There are few events that can bring together artists, engineers, scientists, musicians, teachers, inventors, craftspeople and kids together under one tent, but the Maker Movement has found a unifying thread for people across a variety of disciplines. Last month the Denver Museum of Nature and Science held the annual Mini Maker Faire, highlighting what we humans can do with our hands.

The origins to the Maker Faires go back about 20 years to NYC and San Francisco, and the events have actually brought in around 1.5 million makers world wide since it’s inception.  

At the Denver Mini Maker Faire, a variety of different areas were scattered throughout the south end of the museum.  Booths were devoted to 3D printing technology, where visitors could sign up to have a 3D print out made of themselves. A variety of musical instruments made out of synthesizers filled another area where children and adults were able to engage with participatory instruments and talk with musicians. In the main atrium an assemblage of cardboard boxes were available to children and adults to create cardboard city along side the various booths of participants showcasing circuitry and gadgets created with transistors and other pieces of technology used for computers.  

Costumers and special effects wizards were also in attendance flaked by a replica R2D2 and other objects from the upcoming Star Wars movies.  Kids could also practice their skills flying a drone around an empty room, while a documentary showcasing the maker movement played in the planetarium theatre.  A live stage with panelists also provided a point of engagement for spectators.  

Locally, the I heart Denver store supports the maker culture by providing a space for artisans to sell products on commission and receive 70% of the sale. On a national scale Google Sketchup and other software companies are following the lead of O’Reilly media, who created the magazine Make: and has been supporting Maker Faires for the past decade.  

People are drawn to the movement for philosophical reasons as much as they are because they like creating things. Charles Sharmon, inventor of Cross Beams a set of small building apparatuses, similar to Legos, was a the Faire showcasing his product to young makers. “My biggest competition is video game manufactures. I don’t care about Legos or K’nex, I just want people to build,” he explained. He sees video games making our children passive observers of entertainment, rather than active participants, causing children to grow up to be consumers, rather than participants in society. “I think the greatest goal is giving back, and how can you learn to to give when you only entertaining your self and consuming,” he ponders.  

And in addition to the philosophical inclinations of some makers, there seems to be in general a physical renaissance in reaction to the virtual culture we’ve become accustomed to.  Made objects have a special allure and are in the midst of negotiating their importance in an ever-increasing minimalist and virtual world.

And making items and things that we need also fosters a sense of independence, self-reliance and pride that few other pursuits can replicate.  A few children laughing and running around a model rocket station claimed they weren’t into video games and preferred creating and playing with handmade objects because of “the feeling I get inside when I make things.”  “A sense of pride?” I asked. “Yes that’s it,” they replied.

by Emily Przekwas