We're making progress on the outdoor kinetic sculpture in Bridgehampton, New York. Here's a little inside peek at Matt's building process. To test the bends and structural integrity, he first created a desk-sized base. Then, pictured below is a larger cardboard version. Don't worry, the real thing will be created soon, and we with all these trial runs behind us, we're pretty sure it'll look beautiful and behave properly.
Staging for Seattle Mobile
The installation of this large custom mobile in Seattle is just a few weeks away! Meanwhile, Matt and his family are squeezing in a summer vacation. So to make sure the mobile is all ready to go, Matt has staged its layout on the shop floor. We're excited to see this one installed!
The Kids at the Shop
Matt's kids love love love visiting the shop. It could be the snacks (aka junk food) the guys keep on hand. Or it could be all the tools (aka dress up clothes)...
Ekko Workshop at Virginia Museum of Fine Art
While Matt was in Richmond, he stopped by the Virginia Museum of Fine Art to see this display of Ekko Workshop mobiles in the gift shop. Isn't it beautiful?
Science Museum of Virginia Mobile Installation
As we speak, Matt is on a flight home from Richmond, Virginia, where he installed a large custom hanging mobile yesterday in the early childhood section of the Science Museum of Virginia.
The installation went seamlessly. (Wish we could say the same about Matt's travels home. So many delay!)
Here are a few pictures he sent along, showing the staging, the final product, and the beautiful room where the mobile now resides:
Seattle Mobile Materials
These drab, funny-looking piece are actually going to lovely once we're done with them! These are the parts that will be hung together to make this large custom mobile in Seattle. At the moment, these shapes are covered with protective coating. (The final result won't actually be grocery-bag brown.) We're installing this mobile in July, so stay tuned for installation pictures!
Ekko Workshop in France
See that huge pile of boxes? It's a bunch of Ekko Workshop mobiles and stabiles we're prepping to ship to Gallerie Maeght in France. They've carried our Ekko Workshop products for awhile now, and we're thrilled to be working with them. If you're in Paris, pop on by Gallerie Maeght to grab some Ekko Workshop goodness!
Science Museum Shapes
We're nearly done with the large custom mobile for the Science Museum of Virginia! We just received the colorful acrylic shapes that we'll be attaching to the mobile frame during the installation next week. Aren't they beautiful?
Outdoor Kinetic Sculpture
Here's a quick sketch of a project in our queue that we're super excited about. It's an outdoor kinetic sculpture that will sit at the entrance of an amazing home in Bridgehampton, New York. Each arm will rotate independently, and the area's coastal breezes should create plenty of movement.
Memorial Day Reflections
Happy Memorial Day! We love a good three-day weekend around here. And Memorial Day weekend has extra significance for Matt and his family.
Nine years ago, Matt moved from Houston to Portland with his wife and baby daughter. They were eager to get established in their new city. About four weeks after the move—amid the hunt for the perfect work studio (Matt’s not one to compromise)—he woke up one morning with tingly hands and feet. As the week progressed, the tingling worked its way up his limbs, and by the end of the week, he had trouble walking and lifting his arms. Something was very wrong.
It was Memorial Day weekend nine years ago that Matt was admitted to the ER for Guillain- Barre Syndrome, an unusual autoimmune disorder where the immune system attacks the nervous system, causing temporary paralysis.
He spent the next two months in the hospital and a rehab center, where he was cared for while the Guillain-Barre ran its course. At his lowest, Matt couldn’t walk, lift his arms, grip a toothbrush, or write. He even had trouble chewing, swallowing and digesting food. After time in inpatient rehab, he was sent home in a wheelchair and spent the next two months regaining his strength.
Meanwhile, his wife worked to sustain the aspects of Ekko Mobiles that she could (which was mostly updating potential clients about his progress). Mobile-making is a surprisingly physical endeavor, and they had no idea whether Matt would fully recover, making it was a time of great uncertainty. Even once Matt was home from the hospital, it required patience as he regained his strength and ability to work.
By September, made his first mobile, post-Guillain-Barre. By October, Matt was fully functional. And by November, he found the perfect studio (where he’s still working from today). The rest is history.
So each Memorial Day, before enjoying burgers and potato chips, Matt and his family pause to appreciate good health, modern medicine, Matt's mobile-making abilities, and the joy in everyday life.
Matt and his daughter, nearly nine years ago, learning to walk together.