Monday, 15 January 2018
Thursday, 26 January 2017
#2 Discipline & the Underestimated Power of FOMO
The #LingeringThemes Series
This collection of short thought-pieces looks to explore the lingering themes that knock around the mind of today’s driven + ambitious young women. Offering a measured look at the challenges we try not to struggle with, #LingeringThemes breaks down those points of anxiety by driving a positive, balanced approached to terms like ‘Satisfaction’ and ‘Productivity’.
Women are amazing at making sacrifices: in life, for love, and across all of the wonderfully messy bits in between. From meal plans and gym schedules right through to social decisions, discipline is one of the most demanding and long-standing skills we can develop - and as a mechanism to build strength, its probably incomparable to any other frame of mind. But as we all know, it can come at a price, and honestly, that feeling of missing out in the face of your own pre-determined, disciplined choices can sometimes feel shit.
Although FOMO is one of those quite cringey terms that you’re likely to see knocking around a Gen Z marketing campaign, it does pose a pretty relatable point of view. Fear Of Missing Out (‘FOMO’) is a force that has - at some point - guided us all, and although creative women tend to grow out of its heavy-hitting influence, there’s no doubt that FOMO has shaped our choices at some point or another. Social media is a totally viable example of this. For sure, exploration and discovery are key reasons why we just keep on scrolling, but that initial decision to sign up for an account on day one of your handle can’t not have been informed by a feeling of curiosity, of asking that question “if I don’t, what will I miss?”. Back in the real world, FOMO also drives us to make decisions with this thinking in mind: to make that career move to a new city, or to head to that networking evening straight after work on a Thursday night when really all you want to do is wear grey sweatpants at home and be cosy.
With this in mind, the power of FOMO reveals itself as something not to be underestimated or trifled with. It draws a very fine line between what’s best and what’s better, and let’s be honest: that difference is is rarely clean-cut. But let's not forget how discipline can help.It's exactly that driver to just get on with 'it' that defines our own new mode of discipline: not letting anything - especially not yourself - get in the way of ambition. The ability to action something is also the choice to leave something be: to decide that in fact you really are happy enough in your own company than to spend an evening somewhere (online or offline) that you just don't need to be.
Fear Of Missing Out is a marketing technique that can manipulate our thoughts and desires. But one thing is for certain this year: that in 2017, the definition of discipline in the face of FOMO is in for a renewal.
This collection of short thought-pieces looks to explore the lingering themes that knock around the mind of today’s driven + ambitious young women. Offering a measured look at the challenges we try not to struggle with, #LingeringThemes breaks down those points of anxiety by driving a positive, balanced approached to terms like ‘Satisfaction’ and ‘Productivity’.
#2 Discipline & the Underestimated Power of FOMO
Women are amazing at making sacrifices: in life, for love, and across all of the wonderfully messy bits in between. From meal plans and gym schedules right through to social decisions, discipline is one of the most demanding and long-standing skills we can develop - and as a mechanism to build strength, its probably incomparable to any other frame of mind. But as we all know, it can come at a price, and honestly, that feeling of missing out in the face of your own pre-determined, disciplined choices can sometimes feel shit.
Although FOMO is one of those quite cringey terms that you’re likely to see knocking around a Gen Z marketing campaign, it does pose a pretty relatable point of view. Fear Of Missing Out (‘FOMO’) is a force that has - at some point - guided us all, and although creative women tend to grow out of its heavy-hitting influence, there’s no doubt that FOMO has shaped our choices at some point or another. Social media is a totally viable example of this. For sure, exploration and discovery are key reasons why we just keep on scrolling, but that initial decision to sign up for an account on day one of your handle can’t not have been informed by a feeling of curiosity, of asking that question “if I don’t, what will I miss?”. Back in the real world, FOMO also drives us to make decisions with this thinking in mind: to make that career move to a new city, or to head to that networking evening straight after work on a Thursday night when really all you want to do is wear grey sweatpants at home and be cosy.
With this in mind, the power of FOMO reveals itself as something not to be underestimated or trifled with. It draws a very fine line between what’s best and what’s better, and let’s be honest: that difference is is rarely clean-cut. But let's not forget how discipline can help.It's exactly that driver to just get on with 'it' that defines our own new mode of discipline: not letting anything - especially not yourself - get in the way of ambition. The ability to action something is also the choice to leave something be: to decide that in fact you really are happy enough in your own company than to spend an evening somewhere (online or offline) that you just don't need to be.
Fear Of Missing Out is a marketing technique that can manipulate our thoughts and desires. But one thing is for certain this year: that in 2017, the definition of discipline in the face of FOMO is in for a renewal.
Friday, 6 January 2017
#1 Pastel Pink, Sparkling and Massive: In Praise of Possibility
The #LingeringThemes Series
This collection of short thought-pieces looks to explore the lingering themes that knock around the mind of today’s driven + ambitious young women. Offering a measured look at the challenges we try not to struggle with, #LingeringThemes breaks down those points of anxiety by driving a positive, balanced approached to terms like ‘Satisfaction’ and ‘Productivity’.
Annoyingly, the cliches that surround our lives as young women ring around and around again in my mind. Those present concerns that affect my choices probably affect yours too: from reacting to the daily news on the tube each morning right down to the styles we adopt as we dress, being a driven female comes with a certain set of themes and outtakes that most of us share. As a collective, the ways that we empower and guide ourselves shine through every decision we make - but in particular, overcoming a lack of direction can be insanely exhausting in a world of infinite possibility. Suddenly, those annoying cliches can offer a sense of structured security to our lives, rather than standing as a narrative to overcome.
Something like balancing relationships and careers is one such recurring challenge that many of us (try not to) struggle with - but beyond all that, it’s this idea of possibility that drives us. Amidst the pastel-pink hues of the creative industries around the world, there really is nothing we cannot do. Start your own company? In reality, that’s actually not too difficult. Have your voice heard by thousands of like-minded people? Post from one of your preferred online channels. Fly off to discover your dream location on a whim? I’ve got this theory that you can get to pretty much anywhere in the world for £600 if you look hard enough for flights. Never before have young women like us had this much possibility to play with - so who can blame us for occasionally struggling to know what to do with it all.
The bizarre sense of guilt I feel when inspiration escapes me in the face of this opportunity is awful - and really difficult to negotiate. We work hard to score achievements along the timeline of our careers: highlights shine in our memories and serve as building blocks for future milestones. But coming out of one project, one role, one journey or even one relationship can throw us back out into that massive, sparkling world of possibility without giving any direction on which route to take next. The things we thought we valued might not carry the same momentum in our lives anymore, and the things we thought we wanted might be overshadowed by other goals - potentially outside of our chosen careers. The volatility of our planet and the happenings within it right now are already starting to affect the decisions of women everywhere in 2017, but it’s revealing a stunning opportunity to embrace your passions, trust your gut and take whatever path calls your name the loudest - with no room for regrets.
Carving out a path for yourself in life is an attribute that some women are just born with and a skill that others - potentially without meaning to - craft over time. Some of us straight-up never feel the need to plan the journey at all - but for absolutely everyone, possibility is a privilege, and to explore it each day must take priority. Especially if it ends up leading you to places you never planned on going.
This collection of short thought-pieces looks to explore the lingering themes that knock around the mind of today’s driven + ambitious young women. Offering a measured look at the challenges we try not to struggle with, #LingeringThemes breaks down those points of anxiety by driving a positive, balanced approached to terms like ‘Satisfaction’ and ‘Productivity’.
#1 Pastel Pink, Sparkling and Massive: In Praise of Possibility
Annoyingly, the cliches that surround our lives as young women ring around and around again in my mind. Those present concerns that affect my choices probably affect yours too: from reacting to the daily news on the tube each morning right down to the styles we adopt as we dress, being a driven female comes with a certain set of themes and outtakes that most of us share. As a collective, the ways that we empower and guide ourselves shine through every decision we make - but in particular, overcoming a lack of direction can be insanely exhausting in a world of infinite possibility. Suddenly, those annoying cliches can offer a sense of structured security to our lives, rather than standing as a narrative to overcome.
Something like balancing relationships and careers is one such recurring challenge that many of us (try not to) struggle with - but beyond all that, it’s this idea of possibility that drives us. Amidst the pastel-pink hues of the creative industries around the world, there really is nothing we cannot do. Start your own company? In reality, that’s actually not too difficult. Have your voice heard by thousands of like-minded people? Post from one of your preferred online channels. Fly off to discover your dream location on a whim? I’ve got this theory that you can get to pretty much anywhere in the world for £600 if you look hard enough for flights. Never before have young women like us had this much possibility to play with - so who can blame us for occasionally struggling to know what to do with it all.
The bizarre sense of guilt I feel when inspiration escapes me in the face of this opportunity is awful - and really difficult to negotiate. We work hard to score achievements along the timeline of our careers: highlights shine in our memories and serve as building blocks for future milestones. But coming out of one project, one role, one journey or even one relationship can throw us back out into that massive, sparkling world of possibility without giving any direction on which route to take next. The things we thought we valued might not carry the same momentum in our lives anymore, and the things we thought we wanted might be overshadowed by other goals - potentially outside of our chosen careers. The volatility of our planet and the happenings within it right now are already starting to affect the decisions of women everywhere in 2017, but it’s revealing a stunning opportunity to embrace your passions, trust your gut and take whatever path calls your name the loudest - with no room for regrets.
Carving out a path for yourself in life is an attribute that some women are just born with and a skill that others - potentially without meaning to - craft over time. Some of us straight-up never feel the need to plan the journey at all - but for absolutely everyone, possibility is a privilege, and to explore it each day must take priority. Especially if it ends up leading you to places you never planned on going.
Tuesday, 3 January 2017
New Location: Back in London!
Right then - starting 2017 with another move: I'm back in London!
After a year of working freelance while traveling, I've taken an opportunity back in the UK's capital to settle down and get my head into the fashion + tech scene in London. I'll be producing a series of of major international Summits for Decoded Fashion (full time). Can't wait!
After a year of working freelance while traveling, I've taken an opportunity back in the UK's capital to settle down and get my head into the fashion + tech scene in London. I'll be producing a series of of major international Summits for Decoded Fashion (full time). Can't wait!
Tuesday, 19 July 2016
New Location: Noosa, Australia
In keeping with my plan for a productive year of traveling and working, I've moved to a new base location for the next few months - and I'm so happy here!
Noosa is a small town on the East Coast of Australia, about two hours North of Brisbane in Queensland. I'm here on a working holiday visa and continuing my freelance writing and production work from this stunning coastal town.
I'm currently working on projects in Singapore and London - so please do get in touch if you think I can help with any upcoming ideas.
Noosa is a small town on the East Coast of Australia, about two hours North of Brisbane in Queensland. I'm here on a working holiday visa and continuing my freelance writing and production work from this stunning coastal town.
I'm currently working on projects in Singapore and London - so please do get in touch if you think I can help with any upcoming ideas.
Friday, 27 May 2016
Decoded Fashion London Summit 2016
I’m back in the UK, and am delighted to have supported an event that I’ve been following since its creation in 2012: Decoded Fashion.
On my first summer in London directly after graduation, I discovered a fantastic side to the city that doubtlessly fuelled my career along with the passion I have for it. First Thursdays: or as I saw it back then, an opportunity to drink free wine in nice locations whilst practicing my mingling skills. Needless to say, the events themselves – often informal, tech-city style MeetUps – taught me a great deal about what I was actually interested in, along with what makes a good event.
One particularly fantastic MeetUp I attended that summer (2013) was one run by Decoded Fashion. The brand, previously run by the kick-ass Liz Bacelar and now owned and directed by Stylus, produce major international Fashion Technology conferences, but a few years ago were much more low-key. We met in a venue on brick lane and talked about the technology that was changing the London fashion scene at the time (I distinctly remember a presentation from Chirp.io), and I thought it was the coolest group of female bosses ever in one room.
Last week however, I was delighted to support pre-event and on-site at Decoded Fashion London Summit 2016, held at the familiar location of Kings Place, Kings Cross. Over two days (May 16 – 17), the 400-delegate strong conference provided and developed a fascinating conversation between start-ups, major fashion brands and technologists, through a shared discourse of the future of fashion through technology.
A particular highlight for me was the Mentorship Hub space (which I was managing on-site), within which delegates could schedule meetings with high-profile tech execs from a variety of successful brands. The generosity of knowledge along with the guidance shared was very inspiring, and this paired with the (insanely good) content on the main stage was an incredible combo.
I was also very pleased (!) to be invited to the Decoded Fashion Awards evening at LSO St Luke’s, which followed the event. It was a stunning evening with a three-course dinner along with some fantastic socialising. Follow the link below for information on all the categories and winners: http://blog.decodedfashion.com/stories/the-fashion-futures-award-winners-2016-0
Working with the Decoded team was an amazing experience. The girls are fantastic, and the content delivery and relevance of their work has absolutely blown me away. Many thanks to all involved, and I hope to work with you again very soon!
Highlights form Decoded London Summit 2016: https://www.flickr.com/photos/decodedfashion/sets/72157668445244731
I'm currently taking commissions as a Freelance Producer for any kind of international conference event. Please do let me know if you think I could help pre-show or on-site at your event: faith.robinson@hotmail.co.uk
Thursday, 26 May 2016
Virtual Reality: engaging with a new medium
Regardless of how different the processes involved are, the impact that all kinds of emerging technologies are having on a number of sectors create similar kinds of disruption.
I've recently been commissioned to carry out some extensive content research looking into the world of Virtual Reality - and have been fascinated by the parallels I've found between this industry and that of 3D printing. The supposed incoming revolution that Virtual Reality (VR) poses to an international array of individuals, companies and industries alike looks set to change the way the that people interact with one another - in what could be a very essential way. The immersive experience of being instantly taken to a virtual environment bridges geographical gaps the world over. For example - rather than traveling to another country for a meeting, conference or event, the introduction of VR allows users to very realistically 'feel' that experience - potentially from their own living room sofa or office desk.
The implications of this major shift in inter-human relations could be huge, and I'm excited to follow the development of this Digital Humanities issue. Like with all emerging tech, VR needs to become both relevant and affordable to a very large group of people before it becomes 'mainstream' - however, one crucial aspect of the tech is that the gaming industry stands as a perfect access point to it. Personal VR devices are already becoming popular for dedicated gaming enthusiasts, and as the price of the hardware drops over the coming months and years, who knows what applications Virtual Reality could introduce.
Check out 2017's inaugural London edition of The Virtual Reality Show: an event which I've been working on for the last few months in terms of content production, trend research and conference agenda curation.
http://www.virtualrealityshow.co.uk/
I've recently been commissioned to carry out some extensive content research looking into the world of Virtual Reality - and have been fascinated by the parallels I've found between this industry and that of 3D printing. The supposed incoming revolution that Virtual Reality (VR) poses to an international array of individuals, companies and industries alike looks set to change the way the that people interact with one another - in what could be a very essential way. The immersive experience of being instantly taken to a virtual environment bridges geographical gaps the world over. For example - rather than traveling to another country for a meeting, conference or event, the introduction of VR allows users to very realistically 'feel' that experience - potentially from their own living room sofa or office desk.
The implications of this major shift in inter-human relations could be huge, and I'm excited to follow the development of this Digital Humanities issue. Like with all emerging tech, VR needs to become both relevant and affordable to a very large group of people before it becomes 'mainstream' - however, one crucial aspect of the tech is that the gaming industry stands as a perfect access point to it. Personal VR devices are already becoming popular for dedicated gaming enthusiasts, and as the price of the hardware drops over the coming months and years, who knows what applications Virtual Reality could introduce.
Check out 2017's inaugural London edition of The Virtual Reality Show: an event which I've been working on for the last few months in terms of content production, trend research and conference agenda curation.
http://www.virtualrealityshow.co.uk/
Sunday, 7 February 2016
3D Printing: The Future is Now for FACT
FACT (Foundation for Art and Creative Technology) is the UK's leading media arts centre, based in Liverpool - and is an institution that I've long been interested in. Despite having never visited, I was happy to be invited to write a guest blog post about 3D printing in sync with their most recent exhibition: 'Build Your Own: Tools for Sharing', as part of DoESLiverpool's DesktopProsthetics project.
In this short thought-piece, I embark upon the challenge of briefly explaining what 3D printing technology actually is / does, along with a short investigation into how it is meaningfully being used in the Arts. Technology has almost always played a part in contemporary sculpture, and I attempt to extend that tradition by introducing 3D printing as (simply) a new medium with which artists are exploring their practice, in addition to standing as a tool for desktop makers:
http://www.fact.co.uk/news-articles/2015/11/3d-printing-the-future-is-now.aspx
In this short thought-piece, I embark upon the challenge of briefly explaining what 3D printing technology actually is / does, along with a short investigation into how it is meaningfully being used in the Arts. Technology has almost always played a part in contemporary sculpture, and I attempt to extend that tradition by introducing 3D printing as (simply) a new medium with which artists are exploring their practice, in addition to standing as a tool for desktop makers:
http://www.fact.co.uk/news-articles/2015/11/3d-printing-the-future-is-now.aspx
All3DP: Company Profiling
Despite having worked in the 3D printing industry for a number of years, my latest commission challenged me in a rather unfamiliar way. My work has always focused on the curatorial, creative and investigative side of how additive manufacture is being used - but lately, I've been focusing on the industry itself, and which companies around the world are shaping it.
After jumping into the (slightly daunting) world of freelance, I was delighted to be approached by All3DP to create some really important content for the site. Based in Germany, the industry blog investigates the technology as well as the latest news and updates from the world of 3D printing - and over the last few weeks, I've been profiling the most relevant companies that are helping shape this space.
With facts as well as explanations of what each company delivers and specializes in, feel free to jump on board at All3DP to learn more about which companies you need to know about in order to navigate this exciting industry.
https://all3dp.com/
After jumping into the (slightly daunting) world of freelance, I was delighted to be approached by All3DP to create some really important content for the site. Based in Germany, the industry blog investigates the technology as well as the latest news and updates from the world of 3D printing - and over the last few weeks, I've been profiling the most relevant companies that are helping shape this space.
With facts as well as explanations of what each company delivers and specializes in, feel free to jump on board at All3DP to learn more about which companies you need to know about in order to navigate this exciting industry.
https://all3dp.com/
Sunday, 29 November 2015
New Location: Japan
After spending the past few
years working on a series of international events from my base just
outside London, I'm delighted to be setting up a new, nomadic life for
myself over on the other side of the world for a few months: Japan.
The experience of working temporarily within a number of different countries (UK, USA, France, Germany, Spain, UAE) over the last few months has hugely shaped both my interests and my perspective - along with my desire to experience a more varied range of cultural understanding. Knowledge sharing is a beautiful way to transcend barriers between people, and from the (translated) conferences, exhibitions and events I've produced so far in my career, what I've come to love more and more is witnessing connections being made between individuals, industries and cultures.
Moving to Japan has not been a difficult decision for me. I have been desperate to experience life and work beyond my own culture for a while now: America and Europe offer a stunning variation of ideas and approaches to art and technology, but it was the mild culture-shock of working in the UAE last month that helped me confirm my decision to cut ties with the UK for a while and leave in search of (my understanding of) stranger places.
I'll be spending the first few months of my Japanese adventure based on the Northern island of Hokkaido - where I will be indulging in one of my real, physical passions in life: powder skiing. From here, I'll be writing freelance while I continue my research into some of Japan's most interesting art/tech institutes - whether that be innovative companies in Tokyo, or arts museums / galleries / bodies elsewhere. I hope to find out more about Japan's arts and academic communities (especially in terms of Digital Humanities), in addition to grappling with the language as much as I can.
All ideas are welcome at this point, so if there's any way I could help with your project, then please do not hesitate to let me know. Please feel free to check up on my personal blog for more posts relating to my travels - and the interesting art, tech and design that I find along the way.
Monday, 23 November 2015
Ze illest Skejdaz
I've moved to Japan!
I'm having a bit of a break from the 9 - 5 to indulge in another of my passions in life: skiing!
Keep up with my other world on my other blog: http://zeillestskejdaz.tumblr.com/ - it's going to be beautiful!
In the meantime, I'm still working on a freelance basis with editorial work specific to the 3D printing industry. If there's any way I can support your business, then please do get in touch with me via email as I'm always interested in collaborations.
I'm having a bit of a break from the 9 - 5 to indulge in another of my passions in life: skiing!
Keep up with my other world on my other blog: http://zeillestskejdaz.tumblr.com/ - it's going to be beautiful!
In the meantime, I'm still working on a freelance basis with editorial work specific to the 3D printing industry. If there's any way I can support your business, then please do get in touch with me via email as I'm always interested in collaborations.
Sunday, 22 November 2015
Dubai: Hungry for New Technology
Last week I returned from my first trip to Dubai to support the Management team producing one of the largest events I've ever been a part of: The Dubai Airshow. This exhibition has a strong history, and stands as one of the many jewels in the Sheik's crown when it comes to national pride, engineering prowess, and of course, the ability to showcase wealth.
3D printing plays a (currently) minimal part in the Aerospace industry, but looks to transform the way that people build all kinds of machines - including aircraft. Now, what's important to outline is that I am not professionally interested in the aerospace industry - but I was thrilled to have the experience of working in the UAE amongst some amazingly forward-thinking technologists.
In terms of interest in the tech, I was surprised by how few people attended the conference tracks that I had created. Curated towards the Engineering / Aerospace professional, it seemed as though attendees either already knew all about the topic, or knew and cared very little for a discussion of 3D printing. In all honestly, I was disappointed by how little interest was shown, but I was fascinated to learn more about Dubai's attitude towards innovation and new technology in generally: it's basically very, very important to them. One other huge benefit of the trip was that I was invited to the Gala Dinner for the event on its closing night - which consisted of a huge silver service, black tie party for 2,500 guests at the Palm, Atlantis, with none other than Katy Perry as the evening entertainment. If that's not the height of UAE hosting, then I don't know what is.
3D printing plays a (currently) minimal part in the Aerospace industry, but looks to transform the way that people build all kinds of machines - including aircraft. Now, what's important to outline is that I am not professionally interested in the aerospace industry - but I was thrilled to have the experience of working in the UAE amongst some amazingly forward-thinking technologists.
In terms of interest in the tech, I was surprised by how few people attended the conference tracks that I had created. Curated towards the Engineering / Aerospace professional, it seemed as though attendees either already knew all about the topic, or knew and cared very little for a discussion of 3D printing. In all honestly, I was disappointed by how little interest was shown, but I was fascinated to learn more about Dubai's attitude towards innovation and new technology in generally: it's basically very, very important to them. One other huge benefit of the trip was that I was invited to the Gala Dinner for the event on its closing night - which consisted of a huge silver service, black tie party for 2,500 guests at the Palm, Atlantis, with none other than Katy Perry as the evening entertainment. If that's not the height of UAE hosting, then I don't know what is.
Monday, 16 November 2015
Goodbye to 3D Printshow from me
After an incredible experience working full time for nearly two and half years (directly after graduation), I'm finally saying goodbye to 3D Printshow.
I wrote a post on Linkedin about my thoughts and experiences - which has had an overwhelming reaction. Please feel free to have a read via the link below:
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/3d-printshow-unforgettable-journey-faith-robinson?trk=prof-post
I can't quite believe it! It's been an absolute pleasure working with this community all around the world - and from our flagship events in London, right through to our European, American and UAE shows, the people I have met and worked with have been consisently wonderful.
The generosity of knowledge, along with a genuine excitement and passion for progressing this world-changing industry continues to make our community a very special place. I feel privaleged to have taken this journey with so many of you: the established and start-up companies whose businesses have grown in sync with our event; the artists and fashion designers who have continued to create more and more stunning 3D printed work since I first met you as an intern here; the press and journalists who continue to drive public excitement for the tech; and of course, the attendees and delegates who always inspired me with their enthusiasm to learn as much as possible within my conference tracks. In addition to all of this, I'm lucky enough to have been heavily involved in creating Disruptive Magazine - with a team of exceptionally experienced individuals. This was and still is a dream come true.
For me, the focus of my work has always been to create a platform for 3D printing as a way to educate, inspire and innovate. As curator, I do not physically produce anything - I still find it difficult to get my head around CAD programs, materials as well as the specifics of the hardware. Yet I feel as though I have contributed to a very special industry, and I hope the relationships (business and otherwise) that so many of you have found at 3D Printshow continue to produce brilliant ideas and products for many years to come.
There's still a lot more coming from the 3D Printshow team in the next few weeks (along with a very special new event structure and image for 2016), so keep your eyes out.
In the meantime, I'll be working freelance on a range of relevent production, content and editorial projects in and around the 3D printing industry - whilst ticking off a few exciting destinations from my bucket list on the way. I'd be delighted to hear from you if you have any ideas about how we could work together, and wherever in the world you happen to be based, it would be my pleasure to connect and potentially collaborate.
So finally: thank you to everyone who has made my experience within the 3D printing community so special. It truly has been an unforgettable journey, and I can't wait to see what we all achieve next.
Follow me on twitter to keep in touch: @faith__robinson - and if you've enjoyed working with me, then please feel free to write a reference / endorse me on my Linkedin profile.
I wrote a post on Linkedin about my thoughts and experiences - which has had an overwhelming reaction. Please feel free to have a read via the link below:
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/3d-printshow-unforgettable-journey-faith-robinson?trk=prof-post
After more than two and a half years, today marks my last day as Content Curator for international tech event, 3D Printshow.
I can't quite believe it! It's been an absolute pleasure working with this community all around the world - and from our flagship events in London, right through to our European, American and UAE shows, the people I have met and worked with have been consisently wonderful.
The generosity of knowledge, along with a genuine excitement and passion for progressing this world-changing industry continues to make our community a very special place. I feel privaleged to have taken this journey with so many of you: the established and start-up companies whose businesses have grown in sync with our event; the artists and fashion designers who have continued to create more and more stunning 3D printed work since I first met you as an intern here; the press and journalists who continue to drive public excitement for the tech; and of course, the attendees and delegates who always inspired me with their enthusiasm to learn as much as possible within my conference tracks. In addition to all of this, I'm lucky enough to have been heavily involved in creating Disruptive Magazine - with a team of exceptionally experienced individuals. This was and still is a dream come true.
For me, the focus of my work has always been to create a platform for 3D printing as a way to educate, inspire and innovate. As curator, I do not physically produce anything - I still find it difficult to get my head around CAD programs, materials as well as the specifics of the hardware. Yet I feel as though I have contributed to a very special industry, and I hope the relationships (business and otherwise) that so many of you have found at 3D Printshow continue to produce brilliant ideas and products for many years to come.
There's still a lot more coming from the 3D Printshow team in the next few weeks (along with a very special new event structure and image for 2016), so keep your eyes out.
In the meantime, I'll be working freelance on a range of relevent production, content and editorial projects in and around the 3D printing industry - whilst ticking off a few exciting destinations from my bucket list on the way. I'd be delighted to hear from you if you have any ideas about how we could work together, and wherever in the world you happen to be based, it would be my pleasure to connect and potentially collaborate.
So finally: thank you to everyone who has made my experience within the 3D printing community so special. It truly has been an unforgettable journey, and I can't wait to see what we all achieve next.
Follow me on twitter to keep in touch: @faith__robinson - and if you've enjoyed working with me, then please feel free to write a reference / endorse me on my Linkedin profile.
Monday, 2 November 2015
3D Printing in Paris
My third annual trip to Paris to produce a platform for creativity and education at Le Carrousel du Louvre went just as well as expected. Within the context of culture and heritage that is the museum itself, I was delighted to put together another five conference tracks over two days, which hosted presentations and panel discussions about 3D printing for numerous sectors.
My role at 3D Printshow requires me to produce sessions exploring topics like Industry and Healthcare - but for me, the opportunity to create a Design track was the highlight of my work. In order to focus on a France / European 3D printing community, I was thrilled to work once again with Arthur Mamou-Mani, fresh back from California on a school trip to Burning Man, along with the inspiring individual that is Patrick Baudisch from Germany's prestigious Hasso-Plattner Institute. Seperately, their investigations - both in a design and an academic sense - into 3D printing for modular and conceptual design are stunningly beuatiful, and I'm convinced that they are leading this area of innnovation towards some incredible results.
Creating platforms for discussion and knowledge sharing is a huge passion of mine, and at Paris this year, I certainly felt a few "wow" moments in which I knew I'd created an extremely special moment of conversation. I was especially proud of the event, and look forward to my next (and final!) job for 3D Printshow in Dubai a little later this month.
My role at 3D Printshow requires me to produce sessions exploring topics like Industry and Healthcare - but for me, the opportunity to create a Design track was the highlight of my work. In order to focus on a France / European 3D printing community, I was thrilled to work once again with Arthur Mamou-Mani, fresh back from California on a school trip to Burning Man, along with the inspiring individual that is Patrick Baudisch from Germany's prestigious Hasso-Plattner Institute. Seperately, their investigations - both in a design and an academic sense - into 3D printing for modular and conceptual design are stunningly beuatiful, and I'm convinced that they are leading this area of innnovation towards some incredible results.
Creating platforms for discussion and knowledge sharing is a huge passion of mine, and at Paris this year, I certainly felt a few "wow" moments in which I knew I'd created an extremely special moment of conversation. I was especially proud of the event, and look forward to my next (and final!) job for 3D Printshow in Dubai a little later this month.
Thursday, 29 October 2015
Textile Futures: article for SURFACE ZINE
Super happy to contribute a short piece about 3D printing for textile futures in last months inaugural issue of Surface Zine.
With a love of all things fluffy / shiny / colourful, the collective's aesthetic focuses on a post-internet yet critically tangible mixture of sculptural art and fashion - which perfectly suited my interest in the contemporary use of 3D printing for textile development.
The girls have got an ever-growing intsagram following - so be sure to visit them at @surfacezine for some beautiful delights on your daily feed.
See the little article below (PDF). Unfortuntely, the team picked a slightly irrelevent image to support the work (that garment is NOT 3D printed!), but I'm still really happy to see my work printed in such an awesome indepenednt zine. Good luck to the team behind it, and I hope their work continues!
Pick up your copy via the link below:
http://www.surfacezine.bigcartel.com/
With a love of all things fluffy / shiny / colourful, the collective's aesthetic focuses on a post-internet yet critically tangible mixture of sculptural art and fashion - which perfectly suited my interest in the contemporary use of 3D printing for textile development.
The girls have got an ever-growing intsagram following - so be sure to visit them at @surfacezine for some beautiful delights on your daily feed.
See the little article below (PDF). Unfortuntely, the team picked a slightly irrelevent image to support the work (that garment is NOT 3D printed!), but I'm still really happy to see my work printed in such an awesome indepenednt zine. Good luck to the team behind it, and I hope their work continues!
Pick up your copy via the link below:
http://www.surfacezine.bigcartel.com/
Thursday, 22 October 2015
Expo 15: Careers in the Arts
I was delighted yesterday to make my way up to Leeds to contribute to Expo 15: A careers event organised by the University of Leeeds across a number of different subjects and University schools.
After having immensely enjoyed my time in the city within the School of Fine Art, History of Art and Cultural Studies, I was more than happy to take a day off work to give a presentation about my story to a group of really enthusiastic (and really cool) freshers - all of whom were desperate to start gaining experience now to make them as employable as possible in the future.
I was asked to discuss my role at 3D Printshow in sync with my degree (History of Art) and the work experience / internships that I engaged with during my time as an undergraduate at the uni - and it was a brilliant experience. Working in the 3D printing industry has given me the opportunity to travel the world and work with an extremely varied collection of individuals, and it was only when I began explaining what I do and how I got to doing it that I realised how lucky I have been.
I then took part in a really interactive panel discussion about what it means to be employable - including questions from the audience about how to tweak your CV, how to get that first internship, and where to look for opportunities and funding. I was seriously impressed not only by the outgoing way in which this group of 18 year olds were engaging with what I was saying, but it was also great to see so many young people taking the initiative to really work out how they were going to realise their project ideas. I would never have even attended such an event as a fresher - so its clear that the culture is really changing in terms of young people knowing how hard it will be for them to find work after graduation.
I left feeling inspired, and happy to have encouraged some younger students to continue pursuing their goals - and it was great being back in Leeds.
I stopped by two of my favourite museums spaces on my way back to the station: The Henry Moore Institute and Leeds Art Gallery. Catching up on the city's incredible scene is always a pleasure - and I was delighted in particular by touring exhibition British Art Show 8, which was presenting some very strange and interesting work. The highlight for me was a 1 hour video by Rachel Maclean - I had never seen anything like it (also, kudos to Leeds Art Museum for some excellent curation and some daring wall-painting in the galleries themselves). What a great city!
http://britishartshow8.com/artists
Monday, 5 October 2015
3D Printing + California: Highlights
Feeling immediately fabulous on my return - and dropping the "..just
back from LA" card whenever and wherever possible - a trip to California
to produce the seventh 3D Printshow event of the year provided me with
an incredible opportunity to connect with some of America's leading 3D
printing innovators. I put together three seperate conference tracks
exploring Business, Contemporary Making, and Design, in addition to
writing another feature piece for Disruptive Magazine and exhibiting a small collection of 3D printed fashion pieces.
- - -
Julia Koerner
After a long online friendship (after writing about her work for a number of different publications), I finally got to meet Julia Koerner in LA, as she lead the keynote presentation within my Design program. Julia is not only a wonderful and fantastically accomplished young woman, but her stunning work is arguably leading the way in terms of 3D printed haute couture. She has produced 3D printed elements and designs for both Iris van Herpen and more recently, Chanel, and her experience and understanding of the material and it's design constraints are seriously impressive.
Anouk Wipprecht
Another incredible female innovator that I was so delighted to finally meet was Anouk Wipprecht - who is building the future of fashion through A.I, microcontrollers and 3D printing. Email comms between Anouk and myself have been going on for (literally) years, so it was amazing to hang out at long last. Anouk contributed to a seriously fantastic panel discussion which explored how 3D printing is implementing and changing not only designed products, but the design process itself - and her insights were invaluable.
Behnaz Farahi
This young designer is fairly new to the 3D printing scene, but Behnaz Farahi's recent artist residency at Autodesk's Pier 9 program has driven some incredible work, which I was delighted to exhibit in California. The piece in question, named the "Caress of the Gaze", is literally reactionary, and the texture at play within the piece absolutely fascinated visitors to our event.
Nervous System
This is another design collective that I've not only been working with for sometime, but one that I've also really admired. Although Jessica Rozenkratz (from Nervous System) was not present at our event, I was really happy to show and interact with a print of the Kinematics Dress - the garment which was recenty acquired and exhibted by the MoMA. After initially meeting Nervous System in New York a few years ago when I was curating their work into the city's first 3D printed Fashion Show, it's been amaizng to see how far they've come.
- - -
Working in this industry allows me to interact with some amazing individuals who aren't only interested in fashion and seasonal aesthetic, but who are driving the industry forward by innovating and suggesting some incredible fashion futures. Personally, it is a privaledge to research, co-ordinate and write about their content, and I look forward to more and more people around the world appreciating the incredible work that they are all doing.
Next up, I'm in Paris and then Amsterdam later this month, followed by a trip to Dubai to produce my first UAE event. As always, I'll be documenting my experiences on the blog, so don't forget to check back in soon.
- - -
- - -
Julia Koerner
After a long online friendship (after writing about her work for a number of different publications), I finally got to meet Julia Koerner in LA, as she lead the keynote presentation within my Design program. Julia is not only a wonderful and fantastically accomplished young woman, but her stunning work is arguably leading the way in terms of 3D printed haute couture. She has produced 3D printed elements and designs for both Iris van Herpen and more recently, Chanel, and her experience and understanding of the material and it's design constraints are seriously impressive.
Anouk Wipprecht
Another incredible female innovator that I was so delighted to finally meet was Anouk Wipprecht - who is building the future of fashion through A.I, microcontrollers and 3D printing. Email comms between Anouk and myself have been going on for (literally) years, so it was amazing to hang out at long last. Anouk contributed to a seriously fantastic panel discussion which explored how 3D printing is implementing and changing not only designed products, but the design process itself - and her insights were invaluable.
Behnaz Farahi
This young designer is fairly new to the 3D printing scene, but Behnaz Farahi's recent artist residency at Autodesk's Pier 9 program has driven some incredible work, which I was delighted to exhibit in California. The piece in question, named the "Caress of the Gaze", is literally reactionary, and the texture at play within the piece absolutely fascinated visitors to our event.
Nervous System
This is another design collective that I've not only been working with for sometime, but one that I've also really admired. Although Jessica Rozenkratz (from Nervous System) was not present at our event, I was really happy to show and interact with a print of the Kinematics Dress - the garment which was recenty acquired and exhibted by the MoMA. After initially meeting Nervous System in New York a few years ago when I was curating their work into the city's first 3D printed Fashion Show, it's been amaizng to see how far they've come.
- - -
Working in this industry allows me to interact with some amazing individuals who aren't only interested in fashion and seasonal aesthetic, but who are driving the industry forward by innovating and suggesting some incredible fashion futures. Personally, it is a privaledge to research, co-ordinate and write about their content, and I look forward to more and more people around the world appreciating the incredible work that they are all doing.
Next up, I'm in Paris and then Amsterdam later this month, followed by a trip to Dubai to produce my first UAE event. As always, I'll be documenting my experiences on the blog, so don't forget to check back in soon.
- - -
Build day one at 3D Printshow California
"Caress of the Gaze" by Behnaz Farahi
"Kinematics Dress" by Nervous Sytem
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