Taking Time to Breathe and Talk Design with Artist Deanna McLaughlin
This week we’re chatting with artist Deanna McLaughlin. She is a visual artist and designer who makes unique artwork and custom creations. Deanna worked for several years as an art therapist in state mental hospitals and for over two decades as a public school art educator. She was one of five Americans to participate in the First Artist Exchange with the Union of Artists at St. Petersburg, Russia.
What do you make?
I create one-of-a-kind 2-d and 3-d artworks. I let the idea dictate the materials I use when I set out to figure out how to make my concept or idea work! There are exceptions to this. Sometimes the idea is born from the material I find. When this happens the idea is born from the object itself. I have made pieces from sticks I found in nature, and from objects, people discard as in the “Rara Avis” sunglass lens piece recently on view at Park Town Towers. There is no one set material I create with. I have never found one medium to be the singular best to represent an idea. My preference is to work with found materials. We live in a culture of excess. When possible I use materials that I find or reuse things that already exist and modify them into a new form.
Who do you make it for?
I make art to satiate my desire to make an idea come alive. I love the design problem-solving process. How can I make this idea come alive? That’s really what it is about for me. I exhibit to make sure the objects I make do not collect dust! It’s the process of creating something from nothing that satisfies me most. If I am accepted into a show that’s great but I do not hinge my art-making on the outcome- that would kill the joy of the process. My work is a way of processing the world around us and the irony of our culture.
Where are you located?
Center City, Philadelphia, PA
When did you start making?
This is nearly impossible to answer. I have been influenced to make things for as long as I remember. My parents and grandparents were master craftsmen and makers. Everyone was always working with their hands. Aside from working on the farm and gardening, The women made these beautiful crochet, knit, and sewn pieces, and on grandmother was an amazing quilter. My mom was a seamstress. For many years she designed wedding gowns.
How long have you been making?
I was sick a lot as a small child.
My mother would put a pile of stuff on the table- random scraps of fabric, paper towel tubes, scissors, thread and needle, glue- whatever we had and tell me to make something. I think it was her way of keeping me occupied. Inevitably, It was fantastic practice for working in public education as an art teacher. Although the arts are not supported in our educational culture, they are essential to teaching problem-solving skills.
What inspired you to make this?
My well of inspiration spans the arc from Nature to our cultural clashes. I hold the spark of the meaning of the outcome at the front of my mind while I work on problem solving the process of giving structure and form to whatever material I have in my hands. (see “What do you make” above).
What makers inspire you?
Historically I have a fine appreciation for the European masters of course, but I love more those who are less understood- Andy Warhol for instance understood our culture on a deeper level than most give him credit for. I am drawn to those who creatively manipulate materials. Microscopic artist Willard Wigan blows my mind away. His work is exceptional. He designs sculptures on the head of a needle. Microscopes are necessary to view his work. My favorite contemporary is Cornelia Parker. She also focuses on the absurd. It is the absurdity of our world that draws me in and toward others who view the world from another perspective.
What’s next for you?
I left teaching because I believed there are other ways I can educate beyond four walls. I am creating educational works of art. I am working on a series of playful remakes of board games from the 1970’s that will teach historical facts. I am also proposing a public artwork based on the 30 Articles of Human Rights. A document the USA signed in alliance with 48 other countries after WWII and which few are aware of. Regardless of the materials, I intend to continue creating works of art that bring attention to the absurdity of our culture.
What would you like to ask the maker community?
How did you find me?
What connections did you make at Maker Faire?
I met some new makers who were working with materials I had used a lot in the past- resin based works. I learned about some new resin products which peaked my interest for learning more. I really do love learning about new materials. It ignites me!
What was the best moment for you as a maker?
The best moment of the day was when a man walked up to my booth. He saw the leather settee shopping cart with a side table I had brought for part of my display and just stood there staring at it for the longest time. When I asked him if he had any questions, or thoughts about the cart, he said “ My wife is in a wheelchair and I am looking at this for ideas for her!” I was blown away- I had not thought about how someone would consider adapting what I had done to a wheelchair, or to use one of my carts as a wheelchair option- I was very touched by that moment.
Anything else you want to add?
I also teach yoga. It has been a very big part of my life for many many years.
Artist Deanna McLaughlin PHL Exhibition – a la cart at the Philadelphia International Airport
Deanna McLaughlin – a la cart is now installed at the Philadelphia International Airport at Terminal A-West through the end of 2022!
Artist Deanna McLaughlin Online
Art Links
Website https://www.deannamclaughlin.com
Furniture
InLiquid https://inliquid.org/artist/mclaughlin-deanna/
Artsy https://www.artsy.net/artist/deanna-mclaughlin/works-for-sale
Jewelry https://www.cartrageous.com/
Instagram @cartrageous
Yoga Links
Yoga https://www.taketimetobreathe.com/
Twitter @yogaah
Instagram @take.time.to.breathe
Email deanna@taketimetobreathe.com
On the Podcast: Taking Time to Breathe and Talk Design with Artist Deanna McLaughlin
Listen to Taking Time to Breathe and Talk Design with Artist Deanna McLaughlin on the podcast today!
Jeremy dePrisco: Musician, Producer, Technologist
We turned the tables on Jeremy dePrisco: Musician, Producer, Technologist, our Music Director and podcast co-host and put him in the hot seat. Listen to the podcast here and scroll down for his answers to our Q&A.
What do you make?
I create recordings – music, soundscapes – and produce music and audio for others. Sometimes I make electronic gadgets and noise makers. I also produce events from time to time, or help others produce events, both live and virtual.
Who do you make it for?
Anyone really. I’ve worked with a number of bands and solo artists, but I also do voice over work. I once did a project for a hospital system that needed material for a training module. A friend of ours was doing a project on dialects and pronunciation, so I recorded material for her.
A lot of my background involves theatre, either from a sound design/foley perspective for composition. That has transitioned well into podcast stuff.
I tend to be “sub-industrial”, meaning I operate under the radar a lot of the time. This is partly by choice, but also because I look for specific projects that interest me. The commercial music industry has never held much interest for me.
When it comes to my own creative output, I still look at things every much as “before 2010” and “post 2010”. Up to 2010, I still considered myself a singer-songwriter, performing mostly guitar/vocal pieces. After 2010, I moved much further into the electronic and experimental realm. The two audiences rarely overlap.
Where are you located?
I’m currently in the Norristown area, west of Philadelphia.
When did you start making?
Back when the first series of Star Wars movies were coming out, I would make ships and displays for them out of whatever was around. Somewhere I have pictures of all this stuff, including an old console TV cabinet that had a Jabba the Hutt throne room on top and a Rancor pit in the bottom – complete with trap door.
Later when I got into Dungeons & Dragons, I would make castles and pirate ships out of boxes and cardboard that my dad would bring home from the factory where he worked. At one point I was also creating my own games too.
My dad was a big influence on making, since he was usually experimenting with electronics and ham radio. So sometimes we’d make things together or he’d help me with ideas (like drilling out the trap door for that Rancor pit). There was always an endless supply of boxes.
How long have you been making?
I’ve been making music in some form since about the age of 12. In high school I got a 4-track cassette recorder, and that spawned my love of recording and experimenting. As I learned to play guitar and bass more, I also started writing songs. I always looked at recording as an integral part of the writing process. To this day I find it difficult to separate them.
What inspired you to make music?
Lately, I think it’s been the exploration of the unknown and the unusual. I don’t think it was always that way though. I think early on, music was something I did to try to replicate a song or an artist’s style. I think lately it’s a lot more about creating something different.
I’ve seen a notable shift in the type of music I’m creating. With Americana, Folk, or Blues forms, I would usually create to express something on my mind. That material would be shaped further by live performance, and being around other musicians in a community.
In the past couple years, my focused has moved – consciously or otherwise – to much more instrumental and abstract work. Part of this was a reaction to my last two moves, and later to the pandemic.
What makers inspire you?
There are some prolific Kickstarter makers out there that inspire me, and I’ve tried to get involved when possible.
My musical influences tend to be schizophrenic. Some favorites include Tom Waits, Ian Anderson, Jai Uttal, Beck, Ry Cooder, Bjork. East Asian and West African music… particularly groups like Tinariwen and old Afrobeat from Fela Kuti. I’m also inspired by mavericks like Harry Partch and Ken Nordine.
Omri Cohen is a German electronic music artist who specializes in VCV Rack, a virtual modular music application. He’s actually been instrumental in teaching the community at large about the application through his tutorials. He’s very knowledgable and inspiring in what he shares.
Ryan Earnhardt from the YouTube channel Creative Sound Lab comes to mind. He focuses on recording tutorials and techniques, but in a very low-key and non-hyped way. I actually got to meet him during a trip to a festival in NC a few years back. He thought it was funny, but it was kind of like meeting a celebrity.
Steve Mokris, is a multimedia artist from Ohio. I met him via the electro-music community. He created Project Ruori with some other musicians and multimedia artists, and I think they had an impact on how I’ve approached visuals since 2010. I particularly liked their way of using humor to address the mundane and bureaucracy.
Tanner Serpa from SerpaDesign has been very inspiring to me lately, but not because of anything musical. He runs a YouTube channel that specializes in terrarium and aquarium builds, and the stuff he does is just amazing. I’ve learned a lot from him as I’ve tried to bring my love of plants indoors. We can’t have a large garden right now, so this scratches the itch.
We also watch too much Netflix… Abstract: The Art of Design, and PBS series about Craft in America come to mind. We’re also big fans of Forged in Fire, the blacksmithing show.
I’ve also been inspired by many of our guests on the podcasts, particularly the educators working with multimedia.
What’s next for you?
I feel like I am just settling down after relocating in 2019 and again in 2020. Combined with the pandemic, that’s made it very difficult to establish roots and get into a groove. But things are looking up, with some new STEAM offerings I’ve put together for programs like VCV Rack and Touchdesigner. I just scheduled a two-part Touchdesigner workshop with an arts center in Columbus, OH for January and February 2022. I’m also scheduled to do a digital media workshop with the Crefeld School in Philly this spring.
I’m playing bass and mixing a project for Paul Loomis, a folk singer out of Central PA. I’m also editing content for some audio books, and have started a new collab with a sax player.
Of course, there’s the Philly Maker Faire Podcast. That’s been a good experience. There’s been some discussion of a music-focused event for people we’ve interviewed on the podcast, and I am excited about those possibilities. The idea is still coming together. We just need to find the right crew to pull off a quality hybrid event.
I’ve got enough material for a couple different solo releases, but I am also my worst critic in terms of letting stuff out into the wild. I have a set of unreleased tracks for “Government Inspector” a satirical play by Russian-Ukrainian dramatist and novelist, Nikolai Gogol. So maybe that will be released. In addition, I’ve been working on a collection of pieces that include manipulated spoken word performances. It’s turning into a full hour of sonic madness, and I am really having fun with it.
I continue to learn about electronics from time to time. A few years back I started exploring Brain Computer Interfaces, and have recently been getting deeper into that via the OpenBCI platform. Most of this is just for personal learning, but I’ve also found some collaborators who are willing to explore together in their spare time.
What would you like to ask the maker community?
How do we bridge the gap between academic makers and amateur or self-taught makers? It seems to me there’s still a huge divide there, and often people that aren’t working at the academic or PhD level don’t have access to the same resources or get left behind.
Also, how can I get more involved as a collaborator or educator to share what I’m doing or combine resources?
How are folks tackling hybrid events? Do they need help?
What was your favorite exhibit at the Faire?
I always come back to the Mid-Atlantic Droid Builders and especially the life-sized R2-D2. I was like a giddy little kid when I saw that up close!
What connections did you make at Maker Faire?
Prior to moving to Philadelphia, my wife and I were involved in the Bloomsburg Mini Maker Faire in Central PA. It was organized there by the local Children’s Museum.
In 2016 and 2017, my recording studio sponsored entertainment. My wife and I also had a table selling pepper jelly and some other things from our garden. In 2018, I mixed things up a bit and took a contraption that I called the SCI-FI-LOPHONE, which was based on the dadamachines project on Kickstarter. Their device consisted of MIDI controlled solenoids that can be used to play music or create an installation.
I couldn’t participate in the Central PA event in 2019 due to our move to Philly, so I was itching to meet some people in the community there. I went to an event at Tiny WPA, on Lancaster Ave, and then later found the folks at NEXTFAB who were planning the Fall maker event at Pennovation.
The 2019 Maker Faire was a blast. I was playing in two bands, had a solo set, and helped coordinate the two stages. I continue to stay in touch with many of those artists and the folks I met there, including Jono from Plynth.
What was the best moment for you as a maker?
At the 2019 Maker Faire, seeing the stages come together, and knowing that we added something special to the event with the music/sound.
Jeremy dePrisco: Musician, Producer, Technologist online
On the podcast: https://anchor.fm/phillymakerfaire/episodes/Jeremy-dePrisco-Musician–Producer–Technologist-e1cf43k
At the Philly Maker Faire: Tales from Imperial Towers and Fricknadorable
Website http://www.jeremydeprisco.com/
Bandcamp https://jeremydeprisco.bandcamp.com/releases
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/JeremydePriscoMusic
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/jjdeprisco/
SoundCloud https://soundcloud.com/jeremydeprisco
Twitter https://twitter.com/jeremydeprisco
Fricknadorable https://fricknadorable.bandcamp.com/
Teensy Audio Project https://www.jeremydeprisco.com/teensy-audio-project-demo/
Talking Textiles with Yemisi Ajayi
This week we’re talking textiles with Yemisi Ajayi who produces textile art for fashion and interior spaces including wearable arts, silk scarves and soft furnishings. Yemisi goes into more detail on the podcast about her process and her culture.
What do you make?
I am a textile artist, I produces textile art for fashion and interior spaces including wearable arts, silk scarves and soft furnishings.
Who do you make it for?
I produce my work for client who want one of kind product, eco-friendly fabric and want to showcase textile story in their collection.
Where are you located?
Philadelphia, PA.
When did you start making?
I started since 1991 in Nigeria and 2016 in Philadelphia PA
How long have you been making?
Thirty-one years.
What inspired you to make this?
I am inspired by the women who produce traditional pattern (adire) cloth using old techniques.
What makers inspire you?
Faith Ringgold, African American Artist.
What’s next for you?
I look forward to my exhibitions and collaborating with other artists.
What would you like to say to the maker community?
By working together we can build a strong maker community.
What was your favorite exhibit at the Faire?
I love them all but I like the Philadelphia art/craft makers.
What connections did you make at Maker Faire?
More clients.
What was the best moment for you as a maker?
Designing and producing works. And also exhibiting my works at art events.
Yemisi Ajayi online
LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/yemisi-ajayi-4aa83714/
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/yemisi_art/
Website https://yemisiajayi.wixsite.com/website-9
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Arisimiart
Twitter https://twitter.com/yemisiajayi1
Email yemiart@yahoo.com
On the podcast: Talking Textiles with Yemisi Ajayi
Listen to Talking textiles with Yemisi Ajayi on the podcast today!
Ray Baccari Artist
This week on the blog, we’re chatting with artist Ray Baccari. Ray is a visual artist creating socially engaged work, and is also known for interactive, sound-based sculpture and installation. Ray was on the podcast last fall! Go check it out.
What do you Make?
I primarily make sound-based sculptures and installations that usually require some level of participation from the audience. These sculptures and installations take a lot of different forms. Usually, they are grounded in honest materials and recognizable forms – like a vinyl record or a gramophone.
Who do you make it for?
It was a regular discussion in grad school as to who your audience is. My mentor Tom helped me understand that I’m my first audience. If I’m genuine in my interests and concerns, the work I make will attract its own audience.
Where are you located?
I live in West Philadelphia.
When did you start making?
I’ve been building with Legos, tinker toys, Lincoln Logs, and K’nex for as long as I could remember, so I’d say about 4 or 5 years old.
How long have you been making?
I’ve been doing large-scale work for about seven years. I’ve been making art for about 16. I’ve been a lifelong tinkerer and taker-aparter.
What inspired you to make this?
I enjoy answering fleeting questions and solving problems. I also really enjoy figuring out how things work or are made. The best way I’ve found to do that is to make it yourself.
What makers inspire you?
I have a long list of Youtube makers that I follow; Michael Alm of Alm Fab, Adam Savage, and Bob Clagett of I Like to Make Stuff are among the top ones I watch. There are several Artists I studied in school that make up the taxonomy of my work. John Cage, Christian Marclay, Zimoun, Terry Adkins, and Benjamin Patterson.
What’s next?
Get into the studio and keep making problems and solving problems. I’ll keep a lookout for new opportunities and take them as they come. Currently, I’m working out getting my piece Go-Between down to Western Carolina University for an exhibition in February.
What would you like to ask the maker community?
I don’t have anything specific to ask, but I would like to say that I’m always open for a good chat and happy to talk about the process and concepts behind the things I create.
What was the best moment for you as a maker?
I have a couple, big and small. My thesis exhibition is a big one because it culminated three years of work and research. Also, receiving my first major professional commission when I first moved to Philadelphia last year was pretty big for me.
Ray Baccari artist online
Website: www.raybaccari.com/
Instagram: www.instagram.com/ray_baccari/
WCU liv lab on Instagram: instagram.com/wculivlab/
Ray Baccari artist on the podcast
Find the Philly Maker Faire podcast is on your favorite streaming service today! https://anchor.fm/phillymakerfaire/episodes/Ray-Baccari-Visual-Artist-e1adm52
Jawnaments by Susan Murphy
Susan Murphy makes Jawnaments! Read on to learn about the origins of these Philly – and beyond – themed ornaments. We chat with her extensively about her process and inspiration on this week’s podcast.
What do you make?
I make hyper-local Christmas ornaments that feature iconic and much-loved foods and places in Philly and other cities!
Who do you make it for?
I started making Jawnaments for neighbors and Fishtown residents but have since expanded to selling to anyone who loves Philly or their hometown! We have customers from all over the US!!!
Where are you located?
I make all Jawnaments at Nextfab locations in Kensington and South Philly. I operate a small studio there as well.
When did you start making?
I started making Jawnaments in December 2017 (but have been a maker for most of my years).
How long have you been making?
I have been a maker of all sorts of things for most of my life. Starting with hand-sewn Halloween costumes in high school to earrings and jewelry while commuting via train from Baltimore to DC… and most recently — custom handbags (in the 2000s). I am also very crafty around my house!
What inspired you to make this?
Someone was searching for an Arctic Splash ornament on the Fishtown Facebook page… five days before Xmas in 2017. Since none existed, I figured I would make one from scratch—and I offered a small quantity for sale . That’s how Jawnaments started! Now I offer over 60 styles and sell via Etsy, my website and pop-up locations in Philly!
What makers inspire you?
I am amazed by the woodworkers at Nextfab. I’ve seen folks make everything from drums to furniture to gift items and even a boat! The commitment, patience and detail orientation is amazing.
What’s next?
I plan to keep expanding the Jawnaments collection to other cities while working my day job (I teach undergraduate business classes at the University of Delaware)!
What would you like to ask the maker community?
How has technology made your “making” easier or more efficient?
What was the best moment for you as a maker?
I received a wonderful, handwritten letter from a Jawnaments customer in 2019. He wrote about how Jawnaments made him laugh and how he enjoyed the reactions he received from friends and family when they saw his Christmas tree. That made me realize that even a little ornament can create happiness for folks. To know I had a hand in that means a lot.
Anything else you want to add?
I am always looking for ideas for Jawnaments and welcome all suggestions! Just contact me at susanbmurphy24@gmail.com.
Susan Murphy and Jawnaments online
Website: https://www.jawnaments.com/
Email: susanbmurphy24@gmail.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jawnaments
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jawnaments/
Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/Jawnaments
Susan Murphy on the podcast
Find the Philly Maker Faire podcast is on your favorite streaming service today! https://anchor.fm/phillymakerfaire/episodes/Susan-Murphy-Jawnaments-e1925mi
Greg Fridman of AA Plasma
Greg Fridman of AA Plasma answers our questions about plasma and real world applications. He also chats with us on our podcast this week.
What do you make?
I’m a research and development engineer focused on atmospheric pressure non-equilibrium plasmas for the catalysis of various chemical processes. In other words, our team works on controlling chemical processes for energy, environmental remediation, agriculture, and medical industries. For example, we use non-equilibrium (“cold”) plasma to disinfect fresh produce before packaging it to provide you with pathogen-free lettuce.
Who do you make it for?
We work with our industrial partners who have a poorly or partially solved problem. For example, a large-scale bread bakery produces excessive alcohols and other volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Today they burn this polluted air with natural gas, producing CO2. We can do this with plasma at comparable CAPEX (capital expenditure), slightly higher OPEX (operating expense), but without the excessive CO2 emission.
Where are you located?
Our main lab is just outside the University of Pennsylvania’s campus, near 38th and Grays Ferry Avenue in Philadelphia. We partner with local universities to perform some of the more challenging plasma and materials diagnostics. We also partner with regional manufacturing partners to work on some of our more significant projects.
When did you start making?
Me? Well, I was born into it. With both mom and dad in academia, I had Ph.D. students as my babysitters for as long as I can remember. But I really started making cool stuff at the Moscow Chemical Lyceum when I was around 14. At that age, oh, but of course, my primary interest was in making lacrimators and explosives.
How long have you been making?
I’m 43, so 30+ years, give or take. My interests evolve, though. I’ve worked on commercializing cold plasmas for about a decade.
What inspired you to make this?
After a decade of studying plasmas and publishing 50+ papers (with about 10,000 references), I wanted to make something useful for humanity. I think some call it “commercialization.” Here’s my Google Scholar link, by the way: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=fNk59nMAAAAJ&hl=en
What makers inspire you?
All of you! Especially those of you who publish YouTube video explainers. I am forever grateful to the YouTubers who taught me how to pour epoxy tables, MIG and TIG weld, etc. When working on a new problem, I usually watch a dozen hours of videos on how others have attempted this.
What’s next?
We are building something we call “Cold Plasma Studio” (in a few months, we should have our website up: https://coldplasmastudio.com/). The Studio will be a maker collective with a focus on the applications of cold plasmas. I’ve been dreaming of a solid, white-walled warehouse with epoxy floors, and we are now working on this 22,000 square foot beast, just 4 miles from the University City. Stay tuned!
What would you like to ask the maker community?
Stay awesome! Don’t give up and keep making incredible stuff!
What was your favorite exhibit at the Faire?
Oh, a trick question?! You mean beside our own? I met NextFab at the Maker Faire, so I’m going to go with that one. But the robot dogs and the drones were pretty awesome. I think the Cocoa Press 3D chocolate maker exhibit, next table to ours, is fantastic: https://www.cocoapress.com/. Finally, I thought the handwashing game for kids is the way of the future: https://www.higenemonkey.com/!
What connections did you make?
Too many to list. I’m a talkative type, and I did lose my voice by the end of the Maker Faire.
What is the best moment for you as a maker?
When I see it break BUT I know why it failed and have a great idea how to fix it! It’s incredible when there is a light at the end of the tunnel.
Anything else you want to add?
This was a fun interview, thank you. I am happy to do this again. Those of you who have questions, please feel free to reach out to me at greg@aaplasma.com or @gregfridman on the socials. Please note that I mostly use LinkedIn. Also, check out my YouTube channel where I try to give back to the Maker community by reading scientific papers together: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqIv5f7G9pbfwsDVaLyoP5g
Greg Fridman on the podcast
The podcast is on your favorite streaming services by searching for Philly Maker Faire: https://anchor.fm/phillymakerfaire/episodes/Greg-Fridman-from-AA-Plasma-e19juvm
Find Greg Fridman and AA Plasma
Website: https://www.aaplasma.com/
Email: greg@aaplasma.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregfridman/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gregfridman/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/gregfridman/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqIv5f7G9pbfwsDVaLyoP5
At the Philly Maker Faire: https://philly.makerfaire.com/call-for-makers/entry/535/
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
Sister’s Original Supreme Pies
This week Nefertari Muhammad answers our questions about Sister’s Original Supreme Pies “So good, you ain’t gonna want to share”. She goes into more detail about founding the company, working with family, and what inspires her.
What type of products do you bake?
Sister’s Original Supreme Pies come in four varieties – Classic Bean, Queen Bean, Butternut Squash, 24 Karrot – and two sizes – 3”and 9”.
How did you come up with the name Sister’s Original Supreme Pies?
Sisters: My two daughters came up with the name in their summer program
Original: All of our pies are
Surpreme: Made with the highest quality ingredients which we do not compromise
Pies: Taste the love made with love
Who do you bake for?
We bake for any one and every one: individuals, supermarket, restaurants; we bake for anyone who would like to purchase our pies.
Where are you located?
Philadelphia Area
When did you start baking?
July 2014
How long have you been baking?
Seven years
What inspired you to make the pies?
My daughter’s summer entrepreneur youth program.
Who inspires you?
My beloved children. Elijah Muhammad famous saying, “Do for Self”. Tyler Perry was homeless. Michael Jackson was very creative. Madame CJ Walker left a legacy.
What’s next?
We want to put our pies on the shelves of Whole Foods Market, Walmart, local restaurants. To become the ultimate pie factory; to make Sister’s Original Supreme Pies a common household name like Mrs.Smith and Sara Lee.
What was the best moment for you as a baker ?
The excitement and reaction when someone tastes our pies for the first time. Entering contests and winning five straight years and seeing our pies put on the shelves of the supermarkets.
Anything else you want to add?
We created an explosive but delicate, delightful, and delicious dessert that overwhelms your taste buds which causes excitement and happiness that makes you crave for more.
We are happy to be a part of Brown’s ShopRite Incubator Program it’s a great program/opportunity for any person who is serious about their business growth and development. Look for our Pop up event at all of 12 of Brown’s ShopRite Supermarkets.
Find Nefertari Muhammad of Sister’s Original Supreme Pies online
Place orders 24/7 via text code Pod to 215 815 7025
Website: https://sistersoriginalsupremepies.company.site/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SistersOriginalSupremePies
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sisters_original_supreme_pies/
Nefertari Muhammad on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nefertari-muhammad-90308951/
Nefertari Muhammad on the podcast
Podcast: https://anchor.fm/phillymakerfaire/episodes/Nefertari-Muhammad-Sisters-Original-Supreme-Pies-e17a1ne
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/