This morning, we held the second of three community meetings leading up to the Rochester Mini Maker Faire at Interlock Rochester. We had around 25 Makers in attendance. It was a great mix of Makers from last year and this year!
The presentation can be found at: http://bit.ly/RMMFCommunityMeeting2.
As a reminder, there is only two more weeks to get your application in to be a Maker at this year’s Rochester Mini Maker Faire!
Rochester Mini Maker Faire Comic LIfe 3 Giveaway!
The Rochester Mini Maker Faire and NYSCATE support creativity in all forms. One such form is using photography to create digital storytelling. This is why we are pleased to announce that Plasq has donated a 30 computer license for Comic Life 3 for Mac or Windows. ( http://plasq.com/apps/comiclife/macwin ) to give away!
We are going to give this 30 computer license away to a school district to foster the creativity it can inspire both in and out of the regular school curriculum. So teachers and students, bring your Makers to the Rochester Mini Maker Faire by applying for a FREE booth. What is a Maker? Go here to find out more: http://goo.gl/wV5zd9
All school groups and individual young maker booths (ages 8 to 18) that exhibit at the Rochester Mini Maker Faire will be entered to win for their school. We will have the drawing at 4 PM on Saturday Nov 21, 2015 at the Rochester Mini Maker Faire.
Apply for a booth to present now at: https://goo.gl/6R4p5W
Here is a link to the flyer. Please print it out or download it and forward it to your closest school! Help us get the word out!
https://goo.gl/4pZLzD
Volunteer Sign Up is Open!
Sign up to joining us as a volunteer – 2015 Volunteer Sign Up is now open! Volunteers will receive a Maker Faire t-shirt and free admission to the Faire. Volunteers participating on the Setup/Unload Team on Friday or Saturday, will receive a Free Family Pass which allows admission to the Faire for up to 2 Adults and up to 3 children ages 5 to 18.
Community Meeting 1
Our first of three community meetings leading up to the Rochester Mini Maker Faire took place on August 22, 2015 at the Rochester Makerspace. We had over 16 people in attendance. After the meeting some people stayed for a tour of the Rochester Makerspace, and a couple of us even stayed for the workshop on creating your own printed circuit boards (that was way cool by the way).
The Rochester Makerspace is a gem to have in a city where once you are a member there are tons of tools to use for projects, supplies, help, activities, get together, and workshops. If you live near the Rochester Makerspace consider becoming a member or at least visiting on their weekly night that is open to the public. They were a great host for our meeting, and they will be at the Rochester Mini Maker Faire. You can find more information on their website: http://www.rochestermakerspace.org/
If you would like to read through the presentation used at Community Meeting 1, please follow this link to view it in PowerPoint online: http://1drv.ms/1fB8BVt
On Sept 1st we will be reviewing our current list of applications and extending early invitations to those we select. We will be doing the same on Oct 1st, and again on the final deadline date of October 15th, 2015.
Call for Makers – Rochester Mini Maker Faire 2015
2015 Call for Makers is Open!
Calling all Makers for the 2nd Annual Rochester Mini Maker Faire! What is a Maker you ask? Anyone who thinks, imagines, and creates. You are a Maker and it doesn’t matter if you create arts and crafts out of new and used materials, the latest in walking robots, or create music and dance arts. Share your Maker know-how and enthusiasm! We’re especially interested in interactive and hands-on opportunities for attendees. Last year we had over 95 exhibits and close to 2,000 people at the faire! We hope to far surpass those numbers this year.
We have rooms for Maker talks, a stage for robotics demonstrations and artistic performances, and we have space for dozens and dozens of Maker booths. The Rochester Mini Maker Faire will be held on Saturday November 21st, 2015 at the Rochester Riverside Convention Center. We want to showcase a diverse set of makers, presenters and performers including but not limited to:
- Robotics; Lego FIRST or other robotic clubs
- 3D printing enthusiasts
- Woodworkers
- Arduino enthusiasts
- Food makers, growers & foragers
- Drone enthusiasts and builders
- Knitters, weavers & yarn bombers
- Solar engineers
- Artists & sculptors
- Fashion designers
- Musicians, performers, and dance troops
- Costume makers and cosplayers
- Art car designers and art bike builders
- Bee Keepers
- Musical instrument makers
- STEM educators & presenters
- Arts and crafts people
- Young Makers
- Giant game makers
- Lego builders
- Inventors and tinkerers
- Many more!
If you are looking for inspiration, check out our list of Makers from last year: 2014 Makers.
Help us make this year’s Faire even better than last!
Application can be found here: http://bit.ly/RocMiniMakerFaireApplication2015
National Week of Making Events in Rochester
The National Week of Making is here!
Starting today and running through June 18th, makers across the country will be sharing their skills, building new things, and celebrating the maker movement as a whole to create a “Nation of Makers”. Week of Making began last year when President Obama challenged the nation to “join us as we lift up makers and builders and doers across the country.” The maker movement plays an important role in education, lifelong learning, and entrepreneurship. It encourages creativity and invention.
In Rochester, we have a strong history of innovation. We support STEAM – Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math. Week of Making is a perfect fit for Rochester, and we are partnered with the White House Office of Science and Technology as a Maker City.
During the Week of Making, June 12-18, many events will be taking place across the greater Rochester region, including:
Saturday, June 13th:
10am – 4pm
Rochester Mini Maker Faire Kickoff (Rochester Museum & Science Center): Our kickoff event to announce the call for applications from makers, crafters, tinkerers, and artists for our second annual event and to celebrate the start of the National Week of Making. The kickoff event will take place in the Eleanor Eisenhart Morris Ballroom at the Rochester Museum & Science Center at 10am. After the kickoff, attendees are invited to visit the science museum where several local makers and makerspaces will be showing off their work.
10am – 3pm
Second Saturday (Hungerford Building): Mellow open studio event where you can shop and engage with artists while they are at work on their projects. Shopping directly within an artist’s studio is one of the best way to support your creative community.
11am – 2pm
Father’s Day Craft Make-and-Take (Dan’s Crafts & Things):
Join Dan’s Crafts & Things this Saturday to make this fun paper tie craft for Father’s Day! This make-and-take runs from 11am to noon and 1pm to 2pm.
1pm – 4pm
Make Greeting Cards (Rochester Makerspace): Make your own greeting cards using stencils and potato prints! Materials will be provided. Free event!
Sunday, June 14th:
2pm
Sunday Crafternoon (Rochester Makerspace): A gathering where you can meet, socialize, show off your projects, share ideas, and be inspired. The form of Crafternoon is very open; there is no lesson, no one central project being worked on. It is a bring-your-own-project event and you are welcome to bring any type of project to Crafternoon – knit/crochet, papercraft, metalwork, beadwork, jewelry, scrapbooking – anything as long as it’s portable for you! Crafternoon is free and everyone is welcome.
Monday, June 15th:
6pm – 9pm
Robots! Robots! Robots! (Rochester Makerspace): It’s Robot Night at the Makerspace. We have some robots that live at the Makerspace, and some that will be visiting. Feel free to bring your own, and we’ll make it a robot party!
Tuesday, June 16th:
6pm – 9pm
Maker Show & Tell Night (Rochester Makerspace): Drop by and see what people are making at the Rochester Makerspace. Do you have something you’d like to show? Email the Makerspace and they will get you on the list.
7pm – 10pm
Hack Night (Interlock Rochester): Weekly meetup for Interlock Members (and their guests) to come and visit, work on their projects, or share what they’ve been working on. It’s open to visitors but the First Tuesday’s of the month are the best time to visit if this is your first time.
Wednesday, June 17th:
6pm-8pm
STEM Expo (Greece Athena Performing Arts Center): 6th Grade students of Greece Athena Middle School and community organizations will be showing off their STEM related projects. Everything from 3D printing to using DNA for storage. Open to the public!
6pm – 9pm
Wall Art for a Purpose (Rochester Makerspace): Bring Recycled, New or Create-on-the-Spot Paintings / Pictures / Wall-hangings. The Makerspace will then be donating all of the collected/created pieces to the residents at the local YWCA. Drop in for a short bit or stay and create the whole time. Hey! Bring some munchies, too, to add to the fun!
6:30pm-7:30pm
Make Your Own Glass Pendant (Rochester Brainery): Make your very own glass pendant! Join the folks at the Rochestery Brainery to make some creative fun that you can proudly wear home! The class fee ($20) includes everything you’ll need to decorate your very own glass pendant.
Thursday, June 18th:
6pm – 9pm
Introduction to Traditional Watercolor Painting (Rochester Brainery): This class will expose students to the traditional art of water color painting using the three main kinds of water color paints: stains, transparents, and opaques, as well as the appropriate paper, and brushes needed to achieve fine-quality watercolor results. Students should bring a visual that they would like to paint, preferably something abstract like a landscape picture, or plant or other natural object. Class fee is $20.
6:30pm – 8:30
Let’s Make Seed Balls! (Rochester Makerspace): Seed balls are marble sized balls of clay, dirt and seeds that can be used to propagate seeds or to spread plants like wild flowers by throwing them into inaccessible areas. Rain will dissolve the balls and the rich soil they’re made of will help the seeds get started. Join the Makerspace for this fun event!
6:30pm – 9pm
Stained Glass Meetup (Rochester Makerspace): Join the Makerspace for this free event! Drop in and learn how to create something amazing with stained glass.
7pm – 9:30pm
Microcontrollers & Robotics Meetup (Rochester Makerspace): Work on your Arduino, Raspberry Pi, Beaglebone projects with other users of these small inexpensive computers. All skills level are welcome. We’ll help you by sharing our knowledge wand experience.
When posting about these events, be sure to use the hashtag #NationOfMakers on your tweets and facebook posts.
Ithaca Week of Making events: http://ithacagenerator.org/events/calendar/.
Buffalo Week of Making events: http://www.meetup.com/buffalolab/.
For more information on the National Week of Making, check out https://www.whitehouse.gov/nation-of-makers.
Kickoff Event!
The Rochester Mini Maker Faire is excited to announce that we will be hosting a kickoff event to announce the call for applications from makers, crafters, tinkerers, and artists for our second annual event and to celebrate the start of the National Week of Making. The kickoff event will take place in the Eleanor Eisenhart Morris Ballroom at the Rochester Museum and Science Center on Saturday, June 13th, at 10am. After the kickoff, attendees are invited to visit the science museum where several local makers and makerspaces will be showing off their work.
We can’t wait to see everyone again and see what you have been working on since November!
Our official press release can be downloaded here: link.
Date: Saturday, June 13th
Time: 10:00am
Location: Eleanor Eisenhart Morris Ballroom at the Rochester Museum and Science Center (map)
SAVE THE DATE – 2015 Second Annual Rochester Mini Maker Faire
The 2015 Rochester Mini Maker Faire will be held on Saturday November 21, 2015 from 9 AM to 5 PM.
We are pushing to make the Rochester Mini Maker Faire bigger and better than last year’s faire. We are taking into account feedback that we have gotten from our Makers as well as attendees that took the time to complete surveys. Thank you all for the great feedback as it helps in planning for the 2015 faire.
Stay tuned for more exciting updates in the months, weeks, and days ahead.
The Rochester Makerspace posted a ton of photos from the first Rochester Mini Maker Faire on January 11th, 2015! These photos are really well done by Tharin Maddox. Check them out at: http://www.rochestermakerspace.org/maker-faire-2014-photos/#
Also don’t forget to see our other collections of photos from the Rochester Mini Maker Faire that can be found at the locations below. Let them all the photos be an inspiration as we begin planning for the 2015 Rochester Mini Maker Faire.
Our official photos taken by the amazing Ria Tafani! We highly recommend working with her. Find them here. You can request prints at:www.riatafaniphoto.com/Clients/Makers-Fair/
Photos taken by Co-Chair Antonio Scordo including before the faire photos. Find them here.
Photos taken by Co-Chair Daniel Schneiderman. including before the faire photos. Find them here.
Featured Maker: Shawn Dunwoody
One of the Makers that we would like to feature is Shawn Dunwoody.
Shawn Dunwoody
Shawn is a maker that you will find, along with his work, everywhere around Rochester. On top of helping organize the Greentopia Fashion Week, creating viral videos, and bringing arts to inner city school communities, he is often found painting large works of art in downtown Rochester. His work is usually based around a quote, either from a historical figure, a phrase often heard, or a suggestion from a local resident. Shawn often has volunteers and school groups help him out.
Photo taken from M.K. Gandhi Institute for Nonviolence on Facebook
We have met up with him on a few occasions when planning Rochester’s first faire and have been greeted by a mind that is just filled with beautiful images. Images that not only make the snowy Rochester area a beautiful place, but art to improve and inspire lives.
Photo Taken From Facebook
At the Rochester Mini Maker Faire, Shawn will be bringing a 40’ by 5’ canvas for anyone attending to help paint. He is using the phrase “Make art everywhere!” as a jumping off point for the event. When you meet him at the faire, you will be welcomed with so much positive energy that it will be impossible not to smile.
Photo from Hart’s Local Grocers
Don’t be surprised if you find a paintbrush in your hand within seconds of walking up to his booth. We can’t wait to make more art with him and the rest of the community.