Thur. – Sat. 11-5  Sun. 12-5 or by appointment | 802.251.8290

BRUCE CAMPBELL

Mechanical Universe

 

July 5 – August 18, 2024

Gallery Walk
Friday, July 5, 5-8pm

Artist Reception
Saturday, July 13, 5-7pm

Artist Talk
Saturday, July 27, 5pm

“These sculptures demonstrate, in minimalist and transparent form, my perception of the universe—how the universe might be visualized if moved by gears, levers, and basic mechanics.”

Read more about Campbell’s inspiration for his sculptures

As a young boy, I spent many happy hours in my father’s workshop hammering coat hanger wire to fashion different items. Thinking back to that time, I now realize that I learned so much about forming metal from those early experiments.

When I moved to Vermont and had my own workshop, I began to explore the medium of brass. It was a relatively inexpensive material and easy to form. I had always been interested in the mechanics of movement so it was a natural progression that I began to make gears and levers that I fashioned by hand.

Today, my work is influenced by natural phenomena such as sun showers, meteor storms, wind, rain, eclipses, constellations, etc. The challenge is to show these natural events through sometimes simple and sometimes not-so-simple functional means, and do it in a way that is both informative and beautiful. All my work can be activated by a hand crank that invites audience participation. By turning the crank, people can experience the movements the way I envisioned them. My sculptures represent, in minimalist and transparent form, my perception of the universe—how the universe might be represented if moved by gears, levers, and basic mechanics.

~ Bruce Campbell

Artist page

Bruce Campbell
Exultation of Shad, 2024
brass, stainless steel, wood
11.5”h x 12”w x 7.5″d

sold

 

Bruce Campbell
Moon, Stars, Sun, Rain, 2024
brass, stainless steel, wood
13”h x 8”w x 8″d

$2,800

 

Bruce Campbell
Andromeda, 2024
brass, stainless steel, wood
33”h x 7”w x 7″d

$4,100

 

Bruce Campbell
Sectioned Universe, 2020
brass, stainless steel, wood
30”h x 7.5”w x 7.5″d

$2,700

 

Bruce Campbell
Waves, Moon, Stars, 2024
brass, stainless steel, wood
15.5”h x 6.5”w x 5.5″d

sold

 

Bruce Campbell
Star Abacus, 2024
brass, stainless steel, wood
9.5”h x 13”w x 11″d

sold

 

Bruce Campbell
Alchemy I, 2016
brass, stainless steel, wood
17”h x 14”w x 14″d

$2,900

 

Bruce Campbell
Alchemy V, 2016
brass, stainless steel, wood
14”h x 14”w x 15″d

$3,200

 

“Making the sculptures kinetic creates different movement and design by whoever is turning it. Everyone will turn it differently. A little child might spin it fast and an adult may turn it slower, creating a different effect on the speed. One thing I am trying to depict is the different phenomenon of the universe, like eclipses and meteor showers.”

Bruce Campbell
Sun Shower II, 2024
brass, stainless steel, wood
15”h x 13”w x 11″d

sold

 

Bruce Campbell
Numbering Clock, 2023
brass, stainless steel, wood
13”h x 14.5”w x 10″d

$4,100

 

Bruce Campbell
New Moon Blue Moon, 2023
brass, stainless steel, wood
15”h x 13”w x 9″d

$2,800

 

Bruce Campbell
Moon Works, 2018
brass, stainless steel, wood
13”h x 13”w x 13″d

$3,500

 

Bruce Campbell
Star Clock, 2018
brass, stainless steel, wood
20”h x 8.5”w x 11″d

$3,200

 

Bruce Campbell
Meteor, 2019
brass, stainless steel, wood
26”h x 7.5”w x 7.5″d

$3,200

 

Bruce Campbell
Two Moons, Two Stars, and Two Planets, 2024
brass, stainless steel, wood
9”h x 14”w x 4″d

$2,400

 

Bruce Campbell
Alchemy VI, 2024
brass, stainless steel, wood
16”h x 14”w x 14″d

sold

 

Bruce Campbell
Pegasus, 2018
brass, stainless steel, wood
14”h x 6.5”w x 7.5″d

$775

 

Bruce Campbell
Two Moons 2023
brass, stainless steel, wood
11.5”h x 4.25”w x 8″d

sold

 

Bruce Campbell
Conjunction, 2017
brass, stainless steel, wood
15”h x 14.5”w x 16.5″d

nfs

 

Bruce Campbell
Iowa, 2024
brass, stainless steel, wood
15.5”h x 9”w x 4″d

$750

 

Bruce Campbell’s Artist Talk at Mitchell•Giddings Fine Arts on the evening of July 27, 2024