Mad Hot Glass – Madeline Rile Smith

Today Madeline Rile Smith of Mad Hot Glass answers our questions. She goes into more detail about her art and her process on the Philly Maker Faire podcast.

What do you make?

I make lots of different things out of glass, such as interactive sculpture, musical instruments for multiple people to play at once, absurdist devices for performance art, installation, and video work. All of my work is tied to my interest in human connection and the way that connection with other people can help and hinder us, as well as helping and hindering the human body.

Who do you make it for?

Much of my work I make for myself. I am inspired by imagining what I have not seen yet, so I want to pull it into existence. I will often get an overwhelming urge to create a new piece when I have a weird idea- and need to create it simply so I can see it in front of me.

Where are you located?

I am located in Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia. 

When did you start making?

I began working with glass in 2008, when I was in high school at the Crefeld School in Philadelphia. This changed the trajectory of my life completely as I never thought I would be a visual artist, but I fell in love with glassworking and decided to devote my life to it! 

How long have you been making?

I’ve been working with glass for over 13 years. We’ve been together a while, but the fire is still there! 

What inspired you to make this?

I’m inspired by relationships and interpersonal dynamics, and attempting to make a physical representation of them. I’m also inspired by the way hot glass moves, and how it is able to be manipulated in seemingly infinite ways. 

What makers inspire you?

I’m inspired by artists of the Performance Art Movement, and Body Art Movement, especially Rebecca Horn and her body extensions, and Marina Abramovic.

What’s next?

I want to keep making, do more live performances with new glass pieces, and I’m working on setting up a new studio in my home. 

What would you like to ask the maker community?

Nobody is ever only one thing- I’m curious how other makers balance all the different aspects of their lives. Also – does anyone want to collaborate on a new performance?!

Madeline Rile Smith on the podcast

The podcast is on your favorite streaming services by searching for Philly Maker Faire and here on anchor: https://anchor.fm/phillymakerfaire/episodes/Madeline-Smith-of-Mad-Hot-Glass-e17jvh7

Find Madeline Rile Smith and Mad Hot Glass online

Personal Website: https://www.madelinerilesmith.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/madhotglass/

Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@madhotglass

Etsy: Etsy.com/shop/madhotglass

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/MadHotGlass

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MadHotGlassArt/

At the Philly Maker Faire: https://philly.makerfaire.com/call-for-makers/entry/109/

An American Tale of Freedom’s Promise

An American Tale of Freedom’s Promise by Patrick McFadden is a “historical fiction novel about the struggle for American Liberty from the British Empire, covering the early years of the Revolutionary War surrounding the Declaration of Independence in 1776. The early war provides background, yet the true conflict is between a diverse set of spies, all Americans, but whose loyalties are split between the British and American causes.

What do you write?

My first book is a historical fiction covering the early years of the Revolutionary War, utilizing an interesting, and often true story, that will hopefully help young Americans learn and remember what actually took place between 1775 and 1778. This historical fiction story will likely be the first in an extended series. I am also working on outlines of other historical fiction stories, European and American. Historical fantasy and science fiction works are future possibilities as well, and I have started outlines in both genres.

Who do you write it for?

Again, I really hope to help educate teens and young adults about the rich history in our region, and the story is a solid chronological history of the early American Revolution that may be educational to the wider American reader.

Where are you located?

I am living in and writing from Bucks County, where much of the story is placed.

When did you start writing?

This is my first book, begun in Spring 2020.

What inspired you to write this?

One of the inspirations for the book are the journals of Captain Johann von Ewald, published in 1979, Yale University Press. Reading first person accounts provides a perspective unvarnished by the sentiments of modern scholars, authors and historians. As mentioned below, the contrast of the accounts by Captain Ewald and John Graves Simcoe, as well as their respective conduct during the war, is enlightening.

I hope my story helps students realize that neighbors opposed each other in many instances, but that this is a human story, and that there were displays of both civility and atrocity during the war by both sides.  Johann von Ewald and John Graves Simcoe are a contrast in this regard. Like the art works of William Ranney, I hope readers will get some sense of the common person’s life during the 18th century, and that there was something worth fighting for. Life expectancy was low, as 50% of children were not likely to survive or foster productive families, but those that did survive had a good chance of living a life that few common born people, worldwide, would enjoy.

And the characters in this story have lives that will go on. Hopefully, that means more books in this series, as they seek out a piece of the American dream.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

An additional point, I hope the book imparts the concept that the American Revolution, as exemplified by the 2nd Continental Congress, wasn’t just about successful middle aged white men. Much of the fighting was done by boys and men in their teens and twenties. The American population was very young, like many revolutionary movements in history.

Get your copy of An American Tale of Freedom’s Promise

Website: https://libertas-americana.com/

Amazone e-book https://www.amazon.com/American-Tale-Freedoms-Promise/dp/0578825201

Go Fund Me https://www.gofundme.com/f/Book-An-American-Tale-of-Freedoms-Promise

Listen to Patrick McFadden talk about An American Tale of Freedom’s Promise on the Podcast

Available on your favorite streaming platform by searching for Philly Maker Faire or linked here: https://anchor.fm/phillymakerfaire/episodes/Patrick-McFadden-e17gis8

Michael Johnson of Drone Lecture

Michael Johnson of Drone Lecture talks to us about drone training and aerial technology. They offer hands-on training, curriculum development that is designed for beginners to advanced pilots.

Michael answers our questions about drones below and on the podcast.

What do you make? 

I develop Small Unmanned Aircraft System (sUAS) test prep instructional content and related introductory advanced sUAS instructional content.

Who do you make it for?

Non profit organizations, academic institutions, private business sector and municipal agencies.

Where are you located?

We are decentralized. We have representatives in Pennsylvania, Florida, Georgia, New York, Maryland, and Texas.

When did you start Drone Lecture?

Drone Lecture launched in 2017.

How long have you been making?

I’ve been developing drone training for almost 5 years.

What inspired you to start Drone Lecture?

The evolution of aerial technology tools and lack of access to the underserved and under employed communities. 

What’s next?

Expanding our sUAS Instructional Content Accreditation options.

What was your favorite exhibit at the Faire?

The automated robotics projects.

What connections did you make?

Several from the secondary and the post secondary academic area.

What was the best moment for you as a maker? 

Explaining the wide range of sUAS non recreational capabilities to Faire attendees.

Michael Johnson on the podcast

Michael talks in depth about Drone Lecture’s training options and discusses expanding opportunities in the drone field for certified pilots and their crew over on the podcast this week. https://anchor.fm/phillymakerfaire/episodes/Michael-Johnson-Drone-Lecture-e16lgh0

Michael Johnson of Drone Lecture Online

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/mike.dronelecture/

Drone Lecture Online

Website https://dronelecture.com/

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/dronelecture

Drone Lecture at the Philly Maker Faire https://philly.makerfaire.com/call-for-makers/entry/585/

Lisa Shaffren from CrEF Lab

Lisa Shaffren runs “The Creative Engineering Fabrication Lab (CrEF Lab) at Crefeld is the school’s makerspace, and one aspect of a robust maker-ed and experiential-learning-based program. CrEF Lab is a culture-first makerspace, committed to expression of all voices and engagement of all students, and especially those of young women and young people of color whose perspectives are often underrepresented in STEM fields and maker spaces.”

Lisa answers questions about the lab and chats with us this week over on the podcast!

What do you make?

I am the Program Developer and Lead Teacher of The Crefeld School’s makerspace, CrEF Lab, which stands for Creative Engineering Fabrication Lab. I designed & created the lab in collaboration with the school’s admin team. Designing and creating the program itself is a constant creative project, and I am constantly learning, researching, and iterating.

Who do you make it for?

The design of the program and the makerspace is to serve students, but I also become inspired by and addicted to both the work of designing the program, and the individual program components. Some of the software for video game design, 3D CAD, or animation is incredibly absorbing. I love to solder and do microcontroller builds, but lately, I have been especially absorbed in playing with DAWs, especially Ableton Live and the visual programming language Max8 within Ableton. My excitement gets transferred to the students and makes me a better teacher. We are a culture-first makerspace, and we work hard to explicitly invite students who identify as members of groups underreprested in STEM- so, students who identify as female, non-binary or transgender and students who identify as Black, Indigenous, or People of Color. We work with the organization Beats by Girlz to invite more young women into digital music, which can also begin a path toward other kinds of technology and computer science. We are lucky enough to have some PUSH2s, by Ableton, as well as some Novation MIDI controllers, and students have been very excited to play with them, and with DAWs in general. 

When did you start making?

I have always kept notebooks and lists of ideas, especially ideas that are intersections between genres, and been creative in an intense way that is different from most people I know. I only moved into my role as CrEF Lab Program Developer a few years ago, and since then, have been developing the program.

I started in biology because I wanted to be a vet, but it turned out that it never really spoke to me. I found computer science & creative software later. I wish I had found it sooner. It wasn’t something I had much exposure to as a young person, which is one of the reasons I am excited to make it available and accessible to students.

What makers inspire you?

Our program is very much student-driven, and my students are a constant source of inspiration to me. I take many of my cues from them about what directions to expand the program, and that gets mixed with my own influx of research, ideas, and inspirations. For example, last year as we were forced into more digital and virtual spaces, our program grew especially in the areas of digital animation, video game design, and 3D CAD using the software Blender, because many of our students had strong interests in those areas. The school’s philosophy and approach really support that flexibility. 

The Crefeld School also has a smart, talented staff, and the arts department has some gifted artists, so I pull a lot of energy and excitement from my interactions with other staff; it’s the kind of creative environment where a casual conversation about something unrelated can spark an idea for a project or new piece of curriculum. Because everyone is working toward the same mission, the different perspectives and skills of different staff members is this constant fuel for creativity. It’s an inspiring way to work. 

I have also done a large part of my learning and training with Drexel University’s ExCITe Center, where I was teacher in residence for two consecutive summers. 

ExCITe stands for Expressive and Creative Interaction Technologies, and within the center are the MET Lab- Music Entertainment Technology, and EGS- Entrepreneurial Game Studio. Each of those labs has had a big influence on Crefeld’s maker program, which includes a game design program originally developed in collaboration with EGS and expanded from there. In addition to our usual game design electives, we are currently working with former EGS Program Manager Corey Arnold, and Shawn Pierre of Philly Game Mechanics, to offer 8-bit video game design courses for middle school and high school age groups. We’d like to help expand access to high-quality STEAM and CS programming to students outside of our school community, and this is a step in that direction. 

We also have a just-forming digital music program that evolved out of my excitement for the learning I did with MET lab, where I spent most of my time during my summer at the ExCITe center. The program is also infused with music in many ways; we have a little moog synth that was recommended to me by MET lab staff Jeff Gregorio, who also does incredible work with intersections of music & technology, I used ExCITe materials to create a project-based curriculum unit about the physics of sound for STEAM integration, and many of our microcontroller projects and even some of our soldering and electronics projects are connected to music in some way. My go-to microcontroller is the teensy, which has MIDI capability and capacitive touch sensing built in. I had an advanced student use an Adafruit kit to build a little synthesizer in an altoids-can. 

Lisa Shaffren on the Podcast

Go listen to more about Lisa, the CrEF and more about the cool projects and technology they’re working with over at the podcast! https://anchor.fm/phillymakerfaire/episodes/Lisa-Shaffren-from-CrEF-Lab—The-Crefeld-School-e16i8tu

Lisa Shaffren of CrEF Lab

CrEF Lab Teacher lshaffren@crefeld.org

The Crefeld Schoool

Website https://www.crefeld.org/

Creative Engineering Fabrication Lab https://www.crefeld.org/creflab

Crefeld Glass Studio https://www.crefeld.org/glassstudio

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/crefeldschool

Twitter https://twitter.com/crefeldschool/

At the Philly Maker Faire https://philly.makerfaire.com/call-for-makers/entry/442/

Jono Matusky from Plynth

This week we’re chatting with Jono Matusky from Plynth. Jono was our Maker Wrangler for the faire in 2019 and has been working on a new app to connect physical and digital content. He answers our questions below and goes in to a lot more depth on the podcast.

What do you make?

We make Plynth – an app that uses image recognition to link artwork to digital content. Viewers can snap a photo of the art to learn more, access exclusive content or go behind the scenes. Like a QR code, but cooler.

Who do you make it for?

Creators, generally, but more specifically anyone who makes both digital and physical artwork that they’d like to bundle together–musicians, digital artists, galleries, etc.

Where are you located?

Philly!

When did you start making?

I remember getting a book on origami when I was a kid, but I couldn’t do all the folds because I couldn’t read yet. It’s been a while!

How long have you been making?

See above!

What inspired you to make this?

I was doing watercolor paintings of my record collection and wanted a way to like the art to the music. That’s where the idea first wiggled its way into my brain.

What makers inspire you?

Anyone who’s trying to make their dreams a reality. I’m especially inspired by other Philly makers like Oat Foundry, Cocoa Press, Pop Up Polaroid, Junto Bikes, Alternate Devices – too many to list!

What’s next?

We’re trying to get more users to try out Plynth. If you’re interested, sign up or let us know!

What would you like to ask the maker community?

Want a free postcard? In addition to Plynth, we also run Postcard Mixtapes, where we partner with organizations around the world to put together a Plynth-powered mixtape featuring artists from their city. Get a free one here.

What was your favorite exhibit at the Faire?

Loved the giant fire-breathing pterodactyl from my friends at PXL LAB.

What connections did you make?

It was a great way to get engaged with my fellow makers (especially as the Maker Wrangler).

What was the best moment for you as a maker?

Seeing it actually happen! After a year of hard work, it was incredibly rewarding.

Find Jono Matusky from Plynth online

Plynth.com Connect physical and digital
Get early access: https://plynth.com/register

MUSIC TO HOLD ON TO A monthly postcard mixtape featuring music and videos from up-and-coming artists
https://www.postcardmixtapes.com/

And go Listen to Jono Matusky from Plynth on this week’s podcast!

https://anchor.fm/phillymakerfaire

Keisha Whatley of Custom Arts Studio

Keisha Whatley of Custom Arts Studio joins us on the podcast! Go and listen to her inspiring journey and the exciting new ArtHaus project she’s spearheading.

What do you make?

Custom Arts Studio is a full-service fine art & design company. We create/make paintings, illustrations, portraits, murals, we paint on bowling shoes, basically anything our clients come up with, if we can, we get it done for them CUSTOM. We also provide graphic and web design services for local and country-side small businesses. Branding is our specialty and we have created a 3-step process that ensures company’s logos reflect not only their product but their core values as well.

Who do you make it for?

Our clients run the gamut from someone who wants a portrait created for their mother to a multi-million dollar development corporation. Our mission is to make high-quality fine art & design accessible.

Where are you located?

Our commercial studio is located in East Mt. Airy. We just acquired the new location for the Germantown ArtHaus in April of 2021 in Germantown.

When did you start making?

As far back as I can remember. I returned to making in 2014 after an over 15 year hiatus and haven’t stopped since!

How long have you been making?

AS far back as I can remember. My mother always encouraged my art making and I was often in summer and weekend art classes.  I attended the Creative and Performing Arts High School and majored in Visual Arts. It was there that I fell in love with oil painting.

What makers inspire you?

I am inspired by old-world Renaissance painters Michaelangelo and Carrvaggio and more modern artists like Basquiat and Philly’s Serena Saunders (@mspassionart) but also the dreamer that works all day for a job then comes home to work all night on their dreams. They inspire me. 

What’s next?

The Germatown ArtHaus is what’s next for me; creating opportunities and stages for others to be successful on is directly in line with my life’s mission “to make everything around me beautiful, and THAT be my life.”

What would you like to ask the maker community?

I would ask… what do you need? What is missing in your toolkit that, if it were there, would make the most difference in both your success as a maker and your experience of who you are as a maker.

What was the best moment for you as a maker?

I think my best moment as a maker was when I finished a painting for an exhibit that I was basically doing for free early in my “art as a business” career. I really didn’t have the extra 62 hours that it took to create the piece but the theme and the exhibit location spoke to me. I did it for the spirit of the project. I remember the moment I stepped back from the “Queen” Culture Portrait and knew that it was the right move. I was literally surprised at what my hands had created. The best moment was when others felt the same energy; empowered, inspired and the museum reached out to acquire the painting for their permanent collection. It reinforced my mantra to “follow my gut”

Anything else you want to add?

I would just add that the Germantown ArtHaus needs your support! We acquired the building in April 2021 and since then have embarked on a fundraising journey to raise the funds necessary to restore a 150+ year old Victorian beauty so we can open and serve the northwest community through the arts. Every bit of support helps. You can find additional information at www.gtownarthaus.com

Keisha Whatley from Custom Arts Studio and Art Haus Online

Go support Keisha Whatley and find more here:

Custom Arts Studio https://www.customartsstudio.com/
Germantown Art Haus https://gtownarthaus.com/
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/CustomArtsPage/
LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/keishadwhatley/
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/keishadwhatley/

Kara Khan of Pop-up Polaroid

Kara Khan of Pop-up Polaroid updates us on what she’s been up to here on the blog and on the podcast. She answered our basic Q&A back in 2019. Read that interview here.

What was your favorite exhibit at the Faire?

It’s really hard to choose a favorite because of the wide array of makers and artists. I really loved the rotoscope exhibit and always love seeing what NextFab is up to.

What connections did you make?

I made a great connection with someone from the Crefeld School and have had several opportunities to work with the students there as a teaching artist since. It’s been really wonderful! 

What was the best moment for you as a maker?

I loved interacting with kids who attended because their relationship to photography is usually with phone cameras and almost always digital. They always have the best reactions and I’m always happy to get the chance to plant a new seed in someones head about where photography came from and what it can be.  

What’s new with Pop Up Polaroid?

Pop Up is just now getting back on its feet since lockdown and we are just now doing events again so that’s exciting! Covid also disrupted 8×10 Polaroid film production so I have been experimenting with Caffenol printing, which is a process using a coffee based developer that allows me to continue to make large format portraits. 

What did you make during 2020?

So many things! I have kind of been all over the place, haha. During lockdown, away from my usual creative outlets,  I started experimenting with all kinds of mediums. I fell in love with book making and books as an art form, I started writing and illustrating a comic book, have been working a lot with mushrooms, specifically mycelium, as a material to make literally anything, and started learning how to work with Arduino to make interactive art with electronics. I also completed a 4 year-long collaborative project called “Dear Mr. President” that I am really excited about. 

Kara Khan of Pop Up Polaroid Online

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram