artwork

I became involved in sculpture when I was approached at a party by a woman who asked me if I could weld. That was the beginning of the creative partnership between myself and Halinka Tyszko.
The initial pieces we produced are in the Moo Bar (Meadows Bar) in Buccleuch Street in Edinburgh. The eight wall-mounted lights in the downstairs bar are manufactured in mild steel sheet with a natural finish. Each light is a unique interpretation of a horned animal head.
The client was so pleased with these pieces that an additional light was commissioned for above the bar area. This is a 6.5 metre long snake manufactured in tinplate. The body is perforated along its length with chevron cut-outs, and the light shines from these. The snake coils its way across the ceiling with the tail, head, and a central section hanging down towards the customers.
My initial input to this project was in the assembly of Halinka's prepared materials, but as the work progressed, and my knowledge of engineering was explored, we found we were able to share the creative process. Though of course Halinka had the final say! Halinka would ask if a certain construction were possible, or how a certain effect might be achieved, and as we discussed solutions a new piece would emerge. The final piece, the snake, was a real co-operative venture. Halinka's vision and my craft skills seemed to compliment each other perfectly and I am very pleased with the outcome.


The real fun started after we had completed this commission. Halinka is a kinetic sculptor. She likes to make things that move! First we worked on some existing pieces, modifying mechanisms and beefing-up their construction to make them more reliable and resilient. Then we went on to create a group of pieces that represented guests at a dinner table. Except for one piece, which was inflated by an air pump, the rest were driven by electric motors through pulleys, levers, cams, and rollers. We used any materials that came to hand and were often seen scouring the streets of Edinburgh for interesting 'rubbish' that people had thrown away. The completed assembly was displayed to a private gathering of friends and invited guests late in 1996. Sadly it was dismantled when Halinka moved to Brighton on the south coast of England.