Spooner Virtual Exhibition now Open

We are delighted to announce the launch of Paul Spooner’s Virtual Exhibition today.

Paul Spooner was 60 earlier this year, and we are celebrating with this new exhibition of pieces he has made during the year.

During your visit you will see videos, photos and drawings of the pieces.  You can also eavesdrop on some ‘behind the scenes’ discussions and look through Paul’s sketchbook drawings of the works.  The exhibition includes a very special new ‘Centennial’ edition of Manet’s Olympia.

We hope you enjoy your visit.

Enter it here.

Franklin Institute Machines

I was recently at the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia.  The Amazing Machines Gallery has some of the best examples of basic mechanics that I have seen. Read more

Tinkering with PIE

Over the past 10 years we have worked regularly with Mike Petrich and Karen Wilkinson from the Exploratorium, in San Francisco.  Read more

Giant Mechanical Sculpture in Liverpool

Something unforgettable is about to happen in Liverpool as a highlight of the Liverpool European Capital of Culture celebrations. Vast in scale and spectacular in execution, this breathtaking new commission from La Machine will spin a tale so magical that an entire city will fall under its spell. Read more

Welcome to our new website

It’s hard to believe but we have finally redesigned our website after almost 10 years! Read more

Award at Maker Faire

We enjoyed the visit to Maker Faire last weekend, and were thrilled to pick up an Editor’s Choice award for our Designing Automata Kit. Richard Garriott, Austin resident, CMT patron (…games designer and soon to be astronaut!) pictured here with Sarah Alexander came along too, and shared some of his great pieces with the crowds.

We were also joined by RoboThespian, who was the star of the show with his new range of Hollywood Movie impressions.

Designing Automata at Maker Faire

Join us at the fantastic Maker Faire this October in Austin, Texas where you can get the chance to play with our great Designing Automata Kit.
If you are in the USA you can now order the Designing Automata Kit and Cabaret Mechanical Movement directly from the Make: Store. Save dollars on postage too.

Also, I have two one-day tickets to give away.
E-mail Sarah Alexander to get your hands on them!

Carlos Zapata at Royal Academy

A new work by the Colombian automata maker Carlos Zapata is currently being exhibited at the Royal Academy’s Summer Exhibition in London.

In the piece a man protecting a small child is being beaten by soldiers. Carlos has always been concerned about the ill treatment of innocent people, and the fact that very often nothing is done to stop it - even though it is known to be taking place.
Whilst turning the handle of this piece the audience realises that the he or she is actually taking part in the torture.

The exhibition continues until 19th August 2007.