Gino Schiavone: After studying Liberal Arts at Loyola University and Fine Arts at Chouinard Art Institute in Los Angeles I began a career of what I called “making wonderful things.” Some thirty years ago I happened upon some books about sundials at a library. This happy accident changed my life. These books introduced me to the wide range of sundials and methods for their design. I was enthralled and inspired; I was in love. I decided to make fine sundials and embarked on a new course of study.

I had been given the perfect opportunity to combine craftsmanship, with my interests in astronomy, mathematics and art into a creative, magical object. With sundials I can wed my passion for metalwork, woodwork, photo etching, computer aided design & manufacturing, with the joy of hand forging. I love how properly executed sundials have a natural beauty and form that is driven by each dial’s unique location. The shadow, its only moving part, evokes in the observer a tangible sense that form is following function. This foundation prepared me for sculptural sundials. I have made three pieces of public art. All three are sundials. I now wish to direct my efforts to contributing to the world’s collection of public and monumental sundials.

Gino Schiavone’s “Icarus Sundial” is a monumental, vertical sundial, commissioned for the ¡Explora! Children’s Science Museum. The dial is copper with stone base. I enjoyed the opportunity to work with the architect’s vision and the civil engineer’s structural requirements.