The Machinist Sculptor

Explore machine work as a fine craft through the lens of Chris Bathgate’s pioneering sculpture techniques.   By all rights, machining should have been embraced by artists long ago. During the 20th century, many industrial crafts were developed into studio art mediums. For a long time, however, the crafts movement rejected many forms of automation. Seen as inexpressive, expensive, and inaccessible, machine tools would be largely relegated to their industrial role until the first few years of the 2000s.  Artist Chris Bathgate’s story brings visibility to the craft of modern machine work. • Bathgate utilizes handmade tools; milling, drilling, and turning machines; CNC (computerized numerical controlled) machines; and more to form precisely crafted complex sculptures that capture the imagination and pose exciting questions about how the worlds of technology and craft are intersecting now more than ever. He combines a variety of metals—including steel, aluminum, copper, bronze, brass