About two years ago, a colleague introduced me to Mason Friedberg with this enticing line: “He designs cool stuff at the Exploratorium and is thinking of starting his own project featuring craftsmanship”; over the following months, Mason and I met a few times to discuss art & craft. This post is taken verbatim (with permission) from Mason’s writeup of our discussions, with all of the photography credited to him & Edwin Lai.

I’ve always enjoyed teaching, and for a couple years now I’ve been a woodshop instructor at a maker space in Sunnyvale, California: MakerNexus. Along with other instructors, I teach both basic power tool safety, as well as a variety of more advanced skills in longer workshops. Though I’m excited to give back to the community and share my enthusiasm for the craft, I often leave classes with more energy than I arrived with, as my students share their energy and curiosity as they embark on their creative journeys.

Taking some time to refocus on a few personal projects that allow me to scratch my analytical itches, I’ll delve into the inspiration, math, engineering, and artistry behind a potential kinetic art sculpture, based on a BMW Museum installation in Munich, Germany.

Precision woodworking requires a sound understanding of math, angles, and geometry. But beyond that foundation that all good woodworkers possess, I also pursue - both for my own satisfaction and to meet client requirements - projects that have at least some elements of deeper analytical or mathematical elements at their foundations. In this post, I’ll touch on a few examples of these projects.

Vote. Get engaged. Donate. Write letters. Never has your voice been more critical. With America in flames and threatened by multiple early hurricanes and flooding; with our democracy under attack by an administration that is actively working to suppress the vote and delegitimize a potential loss at the polls; and with the philosophy of liberalism in decline as our president coddles autocrats, violently attacks protestors and encourages others to do the same, it’s no overstatement to say our country - and due to the nature of climate change (or inaction) - and our planet is at risk.

In his retirement, my grandfather picked up woodcarving and woodburning as hobbies. A few years after he started, he was making impressive birds and whimsical gifts. In this post, I share a few of his creations, and share some thoughts about his influence on my craft.

The Newari master woodcarvers in Nepal, and my experience learning (the bare bone basics) from a Newari master woodcarver in Kathmandu.

A few years ago, I transitioned from climbing the corporate ladder to running a sole proprietorship. I certainly had a few fears leading up to that transition - but which of those fears were real, and what big challenges in that transition were unexpected? What are some things to consider if you are contemplating a similar move?

San Francisco has an amazing maker community with a strong visual bent , as seen at an event co-hosted by The Midway, Pier 70 Partners, and Marpi. From an unexpectedly beautiful laser-lit fog, to a TV (or art display) with pixels mounted a few rotating arms, to an art installation featuring the exposed structural elements of Pier 70, come with me on a journey through a few of the highlights.

A break from the regularly-scheduled programming on art, woodworking, lighting, and the like, to be replaced with a brief rant on our current politics and a call to action for increased civic engagement.