Alum Josh Kerson of RunAbout Cycles’ work is currently on display at the Art-Lab in Fort Collins, CO. See more photos on the Tom Paine’s Ghost website.
Posts Tagged ‘Alumni’
Alum Josh Kerson Handcrafted Cycles on Display
Monday, February 22nd, 2010Modern Artistic Blacksmithing Series at Lemelson This Semester
Monday, February 8th, 2010We will be offering a blacksmithing series this semester! Read below for details:
Modern Artistic Blacksmithing
Artistic blacksmithing is alive and well in the 21st century. This course is designed to give a grounding in the principles of modern artistic blacksmithing, focusing both on technique and design. Specifically, students will explore traditional methods of joinery, including mortise and tenon joints, riveting, and collaring. In nine sessions, students will conceive of and construct an architectural installation in the Lemelson shop.
It meets Wednesday nights from 7:00 – 10:00pm in the Lemelson Center. The first meeting is on Wednesday, February 10th. All skill levels are welcome, but shop experience is recommended.
The course is taught by Jacob Lefton, a 2008 graduate. He is working in the valley as a blacksmith and spent six months in Europe learning artistic blacksmithing this past summer.
For more information, or to sign up for the class, e-mail blacksmith@jacoblefton.com.
Alum Nathaniel Bruss Featured in Denver Post
Thursday, February 4th, 2010Farrier Nathaniel Bruss 03F is featured in a Denver Post video on the National Western Stock Show World Champion Blacksmith Competition. Watch the video here.
*SPARC Event: Need Help Managing a Project? Talk to Alum Ben Teifeld 83S
Monday, February 1st, 2010The *SPARC Fund and the Lemelson Center will be hosting alum Ben Teifeld 83S, who will be offering individual and small group consultation sessions in project management. With a diverse background in computer science and engineering, community and nonprofit development, and photographic printing, Ben has experience implementing many different types of projects. He will be on campus February 7th and 8th for student consultation sessions that can be tailored to your specific needs. If you are interested please contact Roxy for more information.
Alum Wilson Kemp’s Band Featured in Review
Thursday, December 10th, 2009Alum Wilson Kemp talks about circuit bending at Hampshire and observing the spectrum of time in the Washington City Paper’s review of “Five Minutes at the Rainforest Cafe”, a release by his band Macaw. For the full review and a sample of Kemp’s sound, visit the Washington City Paper site.
A Grand Opening
Thursday, November 19th, 2009The Monday evening opening reception of the Lemelson Fall 2009 Gallery Show was standing room only, and not just because there were only 3 benches in the gallery! Students, staff, and faculty from across campus as well as alumni and other visitors gathered in the library gallery to view Lemelson Center work in art, design, technology, sustainability, and entrepreneurship. Attendees were treated to Belgian waffles provided by Simply Waffles, a startup business created by student Stephen Akbeg under the guidance of Lemelson Director and faculty Colin Twitchell.
Show visitors wait in line for a taste of Simply Waffles.
The work on display included “Alphabike”, a photographic series by Division III student Molly McLeod consisting of closeup shots of bicycle parts arranged to spell the alphabet; Functional and decorative items created by Hampshire blacksmithing students Sebastian Bertsch, Daniel Eareckson, and David Axel Kurtz; “Nest (Safety?)”, a steel and glass sculpture by alum Katie Richardson, and a “Green Steam Engine”, built by staff member Don Dupuis and students from his Machine Shop Instruction class. The engine, designed by Robert Green in 2003, is a step forward for steam power, which has been left to languish since losing relevance in the mid 20th century. With this new model, Dupuis hopes to explore new applications for steam engine use.
Lemelson staff member Donald Dupuis explains the design of the Green Steam Engine.
A strong presence in the gallery was made with the work of members of the Women’s Design and Fabrication course. Formerly a non-academic course, “Women’s Fab”, as it is commonly called, is an introductory shop course that is designed to provide female students with a shop environment that addresses their unique needs and concerns about learning new skills. Student work included several metal lamps, a sculptural mushroom piece, and a metal hand. Course instructor Pat Bennett encouraged students to use recycled or found objects in their projects, with stunning results.
Although this is the first gallery show of its kind that Lemelson has installed, we hope to make it a regular fall event. Thanks to everyone who attended, and if you didn’t make it, there is still time to see the gallery, which remains up until this Friday, November 20th.
Please join our facebook page, “Hampshire College Lemelson Center”, to see more photos of the event.
Nest (Safety?), a sculpture created by Lemelson alum Katie Richardson.
*SPARC Fund Co-hosts CS Wednesday Talk With Ethan Gilsdorf: Fantasy Freaks and Gaming Geeks
Thursday, October 22nd, 2009Co-hosted by the *SPARC Fund (Supporting Professional Alumi Returning to Campus):
Fantasy Freaks and Gaming Geeks: Lunch With Alum Ethan Gilsdorf 84F
Wednesday, October 28
Join us at 12:00 noon for pizza in the Adele Simmons Hall lobby, with a talk and Q & A to follow.
Join Hampshire College grad Ethan Gilsdorf, 84F, who will discuss some of the themes of his new book, “Fantasy Freaks and Gaming Geeks: An Epic Quest for Reality Among Role Players, Online Gamers, and Other Dwellers of Imaginary Realms.” In “Fantasy Freaks and Gaming Geeks,” a blend of travelogue, pop culture analysis, and memoir, forty-year-old former D&D addict Gilsdorf crisscrosses America, the world, and other worlds—from Boston to Wisconsin, France to New Zealand, and Planet Earth to the realm of Aggramar. Delving into Dungeons & Dragons, live-action role playing games, World of Warcraft, the Society for Creative Anachronism, Tolkien fandom, and other fantasy subcultures, Gilsdorf embarks on a quest that begins in his own geeky teenage past and ends in our online gaming future. He asks: Who are these gamers and fantasy fans? What explains the irresistible appeal of such “escapist” adventures? How do the players balance their escapist urges with the kingdom of adulthood?
Gilsdorf will talk about the culture’s discomfort with the geek/nerd/gamer stereotype and will look at society’s ambivalent relationship with gaming and fantasy play, and the origins of that prejudice, as well as the author’s own past misgivings and final acceptance of his “geek” identity. Since the origins of D&D, the culture has widely embraced gaming and role-playing as an “acceptable” activity since, a shift largely brought on by the digital revolution. The shame of being a gamer and social isolation are gone, but in their place are other concerns: the loss of “place” and “hereness,” and the way games with richly-textured digital landscapes may demand less of the imagination. For more information, visit http://www.fantasyfreaksbook.com/