It’s Woodstock For People Who Like To Make Stuff: Because We Can Gets Ready for Maker Faire
Katherine Sharpe
Maker Faire starts in just three days. We're getting ready by asking people who know how best to appreciate the 2-day DIY extravaganza at the San Mateo County fairgrounds.
Up today, husband-and-wife design-build team Jeffrey McGrew and Jillian Northrup. They work together as Because We Can, an Oakland studio that specializes in sustainable interior design and custom furniture. They own their own CNC (computer numerically controlled) cutting table, which is extremely cool. They will be exhibiting a selection of their furniture designs at the Faire.
So, what's your name?
Jeffrey McGrew & Jillian Northrup
What do you do?
We run a design-build studio (that's a mash-up of designers, fabricators, architects, artists and contractors). We make sustainable creative interiors, furniture and products, and we're just getting into ground-up building design and construction.
Is this your first Maker Faire?
Heck no. We've been participating since the first one, which was in 2006.
How would you describe the event to someone unfamiliar?
It's Woodstock for people who like to make stuff.
What are you most looking forward to seeing at the Faire?
The Lucky JuJu mini-mobile pinball museum. The Boiler Bar and Golden Mean art car. But honestly, we're looking forward to all the great projects that people bring. There are always tons of things that we've never seen before that are simply amazing and inspirational. We're also looking forward to seeing lots of our friends who go to show off their stuff!
Is there anything not at the Faire that you wish were there?
Being able to camp out and spend the weekend would be a ton of fun.
Any advice for how visitors can get the most out of the weekend?
Show up early and/or take the train. The traffic is terrible!
Aside from the fairgrounds themselves, is there anything that you'd recommend out-of-town visitors to do or see?
In the Bay Area? You could spend your whole life here and not see everything (that's our plan). But in particular, we'd recommend the double-whammy of the new Academy of Sciences building and the DeYoung museum in Golden Gate Park. Also another great two-fer is the LongNow's headquarters (where they have the clock parts for the 10,000 year clock!) and the new outside 'science garden' that the folks at the Exploratorium have made.
Up today, husband-and-wife design-build team Jeffrey McGrew and Jillian Northrup. They work together as Because We Can, an Oakland studio that specializes in sustainable interior design and custom furniture. They own their own CNC (computer numerically controlled) cutting table, which is extremely cool. They will be exhibiting a selection of their furniture designs at the Faire.
So, what's your name?
Jeffrey McGrew & Jillian Northrup
What do you do?
We run a design-build studio (that's a mash-up of designers, fabricators, architects, artists and contractors). We make sustainable creative interiors, furniture and products, and we're just getting into ground-up building design and construction.
Is this your first Maker Faire?
Heck no. We've been participating since the first one, which was in 2006.
How would you describe the event to someone unfamiliar?
It's Woodstock for people who like to make stuff.
What are you most looking forward to seeing at the Faire?
The Lucky JuJu mini-mobile pinball museum. The Boiler Bar and Golden Mean art car. But honestly, we're looking forward to all the great projects that people bring. There are always tons of things that we've never seen before that are simply amazing and inspirational. We're also looking forward to seeing lots of our friends who go to show off their stuff!
Is there anything not at the Faire that you wish were there?
Being able to camp out and spend the weekend would be a ton of fun.
Any advice for how visitors can get the most out of the weekend?
Show up early and/or take the train. The traffic is terrible!
Aside from the fairgrounds themselves, is there anything that you'd recommend out-of-town visitors to do or see?
In the Bay Area? You could spend your whole life here and not see everything (that's our plan). But in particular, we'd recommend the double-whammy of the new Academy of Sciences building and the DeYoung museum in Golden Gate Park. Also another great two-fer is the LongNow's headquarters (where they have the clock parts for the 10,000 year clock!) and the new outside 'science garden' that the folks at the Exploratorium have made.
reniaanne
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