Making in Warwick and Beyond

Recently, out of the blue, I received a phone call from a sculptor up in Sullivan County who wanted to commission some glass pieces for a large outdoor fountain piece he was making. The piece will be installed at the Center For Discovery located near Hurleyville just north of Monticello. I decided to drive up and deliver the pieces because I had heard that the Center had opened a Maker Lab in downtown Hurleyville last Spring.
 
After handing the glass over to the sculptor, Richard Rulli, he gave me a tour of the center which has several of his pieces on display. One of the largest is pictured above. It is a very large eagle carved from black walnut. The carving was begun outside and as the work progressed, the structure was built around it! He also does steel and concrete pieces for outdoor installation.
 
We also toured the Maker Lab which is quite impressive. It has many of the tools and spaces that we hope to acquire for Wickham Works. I highly recommend a visit if you are up in the area. I am planning to return later this month with a few others to continue the conversation with some of the supervisors about the maker movement and how we can work together. They are in a different situation than us in the sense that they were front loaded with funding and are seeking community involvement. We are beginning with activating a community interest first and then seeking funding. Both approaches have challenges but all agree that our location in relation to a larger population base (NYC, Bergen County, Rockland County) is an advantage for membership involvement. I have posted a few photos of the workshop above.
 
It’s very exciting to see all the response to the idea of “making” and MakerSpaces. Even on a local level both the Warwick High School and the library have plans to develop limited models to attract interest and validate the Wickham Works mission. We have ambitious plans for building community and making practical spaces for a large, diverse audience to engage in authentic making activities. With the space and tools for self guided exploration, intergenerational mentorship and practical workshops we will build on what has been started to become a MakerSpace available to the entire Warwick community and beyond.
 
Gary