Behind the Emblem
Design stories, symbols, materials, and the ideas that make an object worth keeping.
Browse this lane ↓Stories from the physical-digital edge
THE STATE
OF STICK.
Where physical objects become stories, experiences, and reasons to return.
Design · Making · Connected objects · Field notes
Featured · Behind the Emblem
Fresh From the Laser: Six ArtPrize Emblem Experiments
A first look at recent State of Stick cuts exploring astronauts, spray cans, signs, state-sized ideas, and a visual language built to travel.
Enter the story ↗Fresh from the laser
RECENT CUTS.
REAL OBJECTS.
New ArtPrize emblem experiments exploring shape, scale, character, and a visual language people can recognize from across a room.
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Choose your rabbit hole
FOUR WAYS
INTO THE STORY.
Connected Objects
Plain-language thinking about persistent experiences, trust, and what a tap should actually mean.
Browse this lane ↓From the Lab
The builder journey across fabrication, electronics, software, and experiments that become real things.
Browse this lane ↓Field Notes
ArtPrize, retail, partnerships, and practical lessons gathered while building in public.
Browse this lane ↓Latest transmissions
OBJECTS WITH
SOMETHING TO SAY.
Not company-news filler. These are design stories, useful explanations, and honest notes from building a physical technology company.
Building Trust Into Every Connection: Why Transparency Matters at State of Stick
Why State of Stick is building connected products in public—with transparency about our work, integrity in our claims, and protection for the proprietary methods behind the system.
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State of Stick Has an ArtPrize Home: Old World Olive Co.
Why State of Stick chose Old World Olive Co. on Monroe Center for its ArtPrize installation—and how the storefront will turn a downtown sidewalk into a connected art experience.
Read story → Why We Still Make Physical Things in a Digital World
Screens are everywhere. That is exactly why a well-made physical object can still earn attention, memory, and a lasting place in someone’s life.
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Connected Is Not the Same as Verified—and That Is a Good Thing
A plain-language guide to persistent connected experiences, secure verification, and choosing the right trust level for a physical product.
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From Drones to Connected Objects: The Skills Behind State of Stick
State of Stick did not begin with a smart sticker. It grew from years of electronics, controller-based systems, software, fabrication, and learning how physical and digital systems meet.
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Turning ArtPrize Foot Traffic Into Connected Retail
How venues and local shops can use NFC, QR, collectible drops, and consent-based analytics to turn event visitors into lasting customers.
Read story →Our editorial rule
SHARE THE WHY.
PROTECT THE HOW.
We write openly about design decisions, customer value, lessons learned, and the human work behind each object.
We do not publish security implementation, provisioning methods, private architecture, keys, customer information, manufacturing recipes, or other confidential know-how.