DESIGNING FOR MARS Growing food in space
FITTLE, THE FIT PUZZLE Teaching blind children through touch
HOW I SEE THE WORLD One MIAD Student explains what’s improtant as an artist
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CONTENTS 2
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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
HOW I SEE THE WORLD
By: Rachel Topf What’s Creative Impact all about? Creative impact aims to share the power that art and design has to make a difference. We believe in a society where creatives can use their talents to give back, and create something they truly care about.
B y: Ann Stephens One MIAD student expresses how family, community, beliefs and environment influences her viewpoint as an artist.
I CAN SAY THAT MY FAMILY HAS ALWAYS PLACED VALUE ON THE ESSENCE OF AUTHENTICITY AND DOING A GOOD JOB.
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CONSIDER THIS + THE FACTS
Q/A
REACT
DESIGNING BETTER WAYS TO GIVE BACK
30 AMERICANS EXHIBITS STARTS A CONVERSATION
WHAT IF RECYCLING WASN’T A CHOICE? Project by: Jeff and Liz Helfrich How much do we throw away that could be recycled? In “Consider This” we’ll look at an innovative solution as well as some recycling stats in “The Facts.”
By: Rachael Chong Firebelly’s Dawn Hancock has found a way to inextricably link her design practice to helping her community, by incubating businesses and mentoring designers to create a chain of social consciousness.
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DESIGNING FOR MARS
TEACHING BLIND CHILDREN THROUGH TOUCH
By: Louisa Preston & Vanessa Harden Photos by: Paul Rabe With incredible advances in space exploration, the idea of harvesting crops and planting gardens in space is leaving the realm of science fiction and becoming a reality.
Article by: the Milwaukee Art Museum In the 30 Americans Exhibit, African American artists since 1970 raise questions of what it means to be a contemporary artist and an African American today. We asked you to start the conversation.
By: Anthony Vipin Das Illustrated by: Amanda Elston For blind children, learning Braille is an integral part of how they interact with the world. However, teaching Braille at a young age is a challenge.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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FROM THE EDITOR Welcome to Creative Impact, a place to share the power of art and design and its ability to make a difference. We believe in positive thinking and a society where creatives can use their talents to give back. Art and design is so much more than making pretty pictures, it fuels innovation and projects that make an impact! In this issue we explore everything from life on Mars to a toy that teaches blind children; a simple recycling can to a powerful message shared through a work of art. No matter what it is, large or small, they all make an difference. We hope that Creative Impact will inspire you to use your creativity to do good in your community and work towards what you’re passionate about. Enjoy!
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WALK FOR YOUR Whether you need a great idea or just need to clear your mind, walking improves cognitive functions such as memory, creativitiy, and mood!
Thoughts TABLE OF CONTENTS 3 www.walkforyourlife.com
One Student from the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design shares what’s important in the world and the roll she plays as an artist/designer. By: Anna Stephens • Illustrated By: Rachel Topf
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he World according
project, make it happen and see direct
to my experiences is
results. In this way, I felt a sense of
a place of immense
collective purpose and motivation with
cultural diversity, which
the team I was a part of. I was able to see
is constantly in flux through the exchange
our work, whether it is through painting
of ideas. A major component to how I
and renovating a room, installing art,
have landed my point of view is through
or organizing an event, be well received
the notion of exposing oneself to new
by the community.
ideas, different art forms and opposing political beliefs. I truly believe in the importance of learning through doing and challenging oneself through jumping into new experiences. Personally, I try to do this through travel, having debates with people who have opposing viewpoints than mine and through attending shows both in the arts and in music.
The location of this foundation happens to be where I did my neighborhood study for Project two in Bay View. A general observation through studying this area I have made is the strong sense of communication it has within its community. The neighborhood has its own newspaper, historical society and community centers, which seem to keep
As a person with a very large range of
people connected. Likewise through
interests, I can say that environment
places like Sweet Water Organics, Outpost
plays a huge role in the kinds of places I
Foods, locally run restaurants and small
can see myself working or volunteering.
businesses, there is an emphasis placed
Sweet Water Organics in Bay View for
on buying local and healthy nutrition.
example, was a great place for me to
Working in this area and notably at Sweet
spend my hours of Service Learning.
Water Organics, has offered me a glimpse
(http://sweetwater-organic.com/) This
of the type of environment I want to
environment is one that encompasses
continue to work in. That being, within
ideas in science and nutrition through
a creatively diverse environment with
their innovative ways of growing
people who are able to come together with
vegetables using hydro-ponic systems.
a shared motive to make things happen.
It offered an unexplored avenue for my interests in art to be applied through projects in their general store.
A large influence on my belief in learning through doing comes from my family’s background. All of my grandparents,
Most of the projects that I took on
as well as the majority of my father’s
had to do with better advertising and
family grew up working on farms in rural
merchandizing the products in the store
Wisconsin. This kind of environment
as well as for the place itself. What was
revolves around hands on work and the
motivating was being able to propose a
necessity of a dedicated routine. In this
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respect, I can say that my family has
from my family’s long history of working
always placed value on the essence of
off the land, emphasizing the idea of
authenticity and doing a good job. Having
“doing it yourself.”
a strong work ethic has always been the foundation of all of the creative endeavors my relatives have branched off into. Coincidentally, the majority of my family members have built their lives around creative careers in the arts or teaching.
Recently, I had a long conversation with a design professor of mine. The topics of discussion ranged from ideas in politics relative to our responsibilities as designers and creative thinkers, to issues in public health, specifically about nutrition and
My father is one example of a figure in my
the roles of genetically modified foods
life that has influenced and encouraged
vs. buying local. This discussion, or what
a lot of my goals as a young artist. As a
could be considered a debate, was very
high school art teacher and sculptor, he
enlightening to me because it challenged
has built his life around helping people
my opinions on the importance of
and communicating his own stories
sustainable design. In his opinion, he does
through his work. His sculptures are very
not believe in global warming, eco-design
reminiscent of his upbringing of growing
or the downsides of genetically modified
up on a farm, through his use of found
foods. Nor does he see the sustainability
materials and his attentiveness to craft.
in buying local. As he put it, he did not
Ironically, both my major in Printmaking
believe he had the right as a designer to
and minor in Interior Architecture are
“impose” his beliefs on other people and
very process-oriented. I find that I am
placed emphasis on the significance of
drawn to mediums that are very hands
freewill and individualism.
on that demand a sort of attention to construction. Whatever the medium may be, I can say that my family has imbedded the importance of being honest with one’s work, to be persistent in practice to become the best one can be.
His stance on many of the issues we debated made me think of Tony Judt’s chapter in describing the New Left that arose during the 1960s. This approach on politics had everything to do with the individual. On page 89 Judt states,
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My family also happens to be made up
“If something is good for me it is not
of lots of designers. There seems to be
incumbent upon me to ascertain whether
a constant conversations relating to
it is good for someone else- much less
sustainable design and the importance
to impose it upon them,” (do your own
of looking at new materials. Being
thing). What was interesting about my
environmentally conscious has always
conversation with my fellow professor
been considered an ethical responsibility
was that we both claimed to take liberal
to my family and myself. This is rooted
sides. Although what seemed to be evident
For me, as I see it, the world is in need of alternative approaches to materials which in the long run benefit the
was the definite difference in opinion, and
my work. For me, as I see it, the world
as Judt also described in the same chapter
is in need of alternative approaches to
as a “decline of a shared sense of purpose.�
materials which in the long run benefit the health of the environment and the
When faced with a challenge, whether it is debating with someone’s differing beliefs, or venturing into a new place I think it is important to make ones experiences relative. Talking with my design professor left me both frustrated and enlightened. Until talking to him about these issues, I guess I had assumed
people who inhabit it. As a designer, I feel the responsibility to create spaces with these issues in mind. Likewise with my interests in fine art, I see the importance in applying my talents in places like Sweet Water Organics, where things like mural painting have a direct influence on the community in which it is located.
all designers believed in eco-friendly products and sustainability. All in all, it left me with a greater understanding of what kind of direction I wanted to go with
HOW I SEE THE WORLD
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CONSIDER
THIS... WHAT IF RECYCLING WASN’T A CHOICE? Project by: Jeff and Liz Helfrich
Convincing people to recycle is hard. You can see it in the
Recycling is catching on at the municipal level for good
numbers. Despite the fact that 90 percent of Americans
reason: local governments can get someone to buy their
have access to recycling programs, less than 30 percent of
waste instead of paying our tax dollars to shovel it into a
plastic bottles are recycled. How can we make recycling
landfill. That’s why so many cities are focusing on trash-free
easier? That’s what we asked after pulling recyclables
initiatives. As taxpayers, that’s something we can get excited
out of our bathroom trashcan for what seemed like the
about. Money saved or earned by recycling can fund all the
millionth time. We hated taking the extra time to walk
other things we want, like good schools, libraries, parks, and
recyclables from the bathroom to our main recycling bin
public transportation, while keeping the earth greener at
in the kitchen, but when we tried to make a pile of plastic
the same time. But, to maximize these benefits, everyone
shampoo and lotion bottles, toilet paper tubes, and castoff
needs to participate, and recycling needs to become as
cardboard packaging outside the bathroom door, it wasn’t
habitual as using a trashcan.
working. At the same time, we wanted to make sure that none of the recyclables were going in the trashcan just because it was easier.
We decided to design the small dual-use can we couldn’t find. After working on it for more than a year, we’ve brought the Solecan from a sketch to a working 3D-printed prototype.
Being a husband and wife team, we wanted to end our
We want to keep the Solecan as eco-friendly as possible by
arguments over waste, so we looked for an inexpensive,
making it out of recycled plastic. With the support of others
small dual-use can, but came up empty. All of our
on Kickstarter who would like to recycle more and change
neighbors here in Dallas have curbside single-stream
the trash dynamic, we hope to bring the Solecan to market.
recycling. We figured more than a few of them were
In the process, we also hope to make recycling an easy habit
experiencing the same problem, and as the rest of America
for everyone to embrace.
is being confronted with the same challenge, we saw a need for a small solution.
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SOLECAN IS A DUAL GARBAGE CAN AND RECYCLING BIN CREATED BY JEFF & LIZ HELFRICH. THIS ALLIN-ONE DESIGN MAKES RECYCLING MANDATORY!
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THE FACTS:
RECYCLING 34% of our municipal waste stream could be composted
Recycling 500 phone books could save
7,000 GALLONS OF WATER
in one year, Americans produce enough trash to circle the earth
24 TIMES
In one year, enough aluminum cans were thrown away to fill the
The average person
Empire State building
generates about
20 TIMES
1.5
TONS
of solid waste every year, that’s about the weight of a hippo
Info Sources: earth911.com & www.greenwaste.com/recycling-stats
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DESIGNI W i t h i n c r e d i b l e a d va n c e s i n s p a c e e x p l o r at i o n , t h e i d e a o f h a r v e s t i n g crops and pl anting gardens in space i s l e av i n g t h e r e a l m o f s c i e n c e f i c t i o n a n d b e c o m i n g a r e a l i t y. 12
NG FOR MARS by Louisa Preston and Vanessa Harden • Photos BY PAUL RABE Research in astrobiology, a.k.a. “space biology,” has shown
gardening tools and greenhouses, and the development of
us that certain seeds can be grown in soils similar to
specialized systems to plant the seeds and nurture the growing
those found on Mars (which exist in many locations across
plants, could allow us to grow gardens on Mars.
the Earth) and even in ground-up meteorites. Plants need liquid water, oxygen, sunlight, nutrients and fertilizers, and comfortable temperatures, and although many of these are not currently found on Mars, this does not mean plants cannot grow there. The re-design of simple Earth objects such as
The environmental conditions on Mars are extreme by Earth standards, but due to giant leaps in our knowledge of the red planet over the last few decades, we can accurately design a habitat that could thrive on Mars and withstand
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A lt h o u g h i t i s h a r d t o i m a g i n e , a l l t h e n e c e s s a r y m at e r i a l s to support life can be found in some form on Mars, we just n e e d t o d e s i g n t h e t o o l s a n d t e c h n o l o g i e s t o m a k e u s e o f i t.
the harsh conditions. Mars is a red and dusty world with
of space explorers who are far from home. Even with the
a non-breathable thin, low pressure carbon dioxide-rich
low gravity on Mars, cooking and cultivation during daily
atmosphere, extremely strong radiation from the Sun and
life on Mars is possible, and is being simulated right now at
very cold temperatures (an average of -63 °C!). It has 38
Hi-SEAS in Hawaii. With food and plants being so important
percent of the gravity that we have on the Earth and is
to humans for their mental and physical survival, we need to
ravaged by global dust storms including dust devils that
explore in detail how to grow them on Mars.
tower above the largest tornadoes on the Earth. We’ve designed an exhibit—including the first-ever This is not a world you imagine would be able to support
astrogardening rover—to educate both children and adults
most of the plant and animal life we can see on the Earth,
about the science behind future human habitation on Mars.
let alone a garden. But if we are ever going to stay on Mars
Although it is hard to imagine, all the necessary materials to
for extended periods, or permanently move there, we need
support life can be found in some form on Mars, we just need
to figure out how to sustain ourselves indefinitely. Not only
to design the tools and technologies to make use of it. Such
is food essential for us to live, but the act of eating, cooking
thoughts have led to the design of all the elements of our
and growing plants is absolutely crucial to the psychology
exhibit. Examples include the extraction of liquid water.
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All water on Mars is currently frozen beneath the surface,
suits. Gardening on Mars would provide a long-term food
but what if we could mine it and melt it for use in the
source for future human colonies and could provide over
garden? Mars is cold but plants need warmer temperatures,
half their required calorie intake through the growth of
so how could we insulate the ground and design a heating
tomatoes, potatoes and other fruit and vegetables. Gardens
system to keep the ecosystem warm? Plants such as
would not just provide food: They will also help to recycle
asparagus, potatoes and marigolds have already been shown
nutrients, provide drinking water and create oxygen for us
to grow in mars-like soils, plus seeds of radish, alfalfa, and
to breathe. They could even provide building materials such
mung bean have been shown to sprout in the carbon dioxide
as wood and bamboo.
atmosphere of Mars. The necessary gases to provide inflation of the habitat and to create a plant-breathable environment can also be extracted from the Martian atmosphere. Carbon taken from atmospheric carbon dioxide could be used in
Although we don’t have exact dates for when we expect to pack our bags and move to Mars, preparation is the key if we want to realize our dreams of living on another planet.
photosynthesis by the plants, producing oxygen, which in turn would allow us to breathe without the need for space
DESIGNING FOR MARS
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Q A
WHAT VALUE DO YOU THINK DESIGNERS BRING TO THE SOCIAL GOOD SPACE?
The benefits to having designers address social issues are twofold. First,
DESIGNING
designers think differently. They live
GIVE BACK
They have a great balance of logic
BETTER WAYS TO
Interview by: Rachael Chong Firebelly’s Dawn Hancock has found a way to inextricably link her design practice to helping her community, by incubating businesses and mentoring designers to create a chain of social consciousness. Dawn Hancock is the founder of Firebelly, which works to create, as they say, “good design for good reason.” She’s also the founder of Reason to Give, an organization that allows people to give money to help the people of the Humboldt Park neighborhood of Chicago. When not designing i n the studio she is incubating entrepreneurs, educating young and hungry design students, and working collaboratively to ensure that Firebelly’s nonprofit arm reaches as many community members as possible. This leaves us asking, Is there anything that Hancock doesn’t do?
in a never-ending cycle of process, problem solving, and production.
versus heart. Additionally, they pay great attention to detail. This allows designers to approach problems, and find viable solutions, in very different ways Secondly, designers are collaborative by nature. Yes, we can go into our design caves and shut out the world for awhile, but we also have to keep our minds on our clients, audiences, and collaborators. We design with the needs of clients, as well as the skills, interests, and timelines of our printers and other production partners in mind. So, for other people out in the world doing good, adding a designer to your team can help you do even more good, in a beautiful way.
WHAT WAS THE IMPETUS
HOW DOES FIREBELLY
WHEN DID YOU REALIZE
BEHIND STARTING REASON
UNIVERSITY WORK?
YOUR CAREER AS A
TO GIVE?
Can you give us an example of
DESIGNER WOULD BE
an established designer who has
FOCUSED ON GIVING BACK?
In 2006, I was asked to speak at a sustainable design conference in
transitioned to social entrepreneurship through your efforts? I always knew I’d find a way to
Doha, Qatar. I was at once honored
give back, because I never thought
and baffled by the invitation. The list
Firebelly University is a nine-month
design and doing good in the world
of speakers was filled with heroes of
program in which individuals band
were mutually exclusive. In school,
mine from all over the globe; presenting
together to run a business with our
I took a slightly different approach
to and getting to know so many of them
guidance and support. Monday through
to projects from most of my class,
was a humbling experience. I flew home,
Thursday, Firebelly U fellows learn
looking at things from a more human
and fell into a puzzling depression. I had
everything about running a small
perspective. For example, for an
no idea why, but after a few months, I
business that no one ever tells you and
infographic project related to the Gulf
figured it out: Even though my business
a few things that can only be learned
War, my fellow students made pieces
was helping great people do great things,
when you’re actually doing it. Friday is
featuring numbers of lives lost and
there was always someone between us
reserved as an education day, filled with
bombs dropped; I focused on the lives
and the people ultimately being served.
inspirational speakers and workshops
of children affected by war, taking a
run not only by business owners, but
more art-therapy approach.
I knew we could do more than design logos and websites, and Reason to
lawyers, accountants, and peer mentors. After I graduated, I didn’t get
Give was born before I knew what
At the same time, each fellow is
opportunities to design things that
to do with it. I decided that it was
developing and implementing his
felt very rewarding during my day
my obligation to give back to the
or her own business plan under the
job. In my off hours, I started donating
neighborhood in which my business was
guidance of the dean and others, and at
my time and skills to people and
run and to the people who needed help
the end of the nine months, their new
organizations who were doing things
in my own backyard. We started Reason
businesses are hatched.
I thought were important. That made
to Give in 2007, and this past year alone we helped over 1,500 residents with basic needs ranging from school supplies and winter gear to workshops on resume building and computer training. We’re learning better ways to connect with our community every year by listening to what they need.
me feel better. When my dad died A great story of a successful Firebelly U graduate to date is 2012 alum Jonathon Strube, owner of Heart Giants. His focus is on working with businesses and organizations dedicated exclusively to community support,
unexpectedly, I realized life was too short to do work I wasn’t passionate about and the only person holding me back was me. So I took the leap and that was the beginning of the Firebelly universe.
advocacy, and growth. I can’t wait to have Jonathon back as a coach rather than as a student. That will be a very proud moment.
Q/A
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WHAT IS THE NAME OF
I hadn’t expected anything, but this
ONE UP-AND-COMING
meant a lot. I finally got my chance to
SOCIAL-GOOD DESIGNER
rehaul her entire site, not because she
WE SHOULD BE WATCHING
WHO INSPIRES YOU MOST
asked me to but because I wanted to.
AND WHY?
WITH THEIR GENEROSITY?
Believe it or not, it just launched this year, 14 years after my initial offer.
Mike Fretto. He’s established. He’s
When you ask about generosity, I have
been published. He’s amazing. And he’s
to talk about Michelle Fire. In 1998, I
about to get his Masters of Design from
discovered a bar in Uptown called Big
the University of Washington with the
Chicks. It not only had an amazingly
single goal of changing the world. He
open and inviting feeling, welcoming
already has and he’s only 30.
everyone whether they were gay,
Lesson #1 from Michelle: Give a little; get a lot. Here are the other lessons I learned (and continue to learn) from her, in no particular order:
• TREAT YOUR CUSTOMERS WELL.
straight, or purple, but it also housed a Mike founded Rosa Loves, a nonprofit
jaw-dropping collection of art. World-
that helps people meet their basic
renowned artists such as Diane Arbus
needs through the sale of T-shirts
and Jed Fielding, as well as Chicago
that tell their personal stories. I’m a
all-stars like Tony Fitzpatrick and Ed
huge fan of it and of Mike. No matter
Paschke. Certainly this isn’t typical for
what Mike does after school, he’ll be
a bar. I went to Big Chicks’ website and
affecting many lives in a positive way.
almost fainted: It was horrid.
I can’t wait to see what he does next. I immediately emailed Big Chicks’s
Q/A
nameless and faceless (to me) owner and offered my services. Michelle Fire wrote back something that included both a refusal of a website rehaul and an invitation to her home to help her change a couple of text issues on her
• TREAT YOUR EMPLOYEES LIKE FAMILY. • TREAT YOUR COMMUNITY WITH RESPECT. • BE GENEROUS. • DON’T MAKE THE BOTTOM LINE THE BOTTOM LINE. • DON’T FORGET TO HAVE FUN. • STAND UP FOR WHAT YOU BELIEVE IN.
site. Michelle’s personal art collection outshone the one in her bar, and she was incredibly gracious about the work I did for her. Soon after, she sent me a message to drop by the bar and pick up a little something, which turned out to be a $100 Whole Foods gift certificate.
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Michelle isn’t just generous: she’s tenaciously, unapologetically, fiercely loyal. And I hope to be her when I grow up.
WE’RE NOT LIKE EVERYONE ELSE Fly sparkling kiwi soda is as unique as the flight less kiwi bird. Green coffee extract and the nutrient rich goodness of kiwi fruit gives you a healthy soda with a little kick. So leave the high fructose corn syrup behind and go with the good. It won’t give you wings but you might feel like flying. Visit flykiwisoda.com for details.
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REACT THE POWER OF ART IS LIMITLESS. IT CAN PROVOKE THOUGHT AND EMOTION, EDUCATE, AGGRAVATE, DELIGHT AND INSPIRE. IN THIS ISSUE’S REACT, WE LOOK AT RESPONSES TO THE EXHIBIT, 30 AMERICANS. NO MATTER WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY, EVERYONE HAS A VOICE, AND EVEN ONE NEW IDEA COULD SPARK CHANGE.
A R T I C L E
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BY:
T H E
M I LWAU K E E
A R T
M U S E U M
30 Americans is a dynamic exploration
artists, the Rubells collected backwards
of contemporary American art.
and forwards, creating networks
Paintings, sculptures, installations,
of intergenerational influence. As a
photographs, video, and more made by
result, the works that comprise the
African American artists since 1970
exhibition offer a stylistic conversation
raise questions of what it means to be
among artists of different decades and
a contemporary artist and an African
generations. Minimalism, abstraction,
American today. Whether addressing
conceptualism, performance, new
issues of race, gender, sexuality, politics,
media, installation art, identity politics,
or history—or seemingly remaining
deconstruction, street aesthetics, and
silent about them—these works offer
the return of figuration—every major
powerful interpretations of cultural
development in contemporary art over
identity and artistic legacy.
the past four decades is represented.
30 Americans is drawn from the
Provocative, beautiful, humorous,
acclaimed holdings of the Rubell Family
at times painful, and always deeply
Foundation in Miami, Florida. New
compelling, 30 Americans is a dazzling
Yorkers Don and Mera Rubell began
presentation of some of the best art
acquiring contemporary art in the
made in the last forty years—and a
late 1960s. Through their friendships
captivating guide to some of the most
with living artists, particularly young
exciting talent working today.
Hate is a learned behavior
Will you hang or hide? I 2nd this I 3rd this I 4th this Please!
Judge yourself before you judge someone else our burdens are heavy We are all the goose now in this twisted society. Don’t be a bully! Stop hate crimes
I believe that without the details we forget what the big picture is really there for
Remember always Shake up the system, bout time man. People should take off their hate masks
I have a dream
INTENSE REACT
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Teaching Blind Children
Through Touch By: Anthony Vipin Dast • Illustrations by: Amanda Elston
A
visually impaired child sees the world through
them. The project stemmed out of a DIY workshop organized
touch. Yet only a few such children come to
with the Camera Culture Group of the MIT Media Lab.
know the joy of reading; out of the 39 million
blind people around the world, only ten percent use Braille.
The concept involves breaking down objects into as many blocks as there are letters in the word. So, the word “fish” is
For blind children, learning Braille is an integral part of how
constructed by joining together four puzzle blocks that have
they interact with the world. However, teaching Braille at a
the letters F-I-S-H on them, each embossed in Braille. When
young age is a challenge. Children who are taught the word
the visually challenged child fits together the blocks by
“fish” in Braille, for example, have no idea what a real fish
feeling and matching the right shapes, s/he can read the
looks like. They can feel four Braille letters that stand for
word “fish” in Braille and also feel around the contours of the
F-I-S-H, but cannot even try to visualize how a fish looks.
entire block, which is shaped like a fish. In this way, kids can
I believe learning Braille can become a lot more fun and
more easily comprehend the shapes of objects—and can learn
effective if it’s taught interactively. So with the designer
them from a parent or a teacher. The possibilities are endless
Tania Jain from NID, Gandhinagar, we’ve created a new toy called Fittle (“fit the puzzle”) that helps children learn Braille, construct words, and understand the shapes of objects—all through playful 3D puzzles. Our aim is to transform how blind children perceive and understand the world around
We believe Fittle has the potential to change these children’s world. In the realm of education for the visually challenged, it’s a revolution. Imagine teaching a visually impaired child that Turtle spells as T-U-R-T-L-E, and enabling them to feel
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the turtle in their hands as they learn the spelling.
rubber for the slippery texture of a fish or brushed metal
Imagine a child’s joy at feeling the form of an airplane
for the smooth finish of an airplane. The possibilities
in their hands, especially after putting together the
thrill us. To keep building Fittle, we need your help. We
entire airplane themselves.
have already witnessed the joy of the visually impaired
We want to give all visually impaired children the resources they need to learn about the world around them. Soon, we will introduce Fittle for each letter of the English alphabet (A for Airplane, B for Boat and so on). We are also developing a graded curriculum with input from
kids who put together their first Fittle at the Devnar School for the Visually Impaired in India, and we want to keep spreading that joy. Our Indiegogo campaign is raising funds for research, marketing, production, development, and shipping (plus some goodies for our backers).
experienced educators of visually challenged kids at the
We hope to reach every visually impaired child, and we
LV Prasad Eye Institute in India, and plan to send some
believe that Fittle will transform how they see the world.
of the first Fittle kits to schools for the visually impaired
If you believe in the idea, become a part of the project by
around the world.
contributing, or even sharing the project with others. Your
To help make Fittle as accessible as possible, we have put it out as open source. Anyone can download and 3D-print the Fittle blocks at www.fittle.in. We also want to make Fittle even more fun, and have already designed more! In the very near future, we plan to add interactivity to the puzzles through sound. Imagine the joy of a child when s/he puts together the fish, then hears the sound of a fish jumping out and back into water. We also plan to experiment with the materials for Fittle objects, such as
Four blocks, each embossed with a braille letter, fit together to spell out the word “fish.”
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support can help us to produce fittle for blind children and to continue to revolutionize develop our ideas. For more information and an opportunity to provide your support visit indiegogo.com and search “Fittle.”
WE’RE NOT LIKE EVERYONE ELSE ESSENTIAL TOOL FORand WHATEVER YOU DO. Fly sparkling kiwi soda is as unique as the flight less kiwiAN bird. Green coffee extract Whether work in an office, a studio, the nutrient rich goodness of kiwi fruit gives you a healthy sodayou with a little kick. So leavea lab, or at home, Pink Pearl Eraser is a must-have in your set of tools. Soft and pliable the high fructose corn syrup behind and go with the good. It won’t give you wings but to prevent tearing, and smudge resistant every time, it has been you might feel like flying. Visit flykiwisoda.com for details. an American favorite for generations. TEACHING BLIND CHILDREN THROUGH TOUCH
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DO YOU KNOW OF A PROJECT OR IDEA THAT MAKES AN IMPACT? LET US KNOW! GET IN TOUCH AND LEARN MORE AT WWW.CREATIVEIMPACT.COM
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