G4G's Virtual Celebration of Mind | April 2022

Remembering Tom Rodgers and the birth of the Gathering for Gardner
In January 1993, a group of friends of Martin Gardner gathered at the Marriott hotel in downtown Atlanta for an exhibition of puzzles, present talks at local schools, and convene among themselves about magic, puzzles, math and all the topics Martin wrote about. The puzzle exhibition was held at the Atlanta International Museum of Art and Design from January 14 to April 9, 1993, and featured puzzles created by legendary puzzle makers including Nob Yoshigahara, Harry Eng, Stewart Coffin, and Rick Irby, who were all present for the opening of the exhibit and the conference. The event was covered by CNN and other media. This group of Martin’s friends, and the exhibition and all the accompanying events was the brainchild of, and all organized by Thomas Malin Rodgers, and was the birth of the Gathering for Gardner. Join Mark Setteducati for a talk about Tom and memories of that first Gathering, along with rare photos and videos of Tom, the exhibition, and his creation – The Gathering for Gardner.

Mark Setteducati is a co-founder and past President of the Gathering for Gardner. He is a Magician and inventor of games, puzzles and magic, with over 50 of his creations marketed by companies worldwide. He is the author of “The Magic Show”, an interactive book that performs magic. In 2014, the Academy of Magical Arts awarded him a Creative Fellowship and lifetime membership to the Magic Castle, Hollywood, California.