Purple Rain No86 is a one-of-a-kind wooden robot sculpture made from Red Leaf Maple, stabilized and dyed a deep, electric purple. Standing 16 inches tall on its own and just shy of 23 inches tall with its base, this is one of my favorite pieces in the Purple Rain series.
Stabilizing the maple does more than create that incredible color. The wood is impregnated with resin under vacuum, filling its pores and greatly reducing the natural movement of the wood as humidity changes. The result is an exceptionally stable material that is also highly water-resistant, while still retaining the figure, grain, and character of the original maple.
Throughout the body are hand-set ebony inlays wrapped in brass. The nearly black ebony against the electric purple creates a striking contrast, while the thin brass borders catch the light and add just a little warmth.
At the center of its chest is something much quieter.
A single wish.
One delicate dandelion puff, preserved at the moment before the wind could carry it away. Something normally here for only an instant is held still inside the chest of Purple Rain No86.
And then there are the eyes.
These may be some of my favorite eyes I've ever made. Each contains a mountain landscape hand-carved from Black Walnut, set in front of luminous mother of pearl. The color and iridescence of the mother of pearl shift as the light and viewing angle change, creating greens, blues, purples, and flashes of color behind the dark mountain silhouettes.
The effect reminds me of the Aurora Borealis dancing over a distant mountain range. No paint could quite reproduce it because the light itself is part of what creates the landscape.
These eyes are especially vibrant in calmer, lower-light settings. Indoors, the mother of pearl really comes alive—the colors seem to pop from behind the walnut mountains and shift as you move around the piece. Like the Northern Lights themselves, they can feel completely different depending on how and where you see them.
The head is made from Corrugata burl, bringing another layer of figure and natural complexity to the piece. It pivots on a magnetic ball joint, allowing the position of the head—and with it, Purple Rain's expression—to be changed. The arms and legs are fully articulated and can be repositioned using the included Allen key.
The base shown in the photographs was made specifically for Purple Rain No86 and is included with the sculpture.
Made from Maple burl, the base stands approximately 6 inches tall and measures 6.25" × 5.75" at its footprint. Natural live-edge accents have been preserved, and the surface has been given a hand-burnished texture that encompasses the base, adding another layer of movement and texture while allowing the character of the burl to remain front and center.
Together, Purple Rain No86 and its base stand just shy of 23 inches tall.
Stabilized Red Leaf Maple body
Dyed electric purple
Approximately 16" tall without base
Just under 23" tall displayed with base
Corrugata burl head
Ebony inlays wrapped in brass
A single preserved dandelion puff in the chest
Hand-carved Black Walnut mountain eyes
Mother-of-pearl eye backgrounds
Aurora Borealis-inspired appearance
Maple burl base made specifically for No86
Live-edge details on base
Hand-burnished texture encompassing the base
Base approximately 6" tall
Base footprint approximately 6.25" × 5.75"
Magnetic ball-joint head
Articulating arms and legs
Allen key included
One of a kind
As with all of my wooden robots, Purple Rain No86 is made one at a time by hand. The natural figure, inclusions, textures, live edges, and imperfections in the wood aren't something I try to hide—they're part of what makes each piece completely its own.
Care: Keep out of prolonged direct sunlight to help preserve the color of the wood. Dust gently with a soft cloth or brush. When repositioning the arms or legs, use the included Allen key to loosen and retighten the joints rather than forcing them.
Thank you for supporting handmade art and giving Purple Rain No86—and the single wish it carries—a place to call home.
Purple Rain No86 is a one-of-a-kind wooden robot sculpture made from Red Leaf Maple, stabilized and dyed a deep, electric purple. Standing 16 inches tall on its own and just shy of 23 inches tall with its base, this is one of my favorite pieces in the Purple Rain series.
Stabilizing the maple does more than create that incredible color. The wood is impregnated with resin under vacuum, filling its pores and greatly reducing the natural movement of the wood as humidity changes. The result is an exceptionally stable material that is also highly water-resistant, while still retaining the figure, grain, and character of the original maple.
Throughout the body are hand-set ebony inlays wrapped in brass. The nearly black ebony against the electric purple creates a striking contrast, while the thin brass borders catch the light and add just a little warmth.
At the center of its chest is something much quieter.
A single wish.
One delicate dandelion puff, preserved at the moment before the wind could carry it away. Something normally here for only an instant is held still inside the chest of Purple Rain No86.
And then there are the eyes.
These may be some of my favorite eyes I've ever made. Each contains a mountain landscape hand-carved from Black Walnut, set in front of luminous mother of pearl. The color and iridescence of the mother of pearl shift as the light and viewing angle change, creating greens, blues, purples, and flashes of color behind the dark mountain silhouettes.
The effect reminds me of the Aurora Borealis dancing over a distant mountain range. No paint could quite reproduce it because the light itself is part of what creates the landscape.
These eyes are especially vibrant in calmer, lower-light settings. Indoors, the mother of pearl really comes alive—the colors seem to pop from behind the walnut mountains and shift as you move around the piece. Like the Northern Lights themselves, they can feel completely different depending on how and where you see them.
The head is made from Corrugata burl, bringing another layer of figure and natural complexity to the piece. It pivots on a magnetic ball joint, allowing the position of the head—and with it, Purple Rain's expression—to be changed. The arms and legs are fully articulated and can be repositioned using the included Allen key.
The base shown in the photographs was made specifically for Purple Rain No86 and is included with the sculpture.
Made from Maple burl, the base stands approximately 6 inches tall and measures 6.25" × 5.75" at its footprint. Natural live-edge accents have been preserved, and the surface has been given a hand-burnished texture that encompasses the base, adding another layer of movement and texture while allowing the character of the burl to remain front and center.
Together, Purple Rain No86 and its base stand just shy of 23 inches tall.
Stabilized Red Leaf Maple body
Dyed electric purple
Approximately 16" tall without base
Just under 23" tall displayed with base
Corrugata burl head
Ebony inlays wrapped in brass
A single preserved dandelion puff in the chest
Hand-carved Black Walnut mountain eyes
Mother-of-pearl eye backgrounds
Aurora Borealis-inspired appearance
Maple burl base made specifically for No86
Live-edge details on base
Hand-burnished texture encompassing the base
Base approximately 6" tall
Base footprint approximately 6.25" × 5.75"
Magnetic ball-joint head
Articulating arms and legs
Allen key included
One of a kind
As with all of my wooden robots, Purple Rain No86 is made one at a time by hand. The natural figure, inclusions, textures, live edges, and imperfections in the wood aren't something I try to hide—they're part of what makes each piece completely its own.
Care: Keep out of prolonged direct sunlight to help preserve the color of the wood. Dust gently with a soft cloth or brush. When repositioning the arms or legs, use the included Allen key to loosen and retighten the joints rather than forcing them.
Thank you for supporting handmade art and giving Purple Rain No86—and the single wish it carries—a place to call home.
