Andrew Carson

As a child growing up in Boulder, Colorado, I was fascinated by the Chinook winds that blew in excess of 100 mph, and I hand-built electronic test equipment to measure the curious blasts of weather. Later, as a teenager, I studied the experimental turbines of the Rockwell wind energy test site. I constructed whirligigs inspired by these functional windmills, kindling my interest in kinetic sculpture. My work at a bicycle shop during the same period allowed me to further explore the combination of mechanics and movement. In college, I studied photography and graphic design. In my early years as a professional artist, I used a varied palette of electronics, illustration, the camera and mechanical systems— all woven together to interact with the spirit of the human being. In 1994, to fully satisfy my artistic vision, I revisited the whirligigs of my youth, refining my work with studies in glass and sculpture. Since then, I have invented and reinvented my original kinetic sculptures with a series of eclectic and captivating innovations. I personally design, engineer and prototype every piece of every sculpture, including the glasswork, hubs and transitions. There are no “found parts in my work.