Quick answer: As of October 15, 2026, the recent coverage reviewed for this report does not contain a direct public statement from Seattle automata artist Bliss Kolb about Kelly Clarkson’s dispute with Brooklyn shop Art of Play. USA TODAY reporting says the outlet had reached out to Kolb. The public accounts still come mainly from Clarkson and the store, and the released security video has no audio.
That distinction matters. Kolb created the mechanical bird design at the center of the story, but that does not make him a confirmed witness to the conversation that sparked the dispute. Treating the artist as though he has publicly taken a side would go beyond the available evidence.
What has Bliss Kolb actually said?
In the reporting available for this article, no direct quote from Kolb about Clarkson’s visit or the disputed exchange has been published. USA TODAY’s October 12 explainer said it had reached out to the artist for comment. A request for comment is not the same as a response, and it does not establish that Kolb privately agrees with either side.
Art of Play says its wall-mounted bird, nicknamed Molly, is part of the shop’s magic-show experience and was not for sale. The store says the $15,000 figure referred to a nearly identical automaton Kolb might be willing to make available. Clarkson has disputed the store’s account, saying she saw a price tag and felt she was treated dismissively. Those are competing accounts—not a settled transcript of the conversation.
What the silent CCTV footage can—and cannot—prove
Security footage of Clarkson’s brief visit was published by journalist Pablo Torre and covered by multiple outlets. Reports describe a visit lasting under five minutes, with Clarkson looking at items, speaking with a staff member near the mechanical bird and leaving. The footage has no audio, so it cannot establish the exact words used, the tone of the exchange or whether the price was explained as Clarkson and the store each describe.
That is why the artist’s silence should not be filled with speculation. The most responsible reading is narrower: the public dispute concerns what Clarkson and Art of Play say happened, while the available video provides visual context but no audio confirmation.
Why the bird’s maker matters
Kolb is a Seattle-based artist and designer known for automata—mechanical sculptures that create lifelike movement through gears, cams, levers, cables and other physical components. His official site describes the Singing Bird on Wall as a work with seven movements. A wooden worm gear drives a star gear and nine cams; levers and cables move the bird, while leather bellows force air through a brass whistle to produce its song.
The artist’s site lists several wooden crank-operated automata as made-to-order work, with published prices generally ranging from $4,000 to $12,000 depending on the piece and availability. That published range is separate from the store’s account of a potential $15,000 order for a nearly identical bird. It is also separate from the $15 million asking price Art of Play later publicized for its display bird. An asking price is not a verified sale or independent valuation.
Could Kolb’s response change the story?
A direct statement from Kolb could clarify what he was prepared to make, what the $15,000 figure represented, or whether he wants to comment at all. Until a direct statement is published, readers should not assume that he has endorsed the store’s account or Clarkson’s version.
My view is that the clearest unresolved question is not whether a viral headline says the artist has “broken his silence,” but whether he has actually spoken on the record. At the time of publication, the sources reviewed here do not establish that he has. If a verifiable statement emerges, this article should be updated with the exact wording, date and original source.
Art of Play’s Instagram statement
Art of Play posted a clarification describing its version of the five-minute visit and explaining its claim that Molly was not for sale. The embedded post is the shop’s statement, not independent proof of what was said during the silent CCTV encounter.
View this post on Instagram
Frequently asked questions
Has Bliss Kolb publicly responded to Kelly Clarkson?
As of October 15, 2026, the coverage reviewed for this article does not include a direct public statement from Kolb about the dispute. USA TODAY reporting said the outlet had reached out to him for comment.
Did Bliss Kolb set Molly’s $15 million price?
Reports attribute the $15 million asking price to Art of Play’s co-owner, not to Kolb’s published price list. No verified sale at that amount has been reported in the sources reviewed.
Does the CCTV footage prove what happened?
No. The footage provides a visual record of a brief visit, but it has no audio and cannot settle the disputed wording or tone of the conversation.
Where can readers see Kolb’s work?
Readers can view the artist’s official Singing Bird on Wall page and his wooden crank-operated automata portfolio for his descriptions of the mechanisms and other designs.
Sources and related Vervado coverage
- Bliss Kolb Design: Singing Bird on Wall — primary-source details about the mechanism.
- USA TODAY reporting republished by AOL — background on Kolb and the request for comment.
- PEOPLE’s report on the released security footage — what the silent video shows.
- Vervado: Meet Seattle artist Bliss Kolb — background on the maker and the Singing Bird on Wall.
- Vervado: How the bird’s asking price changed from $15,000 to $15 million — the difference between an asking price and a confirmed sale.
Reporting note: This article distinguishes verified public statements from disputed accounts. No direct statement from Kolb about the Clarkson encounter was found in the coverage reviewed as of October 15, 2026. The security footage is silent; the $15 million figure is an asking price, not evidence of a completed sale.
By Shivam Das
