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Arts+Tech Night at UWM

Arts+Tech Night

I mentioned back in February that I’ve been teaching a Physical Computing class at UWM called “Electronics and Sculpture” this semester. So I’ve basically been showing students how to integrate microcontrollers into their artwork. (Arduino is the order of the day, though I’ve got one student exploring ATtiny85 chips.)

Students have been working on their final projects, using techniques they’ve learned all semester, and they’ll have their work on display for the public at Arts+Tech Night happening 6pm-9pm, Wednesday, May 18th, 2016. Come on down and check it out. Most of my students will be on the 4th floor in the center area. (Maybe your friends are already going!)

mike-light

(There is a web site for ATN but sadly, despite my best efforts, It has not been updated this time around.)

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Penny4NASA

Penny4NASA

Dammit, we need to get NASA a penny! And by that I mean, we need to increase NASA’s budget to 1% (up from 0.5%) and if you’re wondering why, check out WTF NASA!? for some of the things NASA has done to improve our lives over the years.

(BTW, we’re currently spending way more on the military than on science in the US. I’m not a fan of that.)

Check out penny4nasa.org, for more info, and watch the sweet video below. If you are then so inclined, throw some cash at it.

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Technical and Talented

TnT

Recently I was working with an artist, I mean a real artist. Someone who can work on a giant canvas and create something from nothing. Well, from nothing but ideas, and maybe some imagery. There’s gesso, and pencils, and paint and brushes, and a heck of a lot of time involved, and at the end is this amazing piece of artwork that just makes you happy when you look at it.

Art is pretty amazing when it’s done by talented people…

I was busy shooting photographs and I mentioned to the artist that I really liked her work, and admired the talent and skill it takes to create it. She then said “Well, I wish I was technical” and by this she was referring to my skill set. It weird to hear that, because even though I’ve been using computers for over three decades, I tend to forget the amount of technical knowledge I have. I think there’s a few reasons why.

First, everyone uses a computer nowadays. Well, not everyone, but chances are everyone reading this does. I was using computers at home when most people were using Sony Walkmans because CD players weren’t around yet. Of course the vast majority of people just use computers, but don’t really know how they work, or how to program them, etc.

Second, since everyone uses computers, everyone uses the web. I helped build the World Wide Web. Nowadays every jackass with a Facebook account and a blog is a “Social Media Consultant” or something. Oh, and everyone can build a web site. I wrote all the code for a large corporate web site nearly 20 years ago. That seems weird, but it’s true.

Third, I tend to hang out with people who are like me, meaning, people who know a lot about computers, and who know how to build the web. I like most of these people, they’re awesome, but you tend to forget that you know stuff 90% of the population does know when you hang out with that other 10% of the people who also know the things you know. That’s a strange dilemma.

Maybe I’m just a frustrated artist? I have all these technical skills, and on occasion I can be creative, but I often feel that I’m lacking in artistic focus. It’s all very strange, but I’m finding ways to deal with it.

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Art Robots at DamCamp

Make Zine Egg

DamCamp is coming up on Saturday, March 24th, 2012 in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin… and I’ll be there talking about Art Robots, machines that draw, and other various nerdy things.

So besides the Egg-Bot, I’ll also have the Friday Night Drawbot there, and talk about a number of other art robots I’ve seen, and would like to someday build.

There’s been so much intersection between art and technology lately (at least in the groups I’m involved with) that I’m really hoping for a lively discussion. Of course we’ll also have a fun demo too.

Since the event is being put on by Beaver Dam’s fledgling makerspace project, I thought printing a Make Magazine egg would be a good introduction to the magazine and blog for those who might not be familiar with it yet… :)

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Bay View Gallery Night

Bay View Gallery Night

Bay View Gallery Night is happening Friday, June 3rd, 2011, and you’re invited! That’s right… you’re invited (personally) by me, and the fine folks at Milwaukee Makerspace, as that’s where I’ll be showing off some of my weird intersections between art + technology.

I don’t want to ruin the surprise by telling you about the things I’ll have there, but it’s probably safe to say there will be at least one drawing machine, and one hands-on interactive piece that blends old-school analog art with the modern day digital world. I’m also hoping to capture people’s souls as well (with a camera anyway.)

Besides Milwaukee’s Makers, there will also be a number of local artists at the Makerspace, so if our crazy blend of art + technology is too much of a glimpse at a dystopian future for you, there will be plenty of pretty things to look at as well.

Oh, and if you head over to the Hide House, say “hi” to Mike Krukowski for me. He’ll be showing his photography there. Who else will you see that night? Check the list on Facebook.

I’m really excited to be doing this, because even though I don’t currently live in Bay View, I have lived there, and may again some day. Either way, it’s a pretty cool place, and I think having their own gallery night is pretty damn cool.