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Hey! I'm Marissa

Candid me

I grew up in a suburb of Los Angeles and, in later years, the central part of California. I'm still based in California and currently live in San Diego County.

Desert Hot Springs, CA - Sunset

My background is in Film/Art and Aerospace Engineering. I consider myself a maker. I've always kind of shifted between passions; working as an engineer and moonlighting as an artist (or something like that) and vice versa. I've had quite a meandering path but it wasn't until about 2 years ago, I found this niche field where art, fabrication, and engineering intersect and that's where my thoughts live I guess. Which is honestly a blessing and a curse. Those thoughts don't shut up sometimes and INSOMNIA takes hold o_o.

Things I've Done

I've put on several overalls, that of a(n): student, opinion article artist, film blogger, project lead, researcher, engineer, ramen restaurant server, guitar neck maker, artist helper, technician, etc. I don't want this regurgitating like a resume so, for now, suffice it to say I've worn many hats.

You can check out more of my previous work at teenjeanette.addpotion.com.

I did build this recently, however. It's a thermo-powered coaster that turns on an LED when something hot is placed on it. I was playing with sculpture using the LEDs a bit but the project no longer required a capacitor :,(

Top view of coaster Side view of coaster


A little LED poetry

Why am I here?

Look, I love to make and it's taken me a lot of time and work and endless reflections to get to where I am today. Fabricademy is really an exercise in coalescing all my experiences. The reason I joined Fabricademy was to more coherently merge my skills in engineering and design to create beauty. I'm dedicating a lot of my time these days to repairing, hacking, and making old and new electronic systems. So, I hope to make things during my time here that experiment with materials, electricity, and design that leads to something beautiful, poetic, and interactive.

Me when I make (multiple states of being)

Inspiration

Ah yes, the meat of the matter.

So a couple things have inspired me as of late:

Topics of Interest

  • Origami
  • Electronics
  • Open Source Hardware
  • Analog and modular synthesizers
  • Sustainability
  • Street dance and
  • Weaving

I've really gotten into craft technology and thinking about how it contributes to the future of making, both on earth and in space.

When I think about making, I think about developing and playing with form and with materials that we often find easy to obtain and/or discard like paper, old electronics, movement.

Inspo collage

Former Futures by Erik Contreras - A study in tech and obsolescence

telepresent wind by David Bowen - Real-time wind data from Mars expressed through wheat grass and multiple motors

locking by Joshua Markiet - Street dance (locking) performance at Summer Dance Forever