Black Beauty | Modern Hanging Art Mobile from Mark Leary Designs

 Mobile: Black Beauty (Approx. 24" wide x 28" tall)

On darkness
“But I can’t see,” cried bird.
“Then, close your eyes,” whispered fox, “and open your heart.”

Thoughts while making
Imagine: With the flick of your wrist, magic. Sparking light in a black night. A moment, bright and clear. A breath taken, a gleam in your eye, a dream illuminated. Offering hope under a starless sky.

Blend together one part phosphorus pentasulfide (P4S3), a little potassium chlorate (KClO3), and a bit of powdered glass. Swirl a small wooden stick in the mix. Then, strike it against the world.

When I was a kid, I loved everything about matches. And I still do. What else do we hold in that way, between thumb and forefinger? What else makes that sound, potential drawn across grit? Where else does time suspend, right before the ordinary ignites? A puff of smoke separating what was and the impossibility it has become.

The modern strike-anywhere match is a chemical marvel. Take your P4S3, add the heat generated when you scratch that tiny piece of wood or paper across a short inch of frictional surface, and the match sparks. KClO3 literally adds fuel to that fire, offering itself up—by way of oxidation—to allow the flame to burn bright.

Between those fingertips, creation held at the end of a matchstick, bringing that which was shadow to sight.

And here we are now. You, the match. The world, your “frictional surface.” With a flick of your intention, an explosion of possibility realized; igniting the ordinary, casting light on dark places.

And what it does it take? Not much. Applying yourself across that short inch: a kind smile, a soft hello, a listening ear, an extra thank you. Watching as your world illuminates around you, trusting your creative spark.

Where’s one place you can shine a little extra light this week?

Commission your own Black Beauty. Order Now.