By: Jackie Humphrey
Do you like to learn by doing?
Are you a dreamer? A Thinker?
Are you more about the journey than the destination? More about the process than the product?
Do you see failure as an opportunity?
Is experimentation and collaboration your thing?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, you may be a maker. The Maker Movement is a world- wide phenomenon that encompasses hackers, designers, inventors and traditional artisans who make or remake things. Some suggest that it may be society’s answer to the proliferation of mass produced “Made in China” products. Whatever the reason, it’s empowering people of all ages and that’s exciting!
You don’t have to necessarily be creative. You just have to be curious. Curious about how things work or how they can work better. Albert Einstein once said “I don’t have any special talent. I’m just passionately curious.”
Makers traditionally delve into the areas of fabrication, technology, arts and crafts and even food. The e-commerce website Etsy which sells mostly hand-made or vintage items has almost 2 million sellers. There are conventions of makers with the largest being the Makers Faire in both NYC and Northern California with over 200,000 people attending. Of those attendees, 50% bring their children. The collaborative, “learning by doing” style of educating has proven to teach children problem solving skills as well as self-reliance.
So whether you’re making a 3D design in Cura software, creating and editing a video in our AV Studio, painting a landscaping in watercolors, sewing a felt monster, or making a robot out of tin cans, you’re a maker. Come make with us!
