“Play is a serious matter,” says artist Eck Follen. “For me, it’s the foundation of creativity.” Her art emerges from a childlike sense of wonder and curiosity—a willingness to manipulate materials without expectation until they take form right in front of her. It’s a process of exploration and openness, where each piece reveals itself along the way.

Eck’s journey began in Jackson, Mississippi, where she first encountered “polite lady art.” Craving a more experimental path, she pursued an MFA in Industrial/Furniture Design at the Rhode Island School of Design. There, she discovered the liberating potential of working in three dimensions, comparing the feel of wood to the tactile familiarity of textiles.

Today, her studio in Mérida, Mexico, is a playground of color, texture, and possibility—encaustic wax, oil pastels, and collected objects fill every surface. “I’m a collector,” Eck admits, pointing to rows of tea boxes stuffed with wrappers, each telling its own story.

Her fascination with line and perspective shapes her sculptural explorations, revealing how a subtle shift can transform the way we see an object or place.

But at the heart of it all is play. “When you explore without judgment or the expectation of a fixed outcome,” Eck says, “you tap into a deeper creative flow. It’s where wonder lives.”