Media: watercolor, graphite, and analog electronics on paper. This video shows me using an oscilloscope to "see" the sound of my latest creation, a calling tree frog. The circuit is entirely analog, built using wire, resistors, capacitors, transistors, one 555 timer, and a piezo buzzer. The call of this imaginary frog is modeled after the gray tree frogs who live on my farm in Virginia - sound and spirit made visible. To see similar works, visit my website: www.kellyheatonstudio.com and check out my blog as well as "The Parallel Series" and "Electrolier."
Working on a tree frog. I've got my oscilloscope probe connected to its speaker wire so I can "see" the sound that he makes. (The creaking chair is me, not the frog...) The frog's call is entirely generated by the analog electronic circuit that you see on the front of the painting - like an electronic instrument. Below is the finished piece, "Gray(ish) Tree Frog," 2018. Watercolor and analog electronics on paper.
Above: different views of the frog's call using my oscilloscope. The differences that you see are consequent of the time and/or voltage interval that I used to adjust the display (like focusing in and out of sound). In other words, they're all the same signal, just different ways of looking at it.