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, and more—to create his sculptures, sometimes adding wood and other materials.

• His work illustrates that inspiration often is born out of the need to solve and overcome technical challenges.

• Some of his sculptures take the form of small mechanical objects, while others reflect a more traditional approach to sculpture. 

• Detailed schematic blueprints, CAD renderings, and in-process "how it’s made" images throughout the book augment his stunning finished pieces and the exciting backstory of how the author has developed this medium.


This book explores the history and craft of machine work through the lens of Bathgate’s pioneering sculptures, and it serves as a contemporary reflection on the modern state of craft.