September 2014 by Howie K.
My uncle, Tom Nussbaum, is one of very few people on the planet who can declare himself a lifelong working artist. He has devoted his life to his craft, which has veered from robotics to naturalist sculpture, playground fencing and children's books, fellowships and commissions. When I was a kid I played with his art and my night light was something he built: a curious, smiling, antique droid made from a cheese grater. To this day he lives his craft and it's something of a marvel to behold. Pardon the aside but I couldn't help but think of Tom when I met Jared Tarbell of the Levitated Toy Factory. Like my uncle, Jared has devoted his life to his craft, code, which has veered his career in all sorts of directions. A founder of Etsy (yeah, that Etsy), Jared is a local who utilized his understanding of code to get the crafty site off the ground, which was obviously a great success. But his true ambitions, alongside his creative partner and wife, Laurie, center around graphic design and the delicate task of creating art from the universal: as he calls it, Complexification. Don't let the term flux you out. This dude is about building a new Burque. His designs, complex in scope but dimensionally human, offer insight toward his futuristic vision. It's a toy factory, right? It is. We're not privy to the cards up his sleeve, but anticipate greatness. Conceptually, we should anticipate grandiose toys for grown kids, say 10 years and beyond, that encourage building. Like Lego (sans plastic), what I've found in this laboratory offer puzzle pieces, parts to build: wooden, cardboard, eco-friendly materials for play. It's all too obvious, when you see the guy with his daughter, that he's hoping to build a bright future for kids. Architect of the now-infamous Rail Yards Market token, for Jared, ABQ is the next Denver. I'm betting on it. Here's hoping that the next great innovator of the 505 is a true artist, like my uncle, Tom.
