Royal Miree
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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 of the local zoo and never missing a National
Geographic, Nova, or Wild Kingdom special. If a tool, brush, pencil or pen
was missing in the house, it was most likely in my room working on one
creation or another. It was never enough to see how things worked; I had
to take them apart or build them to find out how they worked. While all
these projects could be messy and sometimes loud, my parents,
grandparents, and even my best friend's family always encouraged me to
create. At fifteen I began an apprenticeship to kinetic sculpturer Edward
Hendricks and found entirely different sides of art not bounded by margins of
a static canvas, but an art that utilizes every piece of itself to be realized.
mathematician with a love of nature and wildlife, I spent much of my time
walking construction sites of the local zoo and never missing a National
Geographic, Nova, or Wild Kingdom special. If a tool, brush, pencil or pen
was missing in the house, it was most likely in my room working on one
creation or another. It was never enough to see how things worked; I had
to take them apart or build them to find out how they worked. While all
these projects could be messy and sometimes loud, my parents,
grandparents, and even my best friend's family always encouraged me to
create. At fifteen I began an apprenticeship to kinetic sculpturer Edward
Hendricks and found entirely different sides of art not bounded by margins of
a static canvas, but an art that utilizes every piece of itself to be realized.
Four years later I left Birmingham to study architecture, and Mr. Hendricks, to a new studio in New
York. I immediately 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. These studies started integrating themselves into my water color and acrylic painting and then
found a niche with my conte crayon and charcoal works. When I began anew to explore metalwork
and sculpture, many years later, 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
structure. I like to think that in a way I can build my own art “zoo” and the creatures within. I have a
passion for observing and interacting with my own creations, but even more so, I find fulfillment in the
handling, forming and movement of materials that end as a finished sculpture.
Over the past 15 years I have worked with movement and form through observing dance and nature’s
efficient engineering to bring the public closer to the basic beauty and strength I see in so much of the
world. The inspiration is generated through watching the subtle movements and forms nature
provides to us, almost like a language that can be read if we choose to. It is this simple and powerful
grace that I try to translate to my works. 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.
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. Each element is to perform it’s purpose with simplicity and efficiency. 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 point plays a critical
role in the visual affect the work will have in motion.
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. A large assembly of ascending radius disc is the forming tool
used to bend the curves and counter curves of the tail pieces.
All pieces are assembled and fixed into an axel and ball bearing housing mounted to the wall. At this
stage distances and weights from the rotation point are analyzed and calculated. 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 when the assembly comes to it’s resting position.
The entire rough assembly design is transferred back to the board with all weights, sizes and distances
noted and is then disassembled for polishing and painting.
To achieve the mirror polish, each component is run through five sanding stages starting with a 180
grit sandpaper to remove tooling and milling marks and ending with a 600 fine grit surface. At this
stage the aluminum components are complete. The stainless steel components are ready for a three
stage rotary buffing process to bring each piece to a final mirror finish. After each component is
cleaned and waxed, the entire work is re-assembled and mounted back to the wall so that the final
balance and adjustments can be made.
York. I immediately 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. These studies started integrating themselves into my water color and acrylic painting and then
found a niche with my conte crayon and charcoal works. When I began anew to explore metalwork
and sculpture, many years later, 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
structure. I like to think that in a way I can build my own art “zoo” and the creatures within. I have a
passion for observing and interacting with my own creations, but even more so, I find fulfillment in the
handling, forming and movement of materials that end as a finished sculpture.
Over the past 15 years I have worked with movement and form through observing dance and nature’s
efficient engineering to bring the public closer to the basic beauty and strength I see in so much of the
world. The inspiration is generated through watching the subtle movements and forms nature
provides to us, almost like a language that can be read if we choose to. It is this simple and powerful
grace that I try to translate to my works. 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.
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. Each element is to perform it’s purpose with simplicity and efficiency. 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 point plays a critical
role in the visual affect the work will have in motion.
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. A large assembly of ascending radius disc is the forming tool
used to bend the curves and counter curves of the tail pieces.
All pieces are assembled and fixed into an axel and ball bearing housing mounted to the wall. At this
stage distances and weights from the rotation point are analyzed and calculated. 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 when the assembly comes to it’s resting position.
The entire rough assembly design is transferred back to the board with all weights, sizes and distances
noted and is then disassembled for polishing and painting.
To achieve the mirror polish, each component is run through five sanding stages starting with a 180
grit sandpaper to remove tooling and milling marks and ending with a 600 fine grit surface. At this
stage the aluminum components are complete. The stainless steel components are ready for a three
stage rotary buffing process to bring each piece to a final mirror finish. After each component is
cleaned and waxed, the entire work is re-assembled and mounted back to the wall so that the final
balance and adjustments can be made.
