The playable art of Kate Jones
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Artist Information Statement The playable art of Kate Jones |
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 What are "gamepuzzles"?Gamepuzzles® are Kate's own original creations that can be played both as competitive games for two or more people, and as puzzles for one player alone. Kate has been designing them since 1979. How do they work?The sets usually consist of geometrically shaped tiles or chess-like counters. The players figure out how to arrange the tiles to form patterns and designs, with many different objectives and levels of difficulty. The numbers of ways you can fit them together may be in the thousands. It's the unique nature of the way Kate designs them that it's a new adventure every time you play with them. The figures and game rules are illustrated in each set's handbook. The games require strategy for how you place or move the pieces around on the board to achieve a winning position. They're easy to learn and you can keep improving your skill each time you play. How are they made?They're made in our own craft workshop, from unique ideas that Kate develops and designs. The pieces are cut from acrylic sheets with our laser, using a computer program to guide the table, then handfinished. The most intricate patterns can thus be programmed for cutting. Wood components are handcrafted with traditional tools and the laser. Kate also writes and illustrates the rule books. What is your philosophy, your artistic vision, in designing these gamepuzzles?It sums up as a celebration of mind ... the joy of thinking ... playable art ... truth and beauty. Here's Kate's philosophy in brief: Kadon's goal is to make and sell good and true and beautiful things at decent prices. ... The products should bring pleasure to the widest range of individuals, from child to adult, from beginner to expert. The style and concept of the products should be universal and timeless, each idea presented in its purest form. Each product must be worthy of the customer's time and money.One of the themes implicit in Kate's gamepuzzles is that harmony can be achieved from diversity... that, with some ingenuity and patience, you can fit many all-different pieces into one beautiful composition, where the uniqueness of each individual piece assures and enhances the balance of the whole. There's a great sense of freedom in knowing there's more than one right answer and in having many options. Minds that exercise regularly with puzzles stay sharp longer, and play helps reduce the stresses of life. Play on! Paper mail to Kadon Enterprises, Inc., 1227 Lorene Drive, Suite 16, Pasadena, MD 21122 — U.S.A. ©2006-2017 Kadon Enterprises, Inc. — All rights reserved. Gamepuzzles® is a registered trademark of Kadon Enterprises, Inc. |