mark leary designs

Mark’s Mobiles @ Milwaukee Art Museum

noreply@blogger.com (...) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 08:49:00 +0000

I am honored to announce that, beginning in January 2012, a selection of my mobiles will be available at the celebrated Milwaukee Art Museum (http://mam.org/) in their amazing museum store.

When you think of the Brew City, Miltown, Mildoggy, The Mil, or just plain ol’ Milwaukee, do you think of a mecca for the world’s finest art, architecture and education?

If not, you should.

The Milwaukee Art Museum is iconic. It contains 20,000 works of art. Is visited by 300,000+ people a year. Offers some of the nation’s best educational art programs for kids of all ages. And, has been collecting art for over 120 years since its start as Milwaukee’s first art gallery way back in 1888.

The 341,000-square-foot museum is also one of the world’s most progressive architectural wonders and was designed by the likes of Eero Saarinen, David Kahler, and Santiago Calatrava.

I’m so pleased that a handpicked collection of my mobile designs will now be available in this premier destination for art and culture.

The museum’s tagline is “ART LIVES HERE.”

And, now, I’m thrilled to be living (t)here, too.

If you’re in Wisconsin or just have a few minutes to explore their site online, I highly encourage you to spend a day discovering all this marvelous museum located right on the shore of Lake Michigan in downtown Milwaukee has to offer.

Mark Leary Mobiles Featured in World of Interiors, January 2012

noreply@blogger.com (...) — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 07:41:00 +0000

I am honored to announce that one of my all-time favorite mobiles, Red Rover Red Rover, will be featured in the incomparable World of Interiors, January 2012 edition, page 110.

Published by Condé Nast – the same folks who slap together lil’ magazines like Vogue, GQ, Vanity Fair, and Style – World of Interiors is a UK pub described as “the most influential, inspiring and lavishly produced design and decoration magazine money can buy. The integrity of its editorial is matched by the quality of its production and by its ability to bring together the broadest spectrum of houses, art features and product shoots. It is a unique resource for affluent and intelligent individuals who are passionate about the way they live.”

If you ask me, it’s just damn sexy.

And, I am stoked that the World of Interiors’ “Inspiration Editor,” Annabel Freyberg took a liking to my mobiles and chose to shout out across the big blue to showcase Red Rover Red Rover in their first edition of 2012. This is the same mag that did a phenomenal Alexander Calder story in their recent May splash featured on Calder.org itself!

My mobile complements a pictorial editorial (say that 10 times fast) about the Paraná Delta retreat of famed Argentinean designer Roberto Bergero.

Whoa! Hands down one of the coolest pads I’ve ever seen. What’s for dinner, Roberto? I’ll bring the Malbec!

Thanks to Kathryn & Matt @ Hanging Mobile Galler y for helping making this all happen.

And, cheers to all for a magnificent 2012 filled with life, love, laughter and lots of deep breathing.

Now Spinning @ The Original - Permanently!

noreply@blogger.com (...) — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 23:13:00 +0000

I'm pleased to announce that The Original Dinerant in the heart of downtown Portland, Oregon is now the permanent home to eight of my larger mobiles.

Designed and created for the lollipop circus art exhibition in June, the swirling whirlers were just too perfect of a fit to go anywhere else, so The Original snatched 'em all up! Many of these spinners are one-of-a-kind and were custom made just for this show, so you'll only see them blowing here.

So, next time you're passing through the PDX and have a hankering for ridiculously scrumptious food and art that moves, do your tummy and art-heart a favor and head over 300 SW 6th Avenue.

In addition to its permanent collection, The Original always has fabulous traveling shows with some of the best local and national artists anywhere ... and they serve up a mean martini, too.

Cheers!

New "fresh" Show @ Red Brick Gallery

noreply@blogger.com (...) — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 18:18:00 +0000

fresh through november 15th

it's that time again...

join me, the gallery girls, and a handful of amazing southern california artists at Red Brick Gallery's latest show, fresh.

filled with the funky fun of fantastic florals and fabulous flotsam & jetsam photos, paintings, mobiles and more, this aquatic-themed show is all aces.

as an extra added burst of splish splashin' goodness, check out a selection of my newest mobiles (made over the Paint Ventura weekend) that are now spinning proud throughout the gallery.

so, if you're all about the blues (not the sad ones) and greens (not the envious ones), then you will love everything jen and phyllis have pulled together for this watery wonderland.

be sure to swim on by and say hello!

Paint Ventura ROCKS!!!

noreply@blogger.com (...) — Sun, 18 Sep 2011 06:14:00 +0000

"Ventura-ness-osity," by Jim Martin

Ahhh yeahhhh!

Paint Ventura (www.paintventura.com) rocked!!!

Thanks to everybody who came out, down, over and up to make this such a super fun weekend!

For me, the trip down was EPIC (as in “wow, who knew Ventura was sooooo far from Bend.” Um, almost everybody ... except ME!).

But, the feeling of running on the beach with the waves crashing, the perma-grin I had from meeting such inspirational and energized people, and the taste of salmon and asparagus and the all-night laughter of Jen and Phyllis – well, it all made up for the drive ... and a LOT more!

And, even though never-ending, the drive itself was gorgeous, too.

Perfect moment: Waking up with a smile on Sunday, a six-mile run on the beach just steps from my hotel, the warmth of a southern Californian sun and sky and on my skin, diving into the ocean for some much-anticipated bodysurfing, breakfast of huevos rancheros, coffee, and the Sunday paper in Santa Paula, and a feeling that ALL was right with the world.

Come on NOW!!!

Moonshines over fiery starlit Hoodoo, snowy plovers, Saturday Cajun brunch with bloody marys, big dogs, soft pastels, bent metal, front-row seats, open doors, and stories galore ... this was something special.

Again please!

Artists that you need to check out ASAP:

Jen Livia (host, gallery owner, person extraordinaire): http://www.liviastudios.com/www.liviastudios.com/Welcome.html and http://www.redbrickart.com/livia.html
Kim Sawyer (bleep, bleep, bleep): http://www.etsy.com/shop/visionquest and http://www.redbrickart.com/sawyer.html
Tasia Erickson (magical, spiky, brilliant): http://www.redbrickart.com/erickson.html
Phyllis Gubins (more, more, more): http://www.redbrickart.com/gubins.html and http://www.redbrickart.com/gubins-custom.html
Jim Martin (whoa): http://www.redbrickart.com/martin.html
David Rivas (you must ask him about process): http://www.redbrickart.com/rivas.html and http://rivasart.com/
James Scolari (an eye!!!): http://www.redbrickart.com/scolari.html and http://www.jamesscolari.com/
Sue Harding (paint genius): http://www.redbrickart.com/sharding.htm
Colleen Friedman (jewelry master): http://www.redbrickart.com/friedman.html

Suffice it to say, I’ll be back...

And, it was great...

And, Jackson, you rule.

Now Showing @ The Atomic Pop Shop

noreply@blogger.com (...) — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 23:26:00 +0000

"contemplating calder" by kerry beary

If a time-space teleportation device – cleverly disguised as a couch named “bob” – is loaded with a cargo of garlic granola, bacon air guitars, coconut-flavored treats, and chickns playing Beethoven on their beaks, leaves the gentle, sweet enchanted lands of bantu-bantu at half-past zydeco, what is the likelihood it will arrive in Bend before my latest delivery of EIGHT new smoken token mobiles arrives in Baton Rouge, LA?

It’s a tough conundrum of a question, I know. Indeed, it’s enough to make your heart fulter, your lobe explode, and your gluten go free!

Although I could patiently create a 7-step Hassn proof that explains why the Atomic Pop Shop in Baton Rouge is just about the coolest place on the planet, I’ll simply say Kerry Beary (gallery owner and artist extracoolinaire, http://www.etsy.com/shop/kerrybeary) and her hip retro shop on Government Street in The Capital City are aces.

If you’re in the Baton Rouge area, I highly recommend you drop in and go for a spin in her fun digs and check out some of my new designs including lil’ red hood, jumblaya, blorange, and crazyam.

And, of course, don't forget to stock up on your supply of Tabasco while you're in town, too.

Paint Ventura - Painters, Sculptors, & Mobilists?! Oh MY!

noreply@blogger.com (...) — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 02:01:00 +0000

Paint Ventura (http://paintventura.com/), southern California’s premiere all-media plein air art event put on by Red Brick Gallery (http://www.redbrickart.com/), is coming up fast ... and - wait for it, wait for it - I’ll be making the trek south to participate in this super fun three-day event!

Red Brick Gallery has been so good to me, I just couldn’t say no, especially when I was given the opportunity to teach my very first mobile-making workshop... (http://www.redbrickart.com/mobiles.html)

Here’s the scoop:

Friday, Sept. 9th 5-8pm, "Paint Ventura Paint Out and Arty Party." 20 Artists will be creating work at Red Brick Gallery during their kickoff event wine and snacks provided by local restaurants. Yum! And, along with a number of other talented artists, I’ve donated one of my mobiles to be raffled to help Red Brick Gallery raise money for a cool local charity.

Saturday, Sept. 10th 11-5pm, "Paint Ventura" 100+ artists will be creating, selling and teaching workshops along Main St and CA St in downtown Ventura. I’ll be at Red Brick Gallery handcrafting unpainted metal mobiles, butand will have plenty of colorful spinners with me to sell as well. There will be live music, performances and book events at participating locations throughout downtown. The public is encouraged to streak down Main Street with wild abando ... um, oh wait a minute, you are actually invited to watch the artists at work and seek out a new creative side of your own.

Sunday, Sept. 11th, I’m really excited to be offering my first mobile-making workshop (http://paintventura.com/workshops.html) from 2-5 p.m. In this three-hour class, students will learn the ins and outs of making Calder-style mobiles. Then, in an effort to keep lawsuits to a minimum, attendees will make their own *foam* mobiles with more finger-friendly tools and materials than high speed drills and jagged metal. Good news is tetanus shots are not required! Spots are limited, like for real, so if you're interested ACT FAST to sign up by contacting Red Brick Gallery @ 805-643-6400. Additionally, WAV (Working Artists Ventura) will be hosting a wine tasting and Studio Tour on the Avenue (another reason why my power tools are being left at home).

So, if you’re in the area, please drop in to experience this art extravaganza and support your local artists who are doing good in the world and, of course, feel free to stop by and say hello to the non-local artist (me), too.

PS – Keep an eye out (but, please be safe about it) for an upcoming announcement of my newest gallery in the spicy Land of the Blessed Tabasco coming soon!

New Show at Red Brick Gallery / Ventura Westside ArtWalk

noreply@blogger.com (...) — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 18:52:00 +0000

Jen Livia and Phyllis Gubins are at it again!

I'm honored to be included in their latest show "Full Bloom" which opens this Thursday, July 14th at Red Brick Gallery (www.RedBrickArt.com).

In addition to my mobiles, they are featuring several new artists including Illona Aguuayo, Tasia Erickson, Debra Hintz, and Gwenlyn Norton as well as their favorites Joe Cibere, Jim Martin, Stephanie Kiker, Kim Sawyer, Theresa Davis, Dan and Sue Harding.

Don't miss their Artist Reception during the all-new Ventura WestSide ArtWalk July 23rd and 24th where they will have several artist demonstrations and live music.

For more on the show, please check their website at Red Brick Gallery (www.RedBrickArt.com) and to see more on the new Westside ArtWalk please click their site at www.WestsideArtWalk.org.

Elroy Artspace Show ... Thank YOU!

noreply@blogger.com (...) — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 22:50:00 +0000

"me outside the original"

The show at The Original went fantastically! If you didn't have a chance to check it out, the LOLLIPOP CIRCUS | A Calderesque Homage show runs through early July. So, if you're in Portland, OR, be sure to drop in and check out all the phenomenal Calder-inspired artwork.

Oh, and the food at The Original Dinerant is insanely good. A Laphroaig martin i?! Complete with a pair of olives stuffed with Smoked Maldon Sea Salt and organic Farmhouse Cheese from Noris Dairy!? What?! What?! I mean, come on NOW!

Plus, Joe of Elroy Artspace fame (the curator) and his wife Dana are just the coolest folks EVER! They did an amazing job organizing an incredible show, not the least of which was hanging up all 12 of my mobiles from some very, very high ceilings!

And, of course, big love to Devin and Shanna for hosting me while I was in town AND the coolest Natalie coming up all the way up from Bend during her finals week to surprise me (so, so, so awesome and best surprise ever) AND my sweet, sweet Dad and Mom coming down from Seattle to give their son a surprise hug AND Kathryn from Hanging Mobile Gallery coming across town with her two boys to say hi, too. So much love and fun all around - so thank you, thank you, thank you!

You can find some pictures from the show here: http://www.elroyartspace.com/lollipopcircus-june2011.html

And, here are some photos thanks to Natalie and Devin...

wild whimsy at the red brick gallery

noreply@blogger.com (...) — Thu, 26 May 2011 01:40:00 +0000

Get ready to don your pith helmet, pull up your khakis, and slap on your hiking boots ... but you can leave your binoculars at home.

That's because when you head on over to the Red Brick Gallery (http://redbrickart.com) now through July 11th, you'll be able to get up-close-and-personal with my very own untamed mobile herd.

This is your chance to take an urban safari and watch as these ethereal air beasts effortlessly mingle-spin with a whole gaggle of other great artists at this month's Wild Whimsy show.

Beginning this Thursday and running through July 11th, this show lets you take a walk on the wild side with all things a-n-i-m-a-l!

A good time is guaranteed for all as Phyllis Gubins and Jennifer Livia always put on the fantastic fun.

Get your roar on!

Upcoming Show: Lollipop Circus | a Calderesque Homage, June 2nd

noreply@blogger.com (...) — Fri, 20 May 2011 17:15:00 +0000

Please join me and a blast of exceptional artists from PNW and Beyond at The Original Dinerant (http://www.originaldinerant.com/) on June 2nd for the opening reception of Lollipop Circus, a Calderesque Homage.

Presented by Portland's very own Joe Staskerz and Elroy Artspace, a Gallery of Modern Art (http://www.elroyartspace.com), the show celebrates the "pervading ingredients of Calder’s oeuvre."

I'm honored to be included in this month-long exhibition and have created a special series of entirely primary-colored mobiles in tribute to the master.

I'm super thrilled to be a part of this shout out to one of the MCM greats and my personal inspiration. Woohoo!

If you're in the Portland area come by and check out the work of all these fantastic artists:

Cheers and happy good times to y'all!

perfectly technicolor in portland

noreply@blogger.com (...) — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 19:03:00 +0000

"the juggler"

I recently was commissioned to create one of my most playful mobiles, the juggler, for a client in Portland, OR.

Living, as I do, in Bend, OR, I'm always excited when I'm lucky enough to share my artwork with other Oregonians.

However, whenever I create this particular mobile, I'm always just a wee bit concerned about how the client will respond to the colors it dishes up. Why?

Because they are super flippin' ridiculously...

B-R-I-G-H-T

When two of three paint colors start with the word SHOCK, you better believe there's going to be some POW Factor going on ... and that can be a real surprise.

Belton Molotow's Shock Blue and Shock Orange team up with Cadmium Yellow to create a grab-you-by-the-eyes, slap-you-upside-the-head and spin-your-brain-around color combination.

That is to say the original colors of this mobile definitely aren't for everybody and it's rare the grown-up room that can hold it's own with such look-at-me-ness.

Until now...

My client sent photos of the installed mobile and, well, simply put: I want to live in their house! It is just that COOL! I'll let the pictures speak for themselves, but I LOVE every little (and big) element in the rooms. Such creativity and character and playfulness combined with such crazy awesome stylings.

Love it and am honored to be spinning in such a space.

Technicolor Yea!

sweet sanctuary

noreply@blogger.com (...) — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 23:22:00 +0000

"white fireleaf"

i hope and trust that this newest of new years is treating you perfectly.

Now Spinning at Morihata in Philadelphia

noreply@blogger.com (...) — Sun, 14 Nov 2010 07:19:00 +0000

I’m honored to be highlighted at Morihata’s new store in the heart of Philadelphia (www.morihata.com).

Showcasing today’s leading style-forward Japanese designs, Morihata features the best in traditional and neo-contemporary aesthetics, ideas and innovations from every region of Japan.

Let's be clear on what I mean here... Morihata offers an insanely mind-boggling assortment of the most ridiculously timeless soothing eye candy that is also beyond functional while still deeply rooted in a variety of shifting perspectives and visions of a living cultural dynamic, past and present.

Their award-winning design products are currently showcased at museum shops and art galleries in the U.S., Canada, Europe, South America, and throughout Asia, including The Museum of Modern Art, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago, The Isamu Noguchi Museum and The Institute of Contemporary Art in Boston.

I am pleased to be showing a collection of custom-made “trust me” mobiles in black and white at Morihata.

If you’re in the Philadelphia area, please stop in and say hello. I trust you’ll be as amazed as I am with the incredible collection of wonder and invitation Yuka and her whole team have invoked and manifested in their new space. Thanks very much, Yuka, and continued success and brilliance.

am i blue Featured In Lights Out On FX

noreply@blogger.com (...) — Mon, 17 May 2010 23:59:00 +0000

"am i blue gets cameo on
FX's new show, Lights Out"

One of my mobiles made it to Hollywood... or, um, New York... or, er, your TV...

Catherine McCormack and Stacy Keach are set to co-star opposite Holt McCallany on FX's upcoming drama series "Lights Out" and now so too is my little mobile, am i blue!

The show's set designer recently commissioned the mobile. Now, I'm just hoping am i blue doesn't get a big ego and think he's better than everybody else.

From everything I've read the series looks like it's going to be pretty stellar - both in star power and storyline.

Here's the storyline:

"Lights Out," from Fox TV Studios and FX Prods., centers on Patrick "Lights" Leary (McCallany), an aging former heavyweight boxing champion who struggles to support his wife (McCormack), a pediatric orthopedic surgeon, and three daughters after his fighting days are over.

Diagnosed with a neurological disorder called pugilistic dementia, he takes a job as a legbreaker, collecting on unpaid gambling debts."

I have to say I was pretty excited to learn that the lead character not only is a legbreaker for the mob (something I've always aspired to), but his last name is also "Leary." Perhaps my other lifelong dreams of being a washed-up heavyweight fighter can come true after all.

I can't wait to see where the mobile (or its stunt double - I sent two just in case one was injured during an action shot) will show up in the series, but if that all-star cast weren't enough, FX can count on at least one loyal fan before the series even begins.

If you want to see if you can spot the mobile you'll have to wait... Lights Out is slated to air beginning in Fall 2010 or early 2011.

Spring Rhapsody - New Show At Red Brick Gallery

noreply@blogger.com (...) — Mon, 10 May 2010 22:02:00 +0000

Spring Rhapsody @ Red Brick Gallery

The incomparable duo of Jen Livia and Phyllis Gubins are at it again...

Their latest multi-artist show at Red Brick Gallery opens May 22nd and I'm once again grateful to be included with such fun and talented artists as we celebrate all things springy and natural-y.

I've officially declared May "Mark's Mobile Mania Madness Month" or MMMMM, as I'll have a series of SIX new mobiles spinning in the Red Brick Gallery just in time for the show and I just sent off five new mobiles to Rare Device in San Francisco and I will be releasing an exclusive set of designs with Hanging Mobile Gallery in the upcoming days, too.

If you're in the Ventura area, check out the artist reception from 6-9 pm, meet some cool peeps (humans, not chickens) and enjoy what is sure to be a really fun eve!

Got Scissors? Now Spinning In Downtown San Francisco

noreply@blogger.com (...) — Fri, 07 May 2010 00:38:00 +0000

"Alex Talon Hair Studio"

The Challenge:

"The space is my hair studio. So I'm looking for something that will be an eye catcher and conversation starter for my clients. Walls are Red. Windows are huge 10 feet tall... OMG. I love the longer thin pieces in your mobile, trust me; they look like branches and the triangle-type pieces in your black beauty (like leaves) and want it to be about 36 -40 inches tall & 16 inches wide."

The Solution:

"I went with a design that evokes the branch/tree feeling you were looking for without being too literal. It's long and narrow as requested. And, it should be a decent spinner with a fair amount of visual interest, especially as backdropped against those amazing windows and the entire feeling of your studio."

The Reaction:

"I LOVE IT!!! You nailed my vision. I can't wait to see it in color and hanging in place!"

The Anticipation:

"I can't wait to see it finished! Now I'm going to have trouble sleeping! It's like Christmas! I'm vibrating with excitement!"

The Arrival:

"My mobile arrived and I have to say that I've never received such a pretty decorated package. It felt like Christmas and my Birthday all rolled into one. And as I stand back and admire it I have to say that the collaboration was definitely a success! It looks amazing!!

Thank you so much for creating my vision. Just looking at it brings a smile to me & hopefully my clients too. I know that on a hard day that's exactly what I'll need to make it home, at least without stabbing someone with my shears. Just kidding..."

The Reaction:

"It's become the buzz of the studio and everyone has been commenting. All good of-course. It's doing exactly what I wanted!"

Mission Accomplished

Inspiration Featured On Simple Elements

noreply@blogger.com (...) — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 19:39:00 +0000

Buddy, My Shop Cat

When brilliant jeweler, Cynthia Benson, writes to ask me to share a few words about what inspires my art, how could I refuse?

Especially since like me and my Buddy, she has shop cats, Jack and Wrigley, and a faithful dog, Lily!

Here's how I responded in answer to her deceptively simple question,What inspires you?

I’ve always been fascinated by stuff that moves.

When I settled down in the mountains of Bend, Oregon, where the high desert air is constantly twisting and twirling, I think I finally found the perfect muse to inspire my creativity… and that took shape with mountain biking and mobile making.

As an avid (okay, obsessive) mountain biker, there are few things I dig more than pedaling deep into the mountains on some choice singletrack and watching the world (and my place in it) transform.

In my graduate studies, I explored our relationship to and with place, particularly the place of nature. I’m totally captivated with the way we interact with the places we inhabit and pass through and how – when we “bump into the world” – we create meaning/focus/purpose in our lives.

And, it’s that interaction with nature (usually as I’m zipping down a trail on my bike) that really inspires my designs – wresting form out of pure metal to realize feathers layering on a wing, leaves rustling in the wind, or bubbles rising into the air.

As I see the branches of a tree moving in a breeze, I’m mesmerized. A bird in flight, totally hypnotized. A ripple in the canal behind my house, spellbound.

See, I live by a semi-humorous "little things please little minds" mantra. Keep it simple. Keep it real.

In that vein, I’ve been inspired to keep my “process” as basic and fundamental as possible.

That means all my mobiles are hand cut, shaped, sanded, primed, painted, and assembled one at a time. I don’t use templates, or mass production, and regretfully I don’t employ a team of elves. It's just me in my humble little shop with Buddy the Cat enjoying good tunes and paint fumes while creating fun art.

The resulting creations range from works of peaceful simplicity, featuring repetitive shapes spinning hypnotically on an air current, to whimsical jumbles of bright colors and bouncy motion that vibrate with energy and joy.

In the end, I just feel pretty dang lucky to be able to create art for people to enjoy. That’s pretty cool.

You can learn more about Cynthia and creative spirit at her Simple Elements blog. Cynthia's magnificent work can be seen (and purchased) on Etsy and on Facebook.

SUPERSIZE ME!

noreply@blogger.com (...) — Sun, 28 Mar 2010 02:10:00 +0000

"one orange one XL"

No, I'm not still on the topic of Del Taco fries, but if I was - mmmm, can you say "steamy hot crinkle cut goodness"!

I'm talkin' one orange one XL - my latest big ol' mobile that's just been installed in a private residence in Overland Park, KS.

The client is a designer and has raucously cool modern digs with a to-die-for collection (yes, I did... I did just say "to die for" and I deserve whatever punishment you can think up - as long as it involves french fries... okay, okay, I'll stop with the fries; my apologies).

At over four feet wide by six feet long, it was a blast creating this gentle giant in a variety of shades of blue and - of course - one of my favorite super sweet shades of burnt orange called Linda's Sunset.

I feel very fortunate to be able to hang high in this eclectically delicious space.

Viva Heartlandia!

Now Spinning at the HangingMobileGallery.com

noreply@blogger.com (...) — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 17:44:00 +0000

I've got super exciting news... no, I have not figured out how to make a fat-free batch of Del Taco french fries... mmm, french fries... er, um, no, that's not it...

I'm super excited to share that a selection of my mobiles are now spinning large at the web's premier mobile destination, the Hanging Mobile Gallery (www.hangingmobilegallery.com).

Check them out here: http://www.hangingmobilegallery.com/category/artists.mark_leary/

As the world's highest ranked online mobile gallery, I'm in fabulous company with the brilliant likes of Matthew Richards of Ekko Mobiles and Portland's own glass mobilist extraordinaire and Etsy juggernaut Leah Pellegrini.

It's been a blast working with the fabulous team at Hanging Mobile Gallery, and I feel terrifically honored to be among such talented artists on such fantastic site.

Check back soon to see a couple exclusive and highly affordable designs that will spin only in the Hanging Mobile Gallery.

Yea!

what is REALLY going on at the www.themismatchedsock.com?

noreply@blogger.com (...) — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 06:19:00 +0000

just don't call it a baby mobile

noreply@blogger.com (...) — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 23:44:00 +0000

Mobile lovers come in all shapes, sizes and ages, but call this lil' guy "baby" and you might be in for trouble... toddler trouble with a capital ummm, er, well, give him a break... he doesn't know his letters yet... but I know for a fact it's a capital T!

I mean, really, check out those tough-guy camo pants and that "take no prisoners" look on his face! See how that cracker trembles in his fearsome grip! Take a look at how he's already thrown his so-called "baby monitor" to the ground and stomped it under his menacingly striped feet. And, of course, he's already broken out of his white-walled prison... leaving his furry yellow friends behind bars without a second thought.

And, if that's not enough, I encourage you to look over his shoulder to see who's in his toddler gang... when was the last time you saw an orange monkey wearing a wrestling onsie? Plus, does that monkey have a 5 o'clock shadow?!

It's always fun to see my mobiles - don't call it a baby mobile - hanging in the real world. Thanks to a dear client for sending this fun photo of my "am i blue" mobile (sporting a splash of panache with a red dot) swirling in their son's admittedly very hip room. Heck, *I* don't even have a bedskirt, but he has one AND it even matches his curtains, too!

Don't worry, lil' man, I won't call it a baby mobile... as long as you promise not to eat it!

Mobiles & Haiti Relief - Small Gesture, Big Hope

noreply@blogger.com (...) — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 20:18:00 +0000

when you commission a mobile between now and february 28th, I will donate 10% of your purchase to help support the heroic efforts of the red cross, here in the states & internationally.

visit www.mobilosity.etsy.com or www.mobilosity.net to order your mobile today.

i realize it's not much, but it's something...

of course, you can donate without buying a mobile by visiting: www.redcross.org/

haiti is just one place where the international red cross, including the american red cross, do amazing work.

at home and abroad, we need to keep organizations like the red cross fully funded, so that they - their staffs and volunteers - can continue to serve our people in real need everywhere... everyone from our neighbors suffering here due to such things as these tough economic times to people thrust into chaos as a result of such things as natural disasters and political upheaval.

whether it's the red cross or any of the many great organizations that do truly human-itarian work to make every part of our world a better place (orgs committed to such missions that help with education, health, social equality, human rights, the environment, poverty, hunger, and so many more "issues" that affect you and me every single day in our own cities), make today the day you participate and rally for real change in your own backyard or the world.

Mobile Collaborationisticism or On The Merits of the Fierce-Lithe

noreply@blogger.com (...) — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 23:41:00 +0000

"Red Scene from Yimou Zhang's Hero"

Working with a client in the Midwest on designing a mobile right now...

Searching for that One that expresses her unique aesthetic - reaching past the everyday and pulling out the heart of matter... or just something that spins and is red, red, red.

When discussing influences and inspirations to shape the design, she shared the following BRILLIANT explosion of picture words and insight that literally left me smacked me speechless, and mused me something mighty:

"Further leaves and kineticism: literally The Most Gorgeous Thing I Have Ever Seen On Film is the scene in the red portion of Hero (which I'd actually call a *directorial* Crowning Moment of Awesome) when Flying Snow and Moon are fighting in the grove of trees, with the luminous yellow leaves, and just when I thought it couldn't, it couldn't possibly, not in this so-often drab and hackneyed world of ours, get any more exquisite. Because seriously, who could possibly read my mind like that and tap into my inner gorgeous compass so successfully when *I* didn't even know I was waiting, just waiting for it to get more beautiful? Well, apparently Yimou Zhang does that for all of us, because suddenly, as I was already weeping at how beautiful it was...all the leaves turned RED. Holy shit! And yes, if you read this as: 'has a weakness for kung fu movies combined with gorgeousness,' you are correct.

I once sat down on a bench in front of a giant Rothko at SFMoMA. And fell into it. When I emerged from the thinking-oxbow about holy-shit-it-looks-like-color-breathing, it was about half an hour later. I also kind of venerate Klee for his wonderful sense of whimsy and play. His work makes me giggle with real-live, actual delight. Both of these artists only the work in person. I thought Rothko was a gigantic wanker when I studied him from reproductions in art history.

Oh, how the mighty do fall. As you might surmise, I like the way Rothko treats color, and the way Klee treats media."

Holy Jawdropper! Do I really need to say ANYTHING? If that word candy isn't inspiration for a paradigm-busting mobile design, I don't know what is.

Stay tuned!

bigger blu mobile got crunked

noreply@blogger.com (...) — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 00:59:00 +0000

"bigger blu"

what happens when you take a perfectly good mobile - a great big one, in fact - and crunk it all up?

what's the result when you take gracefully arcing arms and bend, twist, tweak and generally dis-grace them into a disheveled, yet intentional mess of tangle and tease?

bigger blu is what you get.

yep, i took a HUGE over six foot mobile and squenched it down, bent it up, and crimpled its crumple to totally transform this once serene mobile in blues and blueish greens into an electrified spin of wave and current. ahhh yeahhhh!

don't get me wrong - he's still a REALLY big boy at approx. 42" long by 28 wide.

would you be so kind to give him a home? inside or out, he's ready to take flight... and - with a little loving - i'm sure he'll play nicely with all the neighborhood kids, maybe even Spot.

here he is BEFORE & AFTER...