Smoke Ring Graphics by Michael O'Rourke
for Frank Stella (1991 - 1992)
&
Prints and Paintings by Frank Stella
(1992 - present)

As the last stage of the Smoke sculptures I produced for Frank Stella, I wrote code to calculate cross-sectional slices through the three-dimensional digital forms and used a pen plotter to produce an elaborate series of line drawing construction drawings of the sculptures. While working on these drawings, I realized they were quite extraordinary, and I went to a great deal of trouble to fine-tune their graphics and composition. Stella agreed with me on their impact and asked me to further develop them. In all, I produced over 200 drawings for him. He then used these drawings very extensively in his prints and paintings for over ten years. Below are two examples of the drawings I produced for him, accompanied by several of the many prints and paintings he produced using them.

 

Frank Stella, Riallaro, 1995

Sanor, 1994

Loohooloo, 1994

Severinda, 1995

The Monkey-Rope, 1993

Das Erbeden in Chili (detail), 1999

 

 

Roncador, 1994

Spectralia, 1994

Frank Stella, The Whale Watch, 1993