Aesthetics Of Design Portfolio: Max Van Cleave

“The Storm on the Sea of Galilee” is an oil painting by Rembrandt in the year 1633. When I first saw it, I couldn’t help but stare. It was incredible the way the light bounced off the sea and into the sky and the way the ship helps lead the eye to the light. Now here is my saxophone lamp. I hope it does the same for you as Rembrandt did for me. I made it in 2025, using a medium of brass and vinyl.

Notice the way the light echos into the saxophone and splashes down onto the vinyl record, wow its like a Rembrandt (maybe even better). I built this for my Upcycle project, where I picked up a dented, extremely bent, broken saxophone that was transformed effortfully by a 6th grader. If you would like to hear its whole story, including more about the saxophone’s story, here is the link below. 

Parisian Jazz Lamp

“O emigrante” is an oil painting by Alfonso Daniel Rodriguez Castelao in the year 1918. When I first saw it, I couldn’t help but stare. It was incredible the way the light bounced off the man and into the sky and the way the tree helps lead the eye to the light. Now here is my Horreo jewelry box. I hope it does the same for you as Alfonso Daniel Rodriguez Castelao did for me. I made it in 2025, using a medium of 3D printer.

If you would like to learn more about this jewelry box, how it is a jewelry box, what this object is, and how I am the next president of France, check out my posts below!

Horreo Jewelry Box Final Report Part 1

Horreo Jewelry Box–Fabrication

I am definitely proud of my work this year. I made things in aesthetics that I like, and learned about aesthetics more than I would have on my own. I got a lot of practice with CAD and with trying to make something pretty, which is an undervalued skill in engineering. I had challenges with trying to make my artistic vision come to life, but in the end nothing can stop me, and I prevailed. This was a class I much enjoyed!

If you would like to check out any of my progress posts, please check my account out!

Image credits: All photos taking by me of my projects.