September Recap: The Artist’s Code – Tech-inspired Design

Leann BrownOctober 3rd, 2012

Following our summer hiatus, Montreal Girl Geeks came back with a bang, featuring a truly inspiring talk by Taylor Levy, one half of the talented CW&T design team.

Held at RPM, one of our favourite venues, and in the presence of many devoted family members (including both Taylor’s grandmothers: a MTLGG first!) we were taken through Taylor’s creative process, to an amazing space where technology, art and design meet. As she told us about her projects, we cheered at her successes and gasped at recent challenges (some very audible ooooh’s and aaaah’s!)

She started her story at Tisch School of the Arts where Taylor was producing works such as 1Bit 1Hz CPU which was the “simplest possible computer” she could imagine. Then she showed us the beautiful and eclectic design items she and Che-Wei Wang produced initially to fulfil their own functional needs and whimsical wants, including the Blockhead Bike Stem, Circle Hook Light & the Bike Wheelbarrow TV Stand.

From there we were exposed to the equally amazing “stuff [they] do for monies” like helping SeaWorld by creating a game visitors could play via text messaging while they waited for shows to begin.

Finally we embarked on the epic tale of Pen Type-A, a beautiful minimalist pen and one of the most successful Kickstarter projects of all time at 11,279% funded! With this incredible success came some great challenges, a newfound love of lawyers and some valuable life lessons.

Taylor prevails with a positive attitude and generosity of spirit. CW&T continue to make beautiful stuff and we eagerly await the release of their next scooter project… Hello, Dolly!

For more pictures, including great shots from Eva Blue, check out our Facebook album.

Taylor’s Slides: The Artist’s Code – Tech-inspired Design

Follow CW&T to keep up to date on their projects! A selection of tweets from the event are below:

Blog: Montreal Girl Geeks Dinner: Connecting Art, Design & Programming ludost.org/node/197 #mtlggd @cwandt

— Christina Haralanova (@ludost11) September 14, 2012

Blown away by the talk given by Taylor of @cwandt tonight at @rpmmtl. Found it inspiring, but also kind of sad…Thank you @mtlgirlgeeks

— Amanda Durepos (@amandadurepos) September 14, 2012

Awesome wheelbarrow TV @cwandt #MTLggtwitpic.com/auaa4n

— Alex (@molecularcode) September 13, 2012

This is the most amazing pen I’ve ever seen (& touched) #PenTypeA kck.st/pghUTA, hearding ab. it by its inventor @cwandt at #MTLggd

— Christina Haralanova (@ludost11) September 14, 2012

Interesting #mtlgg talk by Taylor @cwandt @rpmmtl. Love the 8bit RGB pixel colour lighttwitpic.com/aua3e6

— Alex (@molecularcode) September 13, 2012

Simplest possible computer by @teejeers #mtlgg instagr.am/p/PiLw6bhMP8/

— Sandy Sidhu (@SandySidhu) September 13, 2012

RT @lieslbarrell: CHEERS from our new third #MTLGG organizer @leannzing !!! cc @sandysidhu@ Brasseur de Montréal instagr.am/p/PiWvAZEL5X/

— Montreal Girl Geeks (@MTLGirlGeeks) September 14, 2012

 

With thanks to our host RPM and our generous sponsor, TELUS Shared Hosting!

 

Tags   Art  Code  CW&T  Design  Eva Blue  Kickstarter  Pen Type-A  RPM  Shamu  Taylor Levy