Vancouver Mini Maker Faire 2014

The 4th annual Vancouver Mini Maker Faire went down this past weekend at the PNE Forum in East Van. As with the previous incarnations (photos from 2011, 2012 and 2013) it was a techie/crafter/artist/inventor’s wonderland of innovation and possibility. I was particularly drawn to something quite lo-fi — the stunning 5′ x 12′ Tapestry of Vancouver by Canadian fibre artist Sola Fiedler. This piece, a woven aerial view of the city of Vancouver, took five years to make and was unveiled at this year’s Faire. From afar, it looked like a giga-pixel image – very high-res and immaculate in detail. Getting closer you realize this is made from material, and then you learn it’s woven using recycled wool sweaters. Wow! I hope this piece goes on public display for everyone to enjoy, it’s incredible.

Other highlights were the sweetly hypnotic sounds of Gamelan Bike Bike, a musical recycling project that turns old bikes into musical instruments. The sound was sublime, perfect for a summer afternoon. Prosthesis, the Anti-Robot, is looking more menacing and much further along in development from last year. They are actively crowd-funding for this two-storey tall, human-controlled, electric walking (and racing!) robot. Yes, it’s very cool to behold. Titanoboa slithered though the grounds, frightening some children along the way. What’s really frightening, is this 50-ft robot is a replica based on a real snake skeleton from 60+ million years ago. There were some sweet bicycle sound systems (ready for Bike Rave in July); 3D printer, drones and laser cutting demonstrations galore; miniature puppy robots and steampunk fixins; modern quilters; handmade crafts of all kinds and much more. It’s a family affair with the adults getting as much joy (maybe more!) from exploration as the kids. If you’re wondering what the future has in store, this is a good place to start asking some questions.

Vancouver, 2014.

(click the first image below to view all large – recommended!)