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Automatons Keep Gears Turning In D.C. Artist's Brain During The Pandemic

An artist in Washington, D.C., who got laid off during the pandemic, fills his days by making automatons — mechanical sculptures that come to life with the turn of a crank.
Artist Don Becker creates automatons after being laid off from his job during the pandemic. This mechanical sculpture features a woodcutter being thwarted by trees.

When a Washington D.C. artist lost his job during the pandemic, he found comfort and order amidst the clutter of his home workshop.

Don Becker, 57, got laid off from his job as a set painter for a company that makes displays for conventions and large meetings. So he turned his attention to

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