Suffolk Inventors and Entrepreneurs Club To Feature Ben Hopson

Kinetic designer Ben Hopson will be featured at the April 20 meeting of the Suffolk County Inventors and Entrepreneurs Club.

Modest Mouse frontman Isaac Brock (above) uses a mechanical drawing machine kinetic sculpture created by Brooklyn-based designer Ben Hopson in the popular indie rock band's music video for "Whale Song." Hopson will be featured at the April 20 meeting of the Suffolk County Inventors and Entrepreneurs Club in Hauppauge.

Hopson, a Brooklyn-based designer, artist and educator, created the discipline of Kinetic Design, which involves the aesthetic design of physical movement. He is noted for incorporating elements of industrial design, kinetic sculpture, engineering, interaction design and puppetry, allowing designers to animate products and spaces in new ways. As a consultant, Hopson has worked with clients on projects ranging from kitchen gadgets to luggage, from concept cars to lighting. His work has been featured in trade publications and websites including: I.D. Magazine, wired.com, boingboing.net, designboom.com and joshspear.com.

Hopson also created a mechanical drawing machine kinetic sculpture featured in a music video for “Whale Song” by the popular indie rock band Modest Mouse. The video portrays an abstract journey into the mind of a young man, played by band frontman Isaac Brock, and debuted on Pitchfork.com last year.

Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy established the Inventors and Entrepreneurs Club in August 2007. Since then, more than 600 individuals have attended one of the monthly meetings where inventors mix with business people and those who would like to start their own business, his office said. From tools to toys and electronics, the club has been a meeting place for inventors who have patents pending, others who had already sold inventions and still others who had lots of ideas but didn’t know where to start.

The Suffolk County Inventors and Entrepreneurs Club will meet Tuesday, April 20 at 7 p.m. at the H. Lee Dennison Building, 100 Veteran’s Highway, Hauppauge, NY 11788. For more information call 631-853-6993 or e-mail: brian@iesuffolk.com