HANGING HAPPINESS

GARY KING ISN’T SELLING HAPPINESS—HE’S INSTALLING IT. FROM STREET SIGNS TO BUMPER STICKERS, HE’S BUILDING JOY LIKE IT’S A PUBLIC SERVICE AND OUR COMMUNITY SHINES BRIGHTER BECAUSE OF IT.

By Mo Houston

It’s an exceptionally blustery Monday morning in Gulfport, but the multipurpose studio of Gary King stands strong. Housed in an old airplane hangar, the space is deep, stalwart and open to interpretation—much like the man himself.

Although the weather is offering some forceful resistance, it’s the perfect day to seek happiness—a daunting task if you don’t know where to start. But like any uncertain territory, it helps to ask directions from someone who’s been there.

If you’re not familiar with The Happiness Experiment, you may have crossed paths with King’s work unknowingly. Perhaps you looked up while walking or driving and spotted one of the over 600 metal signs he has installed in our area—nine bold red letters perched on poles, fences and buildings. You may have even noticed the word adorning bumper stickers traveling along local roads.

King greets me in one of his signature Hawaiian shirts, which often feature a sunrise or sunset that spreads across his torso. His glittery demeanor runs from the sparkle in his eyes to the enthusiasm in his voice. The artist, writer, speaker and mental health advocate will be turning 80 in June, but it hasn’t slowed him down in the slightest or diminished his curiosity. He loves figuring out how things work, especially when it comes to reprogramming the subconscious mind.

can see happiness and hold happiness, then you can rewire your brain and reroute your life.

“Here is what people worldwide are not conscious of—their whole life is a happiness experiment, starting at birth,” he asserts. “Almost everything they do is in some way related to finding happiness, throughout their life. In our current time period, almost everything is designed to make people fearful, paranoid, depressed, stressed out, in conflict, violent, vengeful and on and on…the signs are based on science. They create auto suggestion, they are subliminal, they emit a frequency that effects the human core frequency.”

King’s Gulfport office is lined with newspaper clippings and photos of speedboats, handshakes with presidents and world travels. But when I ask who the happiest person he’s ever met is, he chuckles, “You mean, other than myself?” he says. “That’s an interesting question—I’ve met a lot of people.”

He points to a sepia photo of a massive sandcastle. “Gary Kirk,” he offers. “He built that on Treasure Island—held the world record for largest sand sculpture.”

The two met over 30 years ago by way of coincidence, magic or destiny. Kirk showed up to the build with no experience or tools. Just a gut feeling. He was handed a toolkit and with that he built something beautiful.

“I took everything apart as a kid,” he recalls. “…engines, electrical, even my mom’s car. I made a career out of that.”

He calls himself a gearhead, but these days, it’s the human condition he disassembles and reimagines. His philosophy is simple: “Find something you love enough to do for free, then build your life around that.”

That’s exactly what he did. King has coached hundreds of people, spoken around the world and written two books on happiness. But his happiness journey was initially born out of heartbreak.

When his son took his own life in 2012, he created the project as a way to save other lives. His belief is clear: if you

That’s the message behind King’s movement: happiness isn’t just a sign—it’s a toolkit, a mantra, a magnetic mindset. When he climbs a nine-foot ladder to install one of his six-foot-wide signs above a doorway or alongside a road, his goal is to leave you with something that reminds you that happiness isn’t a destination. He can’t hand you the key to your happiness, but he’s determined to give you a reminder that it may be right in front of you.

Find King on Facebook to learn about a forthcoming documentary about him and for more information about the project, including how to purchase a sign or other merchandise.