Bike Part Spirographs at the Merry Maker Fair

I resurrected the Bicycle Chain Spirographs  for Biddeford's Merry Maker Fair. They were a standard offering of Bike Part Art at public events prior to Covid but I wasn't sure what to expect now. Happily, children still found them engaging and Adults had a moment of nostalgia to when they first came on the scene in the 1960's & 70's.  The challenge of pressing down and to the side at the same time with a colored pencil had a couple kids participating more than once.  I also tell the story of the inventor Denys Fisher. When I first created these, there was very little information about him but now there is more:

 A Biography written by his son! - https://denysfisher.com/

A BBC video:     https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBvUahtCwqY&t=47s

Also many online sources for the Math behind this much loved and now nearly Vintage toy. 

  

              

NEW SIGN for the Pierson Lane Childrens' Garden Gate!

 

This is the back of the Pierson Lane Childrens' Garden sign still in process for attaching the molding. 

All the little critters were made by local youth  (and one mentor)  This was a "learning piece" but we hope to create more mosaics for Biddeford Gardens in the future! 

Pewter Casting this week!

I enjoyed pewter casting this week with youth from APEX Youth Connection. We were casting into kinetic sand molds that were impressed with shells, buttons and small forest creatures like turtles and frogs. 
 

"Robot on Fire "at the Becket Arts Center, Becket ,MA

  If you are anywhere near Becket ( about an hour west of Northampton, Ma) please stop in and see the  Members Show of the New England Mosaic Society, runs until May 25th.

My piece is glass on glass and relates to the fragility of Data Centers and how their content can be lost, especially to wildfires. 

CMA2 Impact Mosaic Campaign - Earth Day 4/22/2025

 I was honored to be invited to participate in an online exhibition with other mosaic artists that use recycled, found, or natural materials in their work. It was created in celebration of Earth Day.

The webinar is only for members although it's free to join Contemporary Mosaic Arts 2 which is an online forum for artists working in mosaics worldwide. They have wonderful webinars!

 Here are a few of the other artists that participated in this webinar:

Anne Schwegmann-Fielding

https://www.anneschwegmann-fielding.com/

Julia Slyunkova  (*creator of the webinar)

https://www.instagram.com/nonamestudiomosaic/

Paul Perry

https://www.paulperry.com.au/gallery

DMO X

https://www.instagram.com/p/DHhTjZHT2pG/

 

 

Seacoast Environmental Film Festival

 I was excited to participate in a panel affter the showing of "Revolutions" a short documentary about the bicyle waste stream being created by the volume of cheap bicycles being manufactured.   https://kitterylandtrust.weebly.com/seacoastenvironmentalfilmfestival.html   This annual event is a celebration of the many folks working hard to preserve our environment thorugh documentaries and local vendors offering information and advice.

Bicycle waste is the equivalent of the "Fast Fashion" waste crisis and I was happy to be able to show this film to the Teen Science Cafe Leader Team at APEX.  You can watch it here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rAyF5jZv66w

They will be giving a presentation and Cafe forTeens at our 4th Annual Spring Pollinator Festival, May 31st, 12 - 4. and "Fast Fashion" waste will be their topic. The Festival supports The Mayor's Monarch Pledge and the four Biddeford Community Gardens.

Our Biddeford Teen Cafe, named the APEX Thresher Sharks, had it's first Cafe last month on "The Science of Sleep & Dreams". Their next event will be participating in the 75th Anniversary celebration of the National Science Foundation on Friday evening, May 9th. This will be a LIVE broadcast from APEX at 6 p.m.  

Stay tuned for details!

Cutting a cardboard circle with the new (Kickstarter supported ) Chompsaw!

 https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Lc5fmjq1JC8

Love this new tool as much as the kids!