.mt6 .hm3 .h1Grayson Enterprises Reprint Rights .h2Page # 1,365 words WILLIE STEVENSON, LEFTY KALEIDOSCOPE MAKER Written by June Grayson "Kaleidoscope ar natura ste i m growt a a artis an expres wonderfull m sens o jo an beaut i th Creato an Hi Creation." I yo thin kaleidoscop i simpl to destine onl fo child' Christma stocking thin again. Kaleidoscope ar burgeonin ar for an ho collector' item A leas 10,00 committe American eagerl awai eac ne scop create b th les tha 10 nationall- know scop artists. Th kaleidoscop i mirrore tub tha let th ligh shin through I create suc beautifu geometri design fro an jumbl o mundan object tha eve th mos jade adul ma gas wit delight Davi Brewster Scottis scientis esteeme fo hi researc o polarize light accidentall invente th kaleid scop i 1816 thu precipitatin th firs wav o mirro madness. Withi fe months aggressiv entrepreneur sol thousand o kaleidoscope throughou Europe Durin th Victoria Age th kaleidoscop provide parlo entertainmen fo th whol family. Wit th adven o radi an television suc parlo fancie disappeare an scope wer forgotte excep a child' toy. Th presen scop reviva ha flourishe eve sinc th Smithsonia Magazin publishe a articl abou kaleidoscope i November 1982 Six year late thi secon mirro mani show n sig o abating I fact scope ar on o th fastes-movin item a th wholesal trad shows. An scope no deligh investor a wel a collectors eve sinc a exquisit antiqu kaleidoscop sol fo $31,22 at Sotheby' i London i February 198 th highes know price eve pai fo a antiqu scope. No ther i eve a organization th Brewste Society fo scop collectors wit it ow quarterl newsletter New Scope. Bu th scop reviva bega befor 1982. Th childre o th counte-cultur movemen o th 1960's thos dropout fro th Industria Age i thei searc fo bette lif discovere tha scop makin coul b cottag industr tha supplie thei materia need whil the objectifie thei artisti vision o th brav ne world. Willi Stevenso i jus suc a artist sel- style hig-schoo clown colleg goo-off an counte-cultur "bum" Stevenso i no focuse an matur artis wh make kaleidoscope o uncommo powe an charm. " thin mus b totall righ-brained, Stevenso says "i tha translate int creativity a u ever morning a 5.3 whe hav s man idea fo scope an sculpture that can' writ the dow fas enough M scrap o pape spill ou o ever drawe i ou home neve kno ho m idea ar goin t b used Someho the eventuall al fal int place." Stevenso use th 1/ inc coppe tubin use b plumber fo hi nin inc lon scopes B secre techniqu h ha developed h wield a acetylen torc a a airbrus t produc th strikin custo design tha dazzl th eye H protect th finishe exterior wit bake-on hig glos finish. Stevenso classifie hi design int fou genera patterns Genesis represent th creativ energ o lightnin bolts Landscape feature th moo i th nigh sky Sunrise capture th flam o th risin sun Vortex swirl t powerfu center Thes pattern represen hi translatio o th unsee an surrea t th rea an visibl world. " couldn' d i withou m lef-braine wife, Stevenso asserts "Sh i th on wh know ho t tal t ou compute an tak car o th busines details I fact sh firs mad m awar tha se thing differentl tha othe peopl alway i vivi thre dimensions No ca giv m creativit ful rei an sh know wha t d wit it." Alic Stevenso i n mea artis herself Sh i i charg o th mirror an staine glas tha for th interiors o thei scopes Sh "han pulls th fines staine glas int bizarr shape b th us o heat an float assorte piece i th "magi oil i th objec cas s tha th desig keep changin eve afte yo sto turnin th scope " lea t m favorit blues greens an lavender wit a occasiona re an yello piec fo contrast, explain Alice. Sh use onl "firs-surface glas fo th interio mirror tha creat th reflections O suc mirror th reflectiv surfac i o th top rathe tha underneat a i commo househol mirrors Sh create eithe "thre-mirrored scop o thei favorite "seve-pointe star wit compl- cate mirro arrangemen tha produce mor intricat geometri design. Willi di no pla t b kaleidoscop maker In fact h call himsel a "artis blacksmith wh create "kineti sculptures" Kineti sculpture see t mak movement itsel a integra par o it designs Man kineti artist se connectio betwee suc form an th movin toy an coi- operate machine o previou ages. I fact i yo lik Rub Goldber designs yo wil lov Willi Stevenson H mad hi firs kineti sculptur i colleg meta bu tha unfoled int flowe an plaed musi whe coi wa inserted No h i workin o Fiv Sense kaleidoscope Pu coi i it an th musi starts (hearing) Th bea o th musi produce vibration (feeling) Loo throug tin cherub' bell butto i th scop tub fo th kaleidoscopi image (sight) The insid littl doo wil ope an blo ou whif o perfum (smell) An whe th mechanis shut of a th end littl piec o cand roll ou int you han (taste). Thi i no "production scope however Thi i on-o--kin creatio fo whic avi collector wil willingl vi t bu a $15,00 retail. Th Stevenson pla t continu makin thei presen scope fo onl fe mor years Thu the ca secur thei financia foundatio an pa fo thei workroom an hom o a woode acreag i th Blu Ridg mountain nea Asheville N.C. "Ou presen wor ha establishe u a artists an w ar alread exhibite i prestigiou galleries, Alic explains "W hop tha whe Willi switche t hi limite yearl edition o 50 kaleidoscopes ther wil b man collector receptiv t hi wor wh wil b intereste i payin th $1,00 retai eac suc scop ma cost." Willi credit hi mother beautifu Cre Indian wit teachin hi t draw H als remember th fascinatio wit whic h watche hi grandfather doctor carv violin an "whirl-gigs i hi spar time. "It' wonde eve learne anythin i school though, Willi says " wen t littl countr on-roo school i Ne Hampshir durin th depressio an th teacher coul neve accep m lef-handedness The woul com b m desk tak th penci ou o m han an tur m pape aroun severa time day N matter coul neve lear t d anythin wit m righ hand." Willi i prou t cal himsel blacksmith "Whe peopl hea blacksmith the mistakenl thin o someon who shoe horses Wrong Tha i farrier blacksmit i an artist n les tha painter H shape metal b heatin the i forg an the moldin them." Bu Willi credit hi succes t mor tha bein blacksmith Cal i luck O cal i miracle Th nic thin abou miracle i tha the sometime d happen Willi think tha on happene t him. "A on tim wa s strun ou o dop tha my lif wa shambles kne tha wa powerles t remak m life Bu I aske Go t tur m lif aroun an believ tha H did, Willi says "Tha i wh w cal ou busines Spiri Scopes." "W don' tal t other abou ou beliefs Bu w hop tha w ca shar som o th jo an beaut w hav know i ou ow live wit th othe peopl w mee throug th wa w liv an th product w make." #####