Photo by Jeff Sheldon The winter months are great for learning and tinkering while we wait out the weather. For the maker or doer in your life, Grid has compiled some starter kits and DIY gift baskets that will serve as inspiration as you craft the perfect gift. Maybe there’s a foodie who wants to
MoreMeredith Klein, director of the Philadelphia Argentine Tango School, and Pablo Garcia Gomez, an Argentine native, dance at Love Park during a performance to welcome Pope Francis There are thousands of things to do and learn in the Philadelphia region, and every one of them could be a great gift. This year, create some memories:
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Illustration by Corey Brickley Hack the Gender Gap by Georgia Guthrie “Wow, that seems very complicated. I don’t think I would be able to do that.” “I just started learning myself, and believe me, if I can do it, you can, too!” I heard this snippet of conversation during the Drop In + Do, the
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Populist Mechanics by Heather Shayne Blakeslee Followers of advances in artificial intelligence are waiting for a tipping point they call the “Singularity.” It’s the moment in time when the computers and machines that we’ve designed are smart enough to design better versions of themselves, an event that would trigger a cascade of exponential improvement—as well
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Illustration by Narrator Punk is Dead, Long Live Punk by Tim Canny In my early 20s, I embraced the punk rock DIY ethic when I played in a band and published a fanzine, both of which you’ve never heard of. But that’s okay. Back in the early ’80s, the goal wasn’t fame or fortune; it
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Inventor: Yasmine Mustafa | Age: 33 | Profession: CEO, ROAR for Good ROAR for Good’s first product, available in the spring of 2016, is Athena—fashionable jewelry for women’s self-defense. When threatened, the wearer presses a button, instantly sounding a loud alarm that sends your GPS via text to pre-programmed emergency contacts.
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Artist: Hope Irion | Age: 24 | Profession: Art Therapist My ceramic work and motivation to create are based on my desire to find the balance between beauty and utility: I aim to produce beautiful objects that can be used and appreciated by others. In both art and therapy, one fuses
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A robot made on a 3D printer at NextFab studio | Photo by Addison Geary 3D printing is a breakthrough but also creates unwanted material by William Beisley The 3D printer was first patented in 1986 by Chuck Hull, co-founder of 3D Systems. The initial purpose of the machine was to expedite labor-intensive and costly
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Co-working for Carvers by Matt Bevilacqua Walk into the front office of Philadelphia Woodworks and you will come across shelves full of handmade bowls, clocks, candlesticks, chessboards, reusable wine corks and even kaleidoscopes. All are made from wood, and not by professionals. Tucked into an Umbria Street warehouse at the foot of Manayunk’s Germany Hill,
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Illustration by Mike L. Perry The Unmaking of DM+D by Alex Vuocolo For the Department of Making + Doing (DM+D), a collaborative makerspace situated on the western edge of University City, location is a blessing and curse. Michael Darfler, program manager at the space, says that DM+D owes much of its success to its
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