Tools For Change has certainly changed me for the better. I am grateful for the opportunity to learn so much and to have access to a space with such an incredible variety of tools and workspaces to utilize. And there is sooooo much more to learn, it feels like just the beginning!
I had an amazing time talking about my ideas and working through possible designs for my large furniture idea with the residency mentors, but ultimately decided that I truly need to take this idea to a skilled circus prop builder to make it into a functional reality. I have already started conversations with the artist I want to get involved in my project, and I am excited about the possibilities there. He really knows what he’s doing!
I did decide to still work on my table prototype, since I think it is still a valuable learning opportunity and maybe something I can use and try out while the good pieces are being dreamed up and made. The legs are nearly ready, I just need to stop fighting with the CNC machine long enough to cut out my table top… Next time I give it a go, I will be sure to turn it on as a good step in the right direction….
In the meantime, I ended up working on a number of small projects, with a goal to finish at least one project from every class I took and even more got produced along the way. I am excited about what I made, I’ve had some successes and yet it was often a mess. I spent a lot of time fixing projects that I thought would be easy and then took me forever to modify or fix. My hexagon shelf is so full of wood glue and wood filler putty, sanded like crazy and solid because of it. I can’t wait to paint it and see if I can actually make it look nice.
I am thrilled to have extended my membership into January which not only gave us more time to work on our final projects for the showcase, but also allows us space to finish up projects, continue learning and creating, and getting to watch the next cohort get started and help support them on their journeys.
So much !Thank You! to Anu, Greta, Roma, Corinne, Salwat and everyone at Makerlabs who helped us out along the way, including Richard making my life better with every mocha and hot coco I could get my hands on.
The three of us in our cohort went in quite different directions with our work, but one thing we had in common was a love of the wood shop and it was wonderful to see everyones creations.
If you’re around Makerlabs anytime in January, you are likely to find me back at the lathe or cutting out boxes for my lathe projects with the laser cutter. Pew pew!
It’s been swell seashells! It’s truly the beginning of a new chapter of creating in my life, and I am certain I will be around making things whenever possible.
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Ariel Amara
The MakerLabs Blog 