Since graduating from Boston University in 1974, Connecticut-based artist David C. Roy has been spending most of his time crafting spectacular kinetic sculptures. Somewhat similar to clockworks in appearance, these wooden sculptures rely mainly on mechanical winding to produce a variety of mesmerizing motions and sounds. What is more, they can run anywhere from 1 1/2 to 24 hours, on a single wind.

Roy’s interest in physics goes back to his childhood, when he watched his father, an engineer, spend countless hours building jet engines. During college, as an engineering student, he became fascinated with the complex science of mechanics and motion. Encounters with his high school best friend at the Rhode Island School of Design and later his wife Marji, who is also an artist, inspired Roy to turn to art and woodworking. He says:

I saw it as another type of creative problem solving, not all that different from my advanced physics courses, but with a completely different goal. To this day, I find art and science to be closely linked.

His creations include 150 stunning kinetic sculptures, powered by constant force springs. The simple, minimalist design, of the artwork, actually complements the complicated mechanics behind it. Although not in perpetual motion, these self-propelled sculptures can run for nearly one whole day, on a single wind. However, despite their resemblance with clockworks, they cannot be used to tell time. Roy explains:

They are escapements. The difference is my escapements divide time into fairly large and sometimes random chucks. And that’s not good for keeping accurate time.

His collection includes pieces, like the “Dimensions”, “Aztec”, “Nautilus”, Swoop”, “Avalanche” and others.

To know more about the artist, head over to his official website.