Jim Jenkins is a kinetic sculptor living and working in California. He sculpts inanimate objects from metal, wood, and plastics and brings them to life with motors and counter-weights, carefully orchestrating the movement of each object.

Jenkins received his BFA from Murray State University in Kentucky and MFA from Syracuse University in New York. However, he does not have a background in engineering or mechanics. Jenkins’ father was a U.S. Air Force mechanic, which likely sparked his interest in combining mechanisms and art.

Jenkins’ earliest memories of making art come from a television show from the 1960’s, called “Learn to Draw.” Every week, Jenkins would sit down and follow along step-by-step, copying the drawings featured on the show. He later became fascinated with various scientists and inventors. These two interests led Jenkins to further examine the connection between art and technology.

“I feel like I’m making all the things I wanted to make as a child, but now I know how.”

The mechanisms in Jenkins’ work are based on simple technology, while the finished forms are created using complex sculptural techniques. Jenkins has a fully equipped studio, which allows him to sculpt in wood, metal, and plastics. Each piece is thought out and drawn in his sketchbook. After which, he creates a mockup out of cardboard and connects the pieces to verify that all the moving parts of the sculpture will work. Jenkins equips each sculpture with a motorized shaft that is capable of moving either up and down, or back and forth. Once that is in place, Jenkins challenges himself through trial and error to create different ranges of motion. He is most interested in the process of creating something that has never existed before. Jenkins describes himself as part sculptor, part engineer and part choreographer.

The inspiration for Jenkins’ most recent works comes out of societal observations from the COVID-19 pandemic. One of the pieces in the exhibition, titled "A Fine Line" features a precariously balanced globe performing a high wire act above a chasm with churning waves and hovering birds. The globe is perfectly counter weighted so as to remain upright as it moves on the wire.

"People Are Sheep" comments on how many people blindly follow talking pundits on TV without questioning what they are saying. Thus, are the flashing TV rolls around the track, the three characters with bags over their heads trail behind while emitting the word "BAA".

"Vortex Encounter" depicts an elongated chair struggling to avoid getting drawn into a whirling vortex. The use of chairs in Jim's work is often symbolic of human presence. This piece relates to our efforts to stay afloat and maintain direction. The exposed mechanism below is a simple "cam and follower" design that lifts and rotates the chair (up and down, back and forth).

Similar to "Vortex Encounter", "A Daily Routine" also focuses on the precarious routines of daily life. In the case, juggling bowling pins whilst balancing on a unicycle can be symbolic of any sort of multi-tasking.

"Threshold Red" includes some of the common elements used often in Jim's work (i.e., globe, chairs & house frame). The piece features projected light and shadow, along with balance and tension. Balance in the most literal sense as the upper chair only has a thin cable attached to keep it from toppling off the lower one.