Wizard at Work

"Who builds these contraptions?" "What kind of kid was he?" "Where do his ideas come from?" If you've ever watched the madcap antics of colorful balls rolling, bouncing, leaping, and whirling through George Rhoads' audiokinetic sculptures, you may have wondered who invents these spellbinding contraptions. In this book you will discover how Rhoads, who dreamed of becoming a successful painter, also became a renowned creator of public art whose sculptures can be seen in airports, shopping malls, science museums, and hospitals throughout the world. Shattering the notion that machines are built only for work, Rhoads designs machines that do nothing but play. Written by Rhoads' youngest sister, the book contains personal glimpses of the artist's growing-up years in Evanston, Illinois, his struggles as an aspiring painter, his acclaim as an origami expert, and his unexpected success as a sculptor-first, of fountains, then of the whimsical yet elegant ball machines that fascinate and delight viewers of all ages. Emily Rhoads Johnson is a writer, editor, and teacher living in Ithaca, New York. She is the author of three young adult novels: Spring and the Shadow Man, A House Full of Strangers, and Write Me If You Dare.