John Biggs.

Solar Orbitar      .062

Sterling silver, Ebony. Mahogany, Solar panels and Pyrex glass.

15” x 15” x 12”       Completed  1999

    This was the first solar piece in the series. I was at one of my favorite haunts, a surplus store in Pasadena, in my wonderings I came across solar panels and was intrigued as to wether or not I could apply them to my work. The end result was a solution to my power problems. Before this piece my work was powered by the viewer. I liked the concept of the viewer completing the piece by manipulating the work to activate the mechanism within. The idea being that the work could stand alone (a la not plugged into the wall) and therefore be

a self sustained piece. The problem with this concept was that the viewer in a few seconds, if not careful, could reduce the work to rubble. Solar panels solved this problem.

     This piece is a three inch hand raised sphere of sterling silver. The motor casings are carved and cast with the lost wax process.

Each panel powers a separate motor: the wings are hand fabricated sterling silver covered with a thin layer of tissue and polyester resin. The deck is ebony and the under structure is mahogany.