offers 4,000 square feet of raw but beautifully managed space that houses a large, open workshop, a slightly smaller wood shop, and a growing collection of hand-made work surfaces, plus saws, routers, electronics, 3D printers, welding apparatuses, sewing machines, and more. The organization was cofounded by Rob Roll, who works in telecommunications but whose hobby is machining, and Wyatt McBain, an artist and third-year information-technology student at RIT. Though plans have been in the works for almost a year, the Makerspace has been operational for just over a month, and it offers membership and a sense of community, access to tools that would be too pricey for most individuals to have in a personal workshop collection, as well as classes that have so far included artistic cast concrete, woodblock printing, and stained glass. Roll and McBain have been working on the space for more than a year. Their initial interest in creating a communal area for creators and builders stemmed from the practicality of such a collective endeavor, to which they know others will be able to relate. “I’m a college student, I live in an apartment. I don’t have space to build anything, nor do I have money for the tools,” says McBain.
Above: A student taking the "Container and Urban Organic Gardening" class at Rochester Brainery. PHOTO PROVIDED Right: Rochester Brainery founders Stephanie Rankin and Danielle Raymo. PHOTO BY MARK CHAMBERLIN
“The best part about the Makerspace is the sense of community,” says Roll, who says he has repeatedly witnessed the “really smart, extremely experienced people here” lend a hand to one another when they are stuck on a particular issue. Rochester Makerspace draws inspiration from a network of other makerspaces based around the country, such as Artisan’s Asylum, located outside of Boston, which grew from 1,000 square feet to 40,000 square feet within three years, and offers private work areas and artist studios in addition to classes and access to tools. Since Rochester Makerspace’s site went live, the organizers have received inquiries about renting studios and workspaces, and Roll and McBain plan to expand to include such rentable spaces as soon as it’s feasible. The organizers wish to offer a full spectrum of introductory courses and invite proposals from potential instructors for any kind of classes, whether industrial, electronic, fine art, or even wine-making. Introductory membership rates are $40 per month, whether individual or family, but rates will increase as the space becomes more settled and the founders have assessed the long-term needs of the space. Once members have taken the safety certification course to use the tools, they receive a key card and access to the building and use of those tools daily from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. (eventually cardholders will have 24/7 access). Classes range from $10 to $20 per hour, and the space offers free open nights on Thursdays beginning at 6 p.m., which function as an introduction to the space’s offerings, or as an opportunity to work on a project or help the organizers work on the space, and to connect with other creatives. Rochester Makerspace is located at 850 St. Paul St. (park in rear lot). Open hours are Monday & Thursday, 6-10 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Membership $40, classes range $10-$20/hour. For more information call 210-0075 or visit rochestermakerspace.org.
The Icarus Sessions
If you’re shy about getting your own creative endeavor started, want feedback from the community on something you’re working on, or just want to hear about what other creative Rochesterians are up to, attend The Icarus Sessions, which are a series of super-lightning talks held each third Wednesday night of the month at Hanlon-Fiske Studios on Elton Street. The concept came from Seth Godin’s book “The Icarus Deception,” which posits that while our industrialized society avoids the danger of flying too close to the sun, it has been skimming the water, afraid of taking creative chances. That dooms us just as well, says writer and artist Aprille Roelle Byam, local organizer of the Icarus Sessions.
Left: Wyatt McBain and Rob Roll of Rochester Makespace. Below left: Antonio Cruz Cavaleta in the machine shop at Makerspace. Below right: the Makerspace's 3D printer at work. PHOTOS BY MARK CHAMBERLIN
Anyone who is interested may attend one of the events, at which they may choose to speak for 140 seconds about a particular project they are working on, even if it is stuck in the conceptual stage, and receive feedback from the audience. Attendees are not obliged to speak, and Byam says that many returners simply want to listen and offer support and advice. The first local iteration of the Icarus Sessions took place in January at a different venue before finding a permanent monthly meeting space at the Neighborhood of the Arts studio of photographers Michael Hanlon and Teri Fiske. Byam, Hanlon, and Fiske aim to provide a space where community creatives feel safe discussing their projects, and are enthusiastic about the resulting connections being made among individuals and groups who have shared. One of the most exciting aspects of the Sessions, says Hanlon, is putting likeminded people, who may not know each other, in a room together, and seeing what results. So far, the Icarus Sessions have featured photographers, writers, visual artists, and social-media specialists. The organizers have also added a keynote speaker to each session; presenters have included artist John Magnus, balloon artist Larry Moss, and 1975 Gallery owner Erich Lehman. The Icarus Sessions take place at 7 p.m. on the third Wednesday of each month at HanlonFiske Studios, 34 Elton St. Admission is continues on page 12
rochestercitynewspaper.com CITY 11