Author: Zena Verda Pesta

Cheryl Baxter Lights up the Night!

“Fantastic Trailer, Brooklyn architect and designer Cheryl Baxter shows that trailers can actually be quite stunning, creating structures that are inviting and interactive. The installation is made up of five light-filled tri-columns, which extend and undulate from their mobile center like octopus tentacles. The columns are inflated by fans and covered in organza fabric, both of which cause them to flow gently and lead viewers into the installation. At the center of Fantastic Trailer are integrated seating spaces, which are meant to encourage users to stay and experience the work from the inside for extended periods of time.”

 

Brighter than a lucky penny,

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Janet Echelman Stunning String Sculptures!

Janet Echelman creates incredible hovering string sculptures by using traditional net-weaving techniques to transform simple spools of thread. Her beautiful sculptural installations are often strung between buildings and poles, resembling the aurora borealis when light at night. The luminous net sculptures have been found hovering around the world, adding a surreal color to the night sky.

Ever inspirational Aaron Horowitz of Sproutel

I have been overstimulated by many gadgets, gizmo’s, ideas, and people today, ultimately  haveing a fantastic time at Maker Faire!   And although I had some favorites, I didn’t discover the most interesting/inspiring project until my walk to the train and the train ride home.

Meet Aaron and Jerry!

Aaron Horowitz is a very personable, passoinate, and knowledgable fellow.  I was lucky enough to meet him on the walk to the train stop, we caught the train and ended up having a very delightful conversation about design for the good.  Aaron had attended Maker Faire, and spoke about his most recent endeavor, Jerry the Bear; a tool to help kids through type 1 diabetes adjust to their new lifestyle. Aaron graduated from North Western University in Chicago, creating his own major to tailor to his interest.  Him and his business partner Hannah Chung who founded Design for America, an award-winning nationwide network of interdisciplinary student teams and community members using design to create local and social impact relocated to Rhode Island before graduation. There they participated in a program with Beta Spring in launching their project with Jerry the Bear.  You can find Aaron still residing in Rhode Island working on interactive toys for children with chronic illnesses at Sproutel.

All of the organizations Aaron mentioned during our conversation are very inspiring! I recommend checking them out! If anyone is interested in Design for America, we could start a chapter!

Brighter than a lucky penny

z

 

 

Who doesn’t like a Maryland Crab Boil!? And with this nifty placemat, you to can be knowledgable about the process of enjoying one messy eating experience.  We use these at a resutraunt where i slang seafood in the west village, and whenever I see someone banging away with the mallet like a monkey, I do a little tutorial guided by this placemat!

Interactive, Educational, Inspirational!

Below you will find a stop motion animation illustrating my concept for the Magnetic T-shirt/Jacket using Arduino.  I have also shared some of my inspirations for this project.  Spaces and  environments which facilitate participation and learning are of great interest to me, especially ones suited and meant for children.  The combination of electronics and interactions seemed like a great combination to experiment with ideas which would make the classroom more welcoming and promote learning!

Live and Play in environments which are rich in creativity, arts, and inspriation!

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Enjoy the show!

This was a great learning curve for me!  There are 360 still images which make up the stop motion animation.  During this process I made leaps and bounds and learned many new skills! I practiced drawing, my handwriting, learned how to utilize iMovie to make a stop motion and overlay sound, and also learned out to tackle the internet uploading and embedding.  And even though you don’t see it in this post, I programed an Arduino with a magnetic reed switch to light up an LED when it censored the magnet!

Brighter than a lucky penny

Zena Verda Pesta