The Joy of Making
By Kristin Brynteson
Last weekend I was cleaning out my attic. Like anyone who gets lost in a deep clean of an often-unused space, I rediscovered a ton of items I hadn’t thought about in a long time. Namely, a variety of art and crafting supplies from projects from long ago. There were jewelry making supplies, glass etching compound, polymer clay, my old soldering iron, and so many bits or pieces of projects and creative experiments. Searching through each box or digging into each bin was like opening a gift or reconnecting with an old friend. I started pulling out supplies and trying new things. Right there surrounded by me cleaning chaos. Instead of cleaning and organizing, my attic became a staging area for projects to be. I now have a long list of things to make and ideas to try. Have you been there? If you are reading this and nodding along then you get it. You recognize the signs of what’s happening. This is common behavior for a Maker, and you are or know someone who is a Maker. As you might have guessed, I am a Maker.
For those of you who may not be familiar with the mind of a Maker, and are still wondering why my attic is not yet cleaned, let me explain. Makers create. We tinker and hack, invent and try, do and dream. Makers have a certain mindset or approach to life. We have a driving need to create and little fear of failing in our creative endeavors. In fact, a failed project can be just as exciting as a successful one. We want to work with our hands to explore ideas through tools and supplies and are happiest when our hands are involved in building. But, creating alone does not a Maker make. We Makers also love to share, give and learn. If you have a Maker in your life, I am positive, you have something they made. We find joy not only in the process of building but also in sharing what we make and how we made it. Projects, ideas and skills are the currency of the Maker community. We give what we make freely and love to teach others how to do it so they can also enjoy the process of making.
The Maker community is a fun community. You will find them everywhere. Even here at NIU, we have a student Maker Club. During October, the club gathered weekly to learn new techniques in costume design. We built wearable items out of EVA foam. We taught each other painting techniques and ways to add lighting to our costumes. The month ended with a showcase of fun creative costumes and explained in detail how they were made. Future meetings will be packed full of a wide variety of projects and learning. Everything from crocheting to glass etching to constructing with cardboard and electronics.
But why do Makers make things? For me, the drive to make comes from a desire to explore and try new things. I love the challenge. It keeps my brain engaged and happy. Learning an new skill that I can put to use in a new project is exciting and fun. I also like to see the looks on people’s faces when I give them a gift that I made. I was interested in why others who see themselves as makers and make things. So, I asked a couple of the NIU Maker club members why they create things. Gunner told me, ”I love the process of taking an idea from concept to reality, transforming it into something I can hold in my hands and use in my daily life. Each project I undertake is a journey that challenges my creativity and problem-solving skills. The deep sense of accomplishment I feel when I succeed is what keeps me passionate about making things.” Chris, the president and founder of the club stated, “I feel that being a maker can help me in the future by giving me a hobby that I can enjoy… it doesn’t have to be expensive but can still give me things that I can enjoy looking at or even things that I can give to other people that they can enjoy having.”
I also asked Chris why he wanted to start the maker Club. For him, it was about both the building of things and the building of a community. ” I always like making things out of different mediums and I wanted a club where I would be able to do that. I always liked making physical objects and as an engineering student I wanted to take some of my skills and combine it with those of other majors such as art or theater or those who are just passionate.” Besides making things with wood, he said he really enjoys making communities. His hope for the Maker Club is, “to create a space where people can come together over the joys of making stuff.”
That is really the idea with the Maker Movement. Building a community around the building. It really doesn’t matter what we are building as long as we are building and have others to share it with and teach. If this appeals to you but you have never made anything, it is never too late to start. The best way to become a maker is to just make something. That is also the best way to encourage the younger generation of makers. Give them room to make and build. I think the reason I love making today is because I spent my childhood building things. I was inspired by watching my dad tinker with cars and electronics and my mom doing any craft she could from sewing to cooking to woodworking. I watched my parents enjoy it and I wanted to make things too.
So, get out there and pick up a hammer or a crochet hook or a soldering iron and make something amazing, or maybe not so amazing but make it anyway! Find others who enjoy it and go make things together. You, and your community, will be better for it.
