Sight and sound: The music and kinetic sculpture of Dale McKinney

Abstract

Myron Dale McKinney was a former faculty artist, teacher, and head of the Art Department at Oklahoma State University. He is best known for his work as a sculptor, but also worked in painting, printmaking, and music. Born in Hollister, Oklahoma, Dale was one of 7 siblings growing up on a farm. The days were filled with hard work, while the evenings he spent huddled around the radio listening to his favorite music, jazz. He was able to attend college and eventually earned his Master's in History. He started work as an artist when he was 20, working in watercolor. He began experimenting with music and sculpture following a visit to Houston in the 1950's, where he first encountered kinetic sculpture. Dale completed a large music library over his career, which had been essentially lost and forgotten following his death in 1991. Not much was understood about the way his music and sculpture worked together, or even what his motivation to create these works was.