Final piece for Spatial Dynamics, a 'Light' Project. This is a log of Osage Orange that I wound nested away in the RISD Foundation Studies 3D workshop. Thankfully, the log has been sitting around the shelves there for several years, and the wood is fully dry. To incorporate lighting into this little jem I found, I utilized the natural splits and checks in the wood to expose a light source in the center of the log. I drilled a hole down the center of the log wide enough to house a flourescent lightbulb and slightly expanded the cracks with an axe/wedge to allow more light to escape the wood. To explore some more tools and wood shaping techniques, I experimented with using gouges to create a hole for the bulb, bulding a bow saw of 2x4, twine and a broken band saw blade to shape the wood into natural flowing curves, an angle grinder to manipulate the curves created by my bow saw, a radial sander to finish the wood, and Watco Danish oil to finish the wood and bring out the beauty of Osage Orange. Overall, this piece was very helpful for my wood shaping technique and also yielded a beautiful light fixture. What I'd really love to find is a way to insert tiny hole in the sides of the log that would shine light from the center like wormholes, give the piece a further illuminated look. I am eager to experiment further with Osage Orange; it has wonderful qualities of strength, flexibility and tensile stregnth, durability and fine polish. This is a very good wood for building bows in particular.

A sphere designed from semicircles of museum board. Some engineering was need to keep the distance between ribs static and subsequently give the structure rigidity. a combination of jelly string and thumbtacks did the trick.

A rough fist attempt at an Icosahedron Tensegrity structure.

A simple 4x4x4 cube, it would seem. However the eccentricy of the alternating tubes creates a complex surface on each face of the cube.

I happened to find this peice while searching in the library on polyhedra, and recognized my shape!