Kinetic Tea House
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During a residency at the California State University, Sacramento, University Library Gallery and in response to the recently opened Sokiku Nakatani Tea Room in the same building, the sculpture students and I built a Kinetic Tea Room.

The “Tea Cups” are made of elliptical mirrors rotating and casting bowl shaped shadows.

Polishing the gray paint off the back of the mirrors revealed a layer the color of red clay paint. The “Tea Cups” serve ovals of reflected light that traverse the walls, ceiling and floor of the gallery, expressing good heart to the viewer.

The “Silver Horizon” is the water container for the tea.

The “Chabana Whisk” combines a reference to the Japanese art of flower arrangement for tea ceremony with a reference to the sound of the whisk stirring the tea, shhh... as the brushes kiss. The table top is painted with red clay slip and the golden brush slowly removes it layer by layer.

The “Thangka of Good Heart” has a flicker bulb at its center, a spark floating on air, a greeting for all that enter.