Photo: R.J. McDonough
The Infinity Ring: Inspiration and Process
The continuum of planes that create my Infinity Ring sculptures and jewelry designs are inspired by the Möbius Strip, first formulated by the 19th century German mathematician and astronomer, A. F. Möbius. The rings have no beginning and no end. Touch any place on a ring with your finger and trace the circular form; you'll complete the circle and end up where you first started. The bottom side becomes the top side and the inside becomes the outside. The continuum form is also the same principle that Dutch graphic artist M.C. Escher used to explore infinity and the reversal of positive and negative forms in space.
The methods by which I construct my Infinity Ring sculptures were formulated after many years of investigating various processes. Because the large scale ceramic Infinity Ring sculptures sometimes collapse during the building process or implode during kiln firing, their creation is both costly and time consuming. The sculptures are not only innovative and unique, each ring is a rare creative achievement. Although my main body of work is ceramic, after experimenting with a variety of materials, I've begun using additional mediums to create the sculptures, including aluminum, steel, bronze, glass, Lucite, resin combined with wood, and ceramic combined with glass mosaic. Each material adds another dimension to the spirit of the ring. In 2006, after many requests, I began to design jewelry in silver and gold to express the uniquely constructed and symbolic Infinity Ring.
Charles Sherman
Serenity (2013)
Fountain Hills Park Sculpture Garden
Fountain Hills, Arizona