Design After Dark – Cirque

Float Drift, an inflated steel raft sculpture, created for the event under the sub-category Illusion, took the prize for “Most Over the Top.”  The fundraiser auctions artworks created specifically for the event in order to benefit the Denver Art Museum Design Council.  Some other participants and award winners are David Larabee and Dexter Thornton of  DoubleButter, and Housefish.

Perspective Frame – Becoming Van Gogh at DAM

Working from a sketch and description which Vincent Van Gogh included in a letter to his brother, I recreated a perspective frame for the Denver Art Museum’s recent epic exhibition of more than 70 paintings and drawings by Van Gogh.  Details of this item were coordianted with the exhibition designer, Ben Griswold of Spatial Poetics.  The frame has now travelled to the Netherlands for inclusion in an upcoming exhibition titled Van Gogh at Work opening in May 2013 at the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam.

Stainless Potrack

With its custom shape, permanent anchoring, double rails, and herringbone hooks…  this solid stainless steel device is no slouch.

Illuminated Sculptures

“The light sculpture is just incredible. It’s been a huge hit with friends and family. It’s an incredible asset to the space, adding both substantial commercial and artistic value. Most of all, I still find myself entranced by its sheer beauty.” -Keith Parks, client

This sculpture consists of six hydroformed steel shells which have deconstructed, modified, and reassembled to form vessels for light and color.

Pillow Case Donated to 8th Annual DAM Fundraiser

I am excited to have participated in a fourth Design After Dark art auction and gala to benefit the Department of Architecture, Design, and Graphics and the Design Council of the Denver Art Museum which took place this past Friday.  This year’s assigned theme BESPOKE with sub-category pattern is one that resonated with my desire to create a designed functional object.  Creating art objects is always a rewarding endeavor, but considering that this department of the museum exists to further awareness of design, it seems appropriate to begin thinking about submissions to this event not as about making art but rather about artfully exercising functional design.

Welded aluminum, leather, wool pinstripe fabric, upholstery foam.

The pillow case is similar in size to other handbags, at 6 in x 11.5 in.

This ferrule on the handle slides to open the case. When carried, it remains in the locked position at the bottom of the handle’s incline.

Submissions were asked to be accompanied by a narrative…

Fortnighter Lite, bespoke pillow case (and Unbend Lozenge Pillow)

by Mathias Leppitsch | CATAFORM            February 2012

The Fortnighter Lite by Cataform is an exclusive welded aluminum travel pillow case crafted specifically to preserve and announce the singular legacy of your Cataform Unbend Lozenge Pillow.  In the next fourteen days, it’s Tokyo, Reykjavik and San Francisco.  When you need the hauter conveniences of any city, they are yours.  And, wherever you find yourself resting, nothing you buy can help you relax as completely and as intimately as the comfort of your own Unbend Lozenge Pillow.  Keep it safe, keep it at hand, and do so in Cataform style to assure that your rest will be as luxuriant as it is your own.  If you pack anything, pack your pillow case.

Function(al) Trade Show Exhibit

Back-country winter sports-gear producers f(n) contracted Cataform to help present their new products at this year’s snow sports industry tradeshow SIA.  I provided exacting fabrication services for their sleek booth as well as some additional logistical support.

Spinning (Interactive) Interchangeable Display System

Useful for sharing interchangeable printed information and imagery in an inviting and interactive way, these boxes were recently commissioned by a mid-western industry-specific supplies provider.  They were designed and fabricated here at my studio.  Animated CAD renderings were generated to communicate with the purchaser and to streamline the fabrication process.

The display parts include sealed ball-bearings, welded and powder-coated aluminum frames, removable clear acrylic bi-fold sleeves to hold the interchangeable media, solid stainless rods to mount the spinning display array, and stainless floor and ceiling mounting flanges to retain the vertical rods.