Willow burl 2

My work is motivated by three things. First, my lifelong work in scientific research continues to draw me back to fundamentals of symmetry and sculpture: hence my early obsession with sphericons and femispheres, and more recently multiaxis turning. Second, while token reference is made to “the fourth dimension”, movement, practically no kinetic wood art exists. My initial ideas and some kinetic work are the subject of two articles (“American Woodturner” 17:36, Fall 2002 : 27 No.1 Feb 2012). I have developed two different small 'engines' (“Woodturning Design” #13 Spring 2007 pp71-73) that can be hidden within a piece to produce movement. Exploring how movement alone might add to the esthetics of wood art can then be more easily explored. Third, movement shape and surrealism, of objects like Dali’s soft watches, motivate my more recent fragmented woodturning. Before and even after ‘deconstruction’ of a turned vessel into ten or twenty pieces, it is still a delightful challenge to predict what the reconstruction can bring, and of the many possibilities which are esthetically the most pleasing. You can see more of my earlier work at www.peterrand.ca

- Peter Rand