Latest Work From Chris Bathgate

Chris Bathgate creates art by experimenting with mechanical engineering.

If you can cast your mind back about 2 weeks, You'll remember that I introduced Chris's work with my Chris Bathgate is Engineering Art blog post. Little did I know he was just about to unleash a new beauty.

Today I bring you Chris's latest work, fresh off the home made lathes and with the milling lubricant still steaming.

LT732262633332524 | Copyright Chris Bathgate
Chris's latest work is sculpted mostly from aluminum, with other parts being stainless steel and those glimmers of orange being Brass.

At 52" tall, it is Chris's largest work and most likely the heaviest.

"I designed it to remove from the base post relatively easily so I could still move it about in two pieces".

It is estimated that the work required at least 210 hours labour and another 60 on the design which we can seen bellow.

Draft Design for LT732262633332524 | Copyright Chris Bathgate
The above image shows the draft design from which Chris started working on this new project. It originated from a series of sketches that Chris made in 2008 for a proposed commission that never came to fruition. However, the core concept never died, it simply remained on hiatus until Chris had worked out how to pull it all together.

"I kept the kernel of that idea and let it incubate for a bit until it finally emerged a few years later as a mature concept".

Completed Design for LT732262633332524 | Copyright Chris Bathgate
The final design, pictured above was finished around the same time as the actual work. The design and the piece are a work in tandem which mirrors Chris's process of solving problems as they crop up, incorporating solutions into the design and putting them into his work.

"I start with a basic working layout, but I refine the drawing as I go to make it its own finished product so I usually complete it about the same time I complete the actual piece.

LT732262633332524 | Copyright Chris Bathgate
Chris has added a long list of sculptures to his gallery over the years, each of which is a solution to an engineering problem and a reference if that problems needs to be solved again.

Check out my Chris Bathgate is Engineering Art blog post which introduces Chris in a little more detail including a list of home made machines and tools which he uses to complete his work.

And if you have enough time, check out Chris's documentation of the process that is generally required in creating his art.