A sculptor, designer, and teacher, James Prestini first gained attention with turned wood objects that he created in the 1930s and 1940s. These works were thin-walled vessels that were fine art but gave the appearance of having practical use.

Prestini was trained as an engineer, from which he learned to get the most usage from his material, and with his vessels, this frugality pertained to a block of wood. He was also committed to the idea that art and technology were related entities in the 20th century and that together science and machines could "create an art that truly resonates with mankind."

HIs later work was steel constructions composed of i-beams, H-beams, tubes, and channels and finely polished. They are geometric s...