Rube Goldberg in 'Creative Contraptions'

STAMFORD, CONN.

:Rube Goldberg's cartoons have become such a part of American culture that his name appears as an adjective in the dictionary for anything that is complicated but accomplishes little. In 1995, his comic strips were even commemorated on a US postage stamp.

A rare opportunity to view original artwork created by the Goldbergian mind is on view in "Creative Contraptions," a four-part exhibition celebrating the influence of the artist-inventor at the Stamford Museum & Nature Center (SMNC) through May 22.

The exhibition includes original works from the Rube Goldberg collection, which was donated by the artist's son, George W. George of Stamford, to Williams College Museum of Art in Williamstown, Mass. Additional loans come from cartoonist Bill Jonocha of Stamford and Stuart Reisbord of Wallingford, Penn. Complementing this trove is a section showcasing designs created by four professional Connecticut artists who submitted proposals for works that were inspired by Goldberg's original creations. And because Goldberg's madcap designs appeal to kids of all ages, other sections of the show feature K-12 concepts and even allow visitors to sketch out their own "better mousetraps."