translate
a form so much greater than itself. When I began anew to
explore metalwork and sculpture, the idea of art utilizing every
ounce of itself to obey form and function, to perform and to be
alive, took on new life in stainless steel and aluminum with
kinetic sculpture. |
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Over the past 15 years I have
worked with movement and form. There is a certain fascination
with being able to create a form with basic fluid elements that
may come fully to life with the intuition and imagination of the
observer. |
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| Designs for each kinetic
sculpture start as a basic line drawing with attention to the
visual flow of elements. As a design develops, the relationship
between concept and materials becomes more important. The
intent is to create a fluid, figurative image using the minimal
amount of material. While the materials are of themselves hard,
the aim is to soften them and have them almost dance as they
move and reflect. To this end, the smoothness and speed of the
counter balance point plays a critical role in the visual affect
the work will have in motion. |
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The design is transferred to actual size on a
board with concentric circles designating rotation of the
various elements. After this basic layout is complete, the raw
metal stock is cut, measured, weighed and milled for the anchor
components. Various counter weights made earlier are used for
testing the balance points of the assembly. This is a process of
checking different sized pieces for their weight and position to
achieve a smooth rotation and match to an exact position of
horizontal balance.
Click here to visit
Royal's web site. |
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