Notes from September 2021 meeting of Pueblo Makes

Sharon updated us on progress at the Rawlings Library. The new makerspace, located on the first floor, will be about 5000 square feet, about 9 times the size of the old space. Deconstruction has been underway and the first floor now has nothing except temporary walls. Sharon has been meeting with the building director about fixtures for the new space; the space will have dropdown electrical connections, storage, concrete floors, and butcher block tables. It’s not clear yet what equipment will be there. While the space will be finished in January or February, it will be used as a staging area for parts of the collection while construction proceeds on the second floor, so Sharon probably won’t be in the space until March or April. There will be online training on 3D printing, vinyl cutting, etc., and once trained you can work on your own. Sharon is currently having classes at other branch libraries. Gregory offered the Innovation Hub at Watertower Place.

Karen gave us an update and virtual tour of the Arts Alliance. Almost every area of their buildings is in some form of deconstruction with tenants moving in or out and stuff spread out. Karen started in her office where a volunteer is working on a new filing system. She showed us the autoclave studio, which Christine has filled to the roof. Karen recommended the bobble head class; see photo below.

She showed us the kiln, photography studio, and several galleries. Cynthia Ramu is working on installations for Dia de los Muertos. In the Liminal Space gallery, artists can rent wall space, or be a part of a show. The most recent show was for Pride Month and the next is for the Chile Fest. Karen is creating a memorial gallery for art that is given to the Alliance from estates. CROP (Creative Reuse of Pueblo) accepts gently used supplies and sells them at very reasonable prices.

Upstairs are 20 studios for about 27 artists. We could hear music from a class.  The grounds include edible gardens. One artist does caricatures; another holds dance classes. Many activities involve children, including big graffiti walls, stencils created by children, and chalk art. There will be a father / daughter show for October. The Alliance buildings will be open during the Chile & Frijole Fest, 5-7 pm on Friday evening, and 10am to 5pm on Saturday and Sunday.

Derrick, who used to be the maker librarian at Rawlings, still lives in Colorado, but now works as an innovative media specialist at the University of Wyoming in Studio Coe, which has creative software and training. Other makerspaces at the University include an easy-to-use recording studio, a student innovation center (run by Jane Crayton who used to live in Pueblo), an engineering WYrkspace, and a makerspace in the library.

On behalf of the Pueblo Human Relations Commission, Gloria told us about the student art contest for art to be used on a calendar. Open to students in categories from elementary through college, the theme is “Esperanza: A Celebration of Hispanic Heritage and Hope,” in conjunction with National Hispanic Heritage Month. The deadline for submissions is 8 October. See the attachment below for more information or email Pueblohrc15@gmail.com.

Gregory announced that there are three talks remaining in The Dig (https://www.facebook.com/thedigspeakeasy). 22 September, Rosina Sonntag on The Ghost Walk; 6 October, Gregory on Marian and Della Nuckols (a film is in the works); and the last (of 15), Regan Foster, CSU-Pueblo professor of journalism who will speak on News as a Community Asset. The recordings are being used in classrooms and The Dig Volume 1 will be a book with transcripts of all the presentations. Gregory is already working on story tellers for next year when he plans to take The Dig on the road into different neighborhoods in Pueblo. Also, on 17 November at Union Depot, Gregory will speak on Tunnels, Brothers, and Bars, Oh, My. $5 for members, $10 for nonmembers.

Jane announced information on two groups:

  • The contact person for Pueblo Write Now is Ledema Renfrow at 544-7918.  The group meets the 1st and 3rd Thursdays.  “We are meeting for this year at Giodone Library because of the remodeling at Rawlings.  We have essayists, poets, and people who write children’s and adult novels.” 
  • Pueblo Poetry Project 4th Wednesday reading, September 22, 7 p.m., Steel City Art Works, 216 S. Union Ave. “Join us. Open mic every month.”

Russ reported that the 11 members of Woodturners participated in a hands-on event during the first weekend of the State Fair, 1st weekend. They did turning for kids and parents. They meet the second Wednesday of every month at IBEW.

Bahaa reported on a new program at CSU-Pueblo, the Discovery Scholars Program, in which new students engage with research work as early as possible. He has 5 engineering students working on a project in artificial intelligence (AI), including the concept, applications, and ethics. He said they are having good discussion and gaining understanding.  Gregory complimented him for including ethics in the discussion of AI. The group discussed how AI can integrate with making and with art. Karen suggested that the Liminal Space gallery could host show about beauty of the programs and other art forms also. Using AI explores ideas of what art is and highlights where art and science intersect. Gregory suggested the area of Augmented Reality.

Jason updated us on the FAME (Federation for Advanced Manufacturing Education, https://www.pueblocc.edu/FAME) chapter; there are 14 students in the program, all placed with industry partners. He hopes to have 2 or 3 more partners next year and they are already recruiting students for fall 2022. They are also restructuring the machining program. They plan to have a program in Automotive Precision Manufacturing within a year.

On 7 October, an event at Blo Back Gallery will be a fundraiser for the Keating remodeling. See https://www.eventbrite.com/e/keating-reimaginedcome-on-home-fundraiser-tickets-175811636337.

Damon Days began last weekend as a celebration of Damon Runyon’s Pueblo. See https://www.facebook.com/damondayspueblo.

Saturday, 9 October will be the 3rd Annual Multicultural Festival, 11 am to 7 pm at Mineral Palace Park. See https://www.facebook.com/events/342809797438739.

The Goodnight Barn will have a Fall Open House, Sunday, 10 October, 11 am to 3 pm, with authentic chuckwagon display, longhorn steers, pumpkins, music, barn photo booth, and tours. The event is free. See https://www.facebook.com/goodnightbarn.  

Ina reported that the Artisan Textile Company will have a tapestry show now for the month of October.

Artist in October. The 4th annual fashion show, on 17 October, will be virtual again. Everything is handmade by a local artist. The ATC emphasis is on traditional fiber arts but has lots of other items. See https://www.facebook.com/ArtisanTextileCo.

15 October is the deadline for this round of grants for individual and companies for Colorado Creative Industries Grants from OEDIT (Office of Economic Development & International Trade. See https://oedit.colorado.gov/colorado-creative-industries. “Creative” can be anything. Cap base don revenues. Gregory said the requirements are very simple and he offered to help.  

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