Smullin's art, which he referred to as Analytic Constructivism,[6] includes massive sheet metal sculptures found around university campuses on the East Coast, including Boston University,[4] Columbia University,[7] and MIT. Three pieces are also held at the Smithsonian Institution.[8]
In 1981, Smullin gave a keynote lecture about his tubular sculptures and techniques at a design conference in Nashville, paying particular attention to the granny-knot, which he found to have "an artistically much more interesting, 3-dimensional structure than the functionally preferred, but much flatter square-knot."[9] Smullin had written a computer programme called SCULPT to assist with the vector analysis in his design process, implemented on a Tektronix 4052.[10] He was calculating the elliptic intersections and producing computer-generated outlines of his sculptures which he would color by hand; he would then use a pen-plotter to produce a scale cardboard model, before finally cutting a rolling the final sheet-metal version; his techniques left a lasting influence on computer scientist Carlo Séquin, who was in the audience.[9]
His nephew is actor Andras Jones.