I’m especially proud of this customized Rolling Ball Sculpture built for the Kimpton Hotel in Portland, Oregon. This tall RBS sits next to the bar in the main lobby, so I had a lot of fun working the bar theme into the sculpture. I made grapes, vines and leaves, and even added a couple of wine glasses.

Several of those details are actually working parts of the sculpture. One wine glass is part of a tipping arm, another is used as a counterweight, and one of the bunches of grapes is also a tipping-arm counterweight. They sway gently back and forth each time they’re activated by a ball.

This one has three tracks, including a tall skinny coil, a tall vertical zig-zag and a loop d’ loop. All of the tracks have three rails—a center rail that the ball rolls on and two guard rails on either side. Since the sculpture is behind glass, reliability was especially important. Clearing a jam wouldn't exactly be convenient.

The chain lift carries the balls back to the top for another trip down. Along the way there are several flat spirals, lots of curvy and straight track, and two long sections of horizontal zig-zag.

I drove this one to Portland and delivered it myself. The hotel was beautiful, and I had a wonderful stay. It was pretty satisfying to leave knowing one of my sculptures would be running there in the lobby.

100% stainless steel, TIG welded.