This small desktop rolling ball sculpture packs quite a bit of sound and motion into a compact space. Its most noticeable feature is the xylophone mounted along the right side—but getting a marble to actually play it is trickier than it looks.

A rolling marble tends to skim or dance across xylophone keys without striking them hard enough to produce a clear note. Even when the marble makes a solid hit, it has to bounce away immediately; otherwise, its weight dampens the vibration and deadens the sound. Designing the track to produce a clean strike is part of the challenge.

Two bells add another bit of music, producing a satisfying “ting” whenever a marble strikes them.

This sculpture is completely manually operated. Load the marbles at the top and release them with your finger—one at a time or several together—then follow them along two long tracks as they make their way through the sculpture.

A compact, interactive piece of kinetic art with motion, sound, and a little bit of physics built into the experience.

100% stainless steel, TIG welded.