Leah Aegerter

This fun and technically challenging course for teens expands digital fabrication skills using the CNC. Students gain traction in Rhinoceros 3D modeling software and basic woodworking techniques in order to mill objects of their own design on a three-axis CNC router. Workflows cover toolpathing and g-code generation, material set up, machine operation and wood finishing. In completing projects that are both sculptural and functional, students explore the benefits of the CNC across disciplines and learn to use it as a step in the process of art making.

Nurture a love of creative exploration in this fast-paced workshop! Delving into 3-D printing technologies as a tool and art-making process, students playfully examine the physical/digital divide. 3-D scans of hand-built clay objects become a common form as various computer-modeling programs and techniques are introduced. Furniture design, architecture and character modeling are among the topics presented through Tinkercad and Sculptris. The open nature of the medium combined with a focus on real-world application gives each student lots of opportunities to explore their own ideas. At the end of the course, we celebrate with a group show.