A Balancing Act: Mobile Artist Paul Landis

Paul Landis is a man with a wire. He uses it in the great balancing act of kinetic art, bringing together arrays of handcrafted elements into fluid compositions that move gracefully in the slightest of household breezes.  He works primarily in copper, aluminum, and stainless steel with aircraft-grade riveting and acrylic paint, materials that are sturdy, flexible, and colorful, yet lightweight enough to really let the mobiles dance.

“I am drawn to color and motion,” Paul says.  “I love watching a breeze rustle through the leaves of a tree, and the way light plays off changing surfaces like a wave breaking against the shore. Mobiles create a similar effect: a little random motion, a surprising turn of color, a gentle dance in an otherwise barely noticeable breeze. And the whole thing made possible through a balancing act that mirrors the one I look for in all aspects of my life.”

Paul’s work pays tribute to Alexander Calder, the undisputed master of the form.   He is inspired by things that fly and creatures that swim and the intricacies of sculpture and architecture and machinery. 

He doesn’t always know what he’s going to do next, but he loves the surprises along the way.  He is a non-practicing musician, a recovering Alaskan, and a Leo who loves fresh fish and jazz and who always looks up whenever a raven flies by.  He goes into his workshop every morning, cranks up the music, and begins to play.

See photos from the reception for Paul here.