The Man
Early Life
Paul Kirby’s curiosity channeled him to his passions. Raised in Northern California, he worked at HP’s corporate research labs for four summers just after high school. Paul then went on to earn an engineering degree from Cal Berkeley. Upon graduation, Paul was commissioned as an officer in the United States Air Force.
After serving his four-year tour of duty working in a military, advanced-research lab, Paul decided to pursue an MBA from Harvard. With his background in engineering and business, and after a stint working for HP in marketing, he joined the world of venture capital, investing in early-stage, high-tech companies. Watch “Brushstroke” the film to learn more!
Journey into Fusioneering: Art Meets Science & Technology
Recognizing that his fusioneering vision required knowledge in many fields, he set out to acquire skill and experience in each of these areas. This included mechanical engineering and machine shop skills, motors and gears, structural dynamics, pneumatics, programming at a high level, coding and applying many types of AI, robotics, and art.
In parallel with designing and building Dulcinea, and not knowing anything about art, he took years of art classes and study. This evolved into a growing passion for the masters and nine trips to the great art museums of Europe to study their works.
Building Dulcinea
Try and fail, explore, expand, create, and re-create. Paul and Dulcinea are about process, not the final product. Creating original art takes time, innovation, spontaneity, and surprise. Together they create gripping original art and push the boundaries of what’s possible – the focus is never the finish line.
The Creative Process
Paul is constantly inspired by the world around him – much like the foam in a cup of cappuccino.
You may ask: how does one go from a cup of cappuccino to an impressive painting? As a modern inventor, Paul blends his knowledge of art and science to express the beauty of the world around him in brushstrokes and code. For this painting, Paul built a dynamic fluid simulator to mirror the swirling movement of the foam, captured that energy, and developed brushstrokes from there. Paul’s methods change depending on the subject, but he always aims to capture the organic nature of our world.
Learn more about how Paul transfers his ideas and inspiration into code, canvas, and paint.
First Meeting With Leonardo
Some paintings are capable of affecting us so deeply that they change the rest of our lives. Paul Kirby describes such an experience from his youth.
da Vinci Continues To Inspire
The notes of Leonardo da Vinci reach through time and continue to inspire creativity, awe, and wonder more than half-a-millennia after their creation.
From Cup To Canvas
A cup of cappuccino inspired Paul to create this large canvas (64” x 86”). With fluid dynamics as a starting point, computers and the robot create the finished painting.
Creating The Chaos Painting
An artist, scientist, and engineer, Paul represents what can happen when you follow your passions and form them into one unique vision.
From Simulation To Reality
Dulcinea doesn’t just copy what Paul tells her to do. Using mathematical models and other technological systems, he creates a simulated world that Dulcinea translates onto canvas.
Translating Code To Painting
Each component of a painting is complex and layered – both from a technological and artistic standpoint. Learn how Paul experiments with various software as he tries to create wispy, ethereal puffs of mist.
Putting Paint To Canvas
Wondering who washes the brush and loads the paint? Take a deeper look into the creative processes and development of Dulcinea.
It’s Not All Technical
Despite the complex code that goes into each painting, it’s not all technical. Drawing on decades of artistic training, Paul makes decisions about color, composition, lighting, and more.
Gallery of Paul’s Oil Paintings
As part of Paul Kirby's fusioneering evolution, he studied art and learned how to paint. Get inspired and check out some of Paul's most remarkable oil paintings!
A Personal Note From Paul
The beauty within the fusion of art and science.
“Nearing the end of my journey and having:
Designed and built the robot,
designed and developed all the coding for the art,
programmed the wrist to make elegant brush strokes,
and watched Dulcinea as she skillfully creates a work of art,
— if you see all that —
and then if you pause and listen,
there is beauty in that performance,
the beauty within the fusion of art and science.
My hope is that you have enjoyed learning about my journey and that some of you may be inspired to follow your own dreams.”
Get Inspired
Build the life you love. Learn more about fusioneering:
Visit Dulcinea’s Art Gallery
Paul and Dulcinea work together to create one-of-a-kind masterpieces that illustrate the power and passion of fusioneering.
Experience The Magic
Meet Paul and explore how blending your interests can empower you to follow your enthusiasm and bring your passions to life.