This rolling ball sculpture was built by request for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Massachusetts and Rhode Island. More specifically, it was built for Andy. I flew out to install the sculpture myself and had the pleasure of meeting Andy and his family in person.

The unusual Z-shaped frame gives this piece two large sections to fill with tracks and kinetic elements, with the motorized chain lift stretching up through both. Four different paths take the balls through a lot of action before eventually finding their way back to the lift.

One track features a seven-ball collector with a sequenced release mechanism. Once all seven balls have arrived, they are released one after another and speed through several tall spirals in a row. From there they merge onto a flat steel bowl, exit into a large happy-faced tipping arm, and then travel through a long section of back-and-forth horizontal zig-zags. Lots of fun to watch when all seven balls are moving through the sequence together.

The loop-d-loop track has two very different sections. The first is a series of loops leading toward the center of the sculpture, ending with a backspin exit that uses the ball's own spin and friction to slow it down. Then it's off to a large pretzel-shaped section where the track travels behind, around and through its own loops before the ball breaks out through a very tight hairpin turn.

Another track is all about the spinners. Three very large spinners are connected in sequence on the same path. One ball hits the first, then the second, then the third, setting all three into motion one after another. When they're all spinning at once, they add a huge amount of movement to the sculpture.

And then there's the long track. It doesn't need to be in a hurry. It simply meanders around everything else, taking a long, circuitous route through the sculpture with a run time of well over a minute.

There is a lot happening in this one, and words only go so far with a rolling ball sculpture. Watch the video to see Andy's sculpture doing what it was built to do.