Whirlygigs with Wayne Martin (5/19/2012)

Wayne entertained the audience with his explanation of whirligigs (art in motion). The majority of whirlygigs are simple machines that use a propeller to derive their power form the wind to turn a shaft equipped with various cams to cause a piece of the artword over the shaft to move.

Wayne brought 5 whirligigs to show the audience the evolution of his art/engineering.  He also started out with propellers but has progressed to small motors that can drive a shaft equipped with multiple cams and attachments enabling more elaborate artistic scenes.  His most recent piece titled "The Bovine String Quartet" integrates 4 characters playing stringed insruments to music around a camp fire.  He "carves" the characters using a dremel tool and then applies acrylic paint.  The most amazing part was that Wayne hasn't had any traininng as either an artist or an engineer.

Login to post comments