Welcome! This portion of the site covers work that exists in the space between new media and traditional handcraft. The Projects explore interpersonal connection in the Internet Age as well as the divide between analog and digital technologies. These are not strictly new media endeavors–the projects all feature physical objects made with traditional handcrafts–but they are inspired by, distributed through, and intended to comment upon the Internet and its users.

The Sampler Project (2010, rebooted 2011)

The first denizen of The Projects is The Sampler Project. Started in the summer of 2010, The Sampler Project allows users to send their loved ones the opposite of an instant message. To participate, users request a message from The Sampler Project’s website; the message is then embroidered and sent through the mail to its intended recipient. Samplers can take anywhere from a few weeks to several months to arrive at their intended destination, therefore users are cautioned to choose their words carefully. The Sampler Project is an entirely free service with only two caveats: requested messages must be short (less than 140 characters) and they must be positive.

The Sampler Project
(In case you’re interested, this is the now-defunct beta version.)

The APEO Project (2010)

The APEO Project is a multimedia, multi-platform project about the pervasive creep of digital screen media devices into heretofore media-free areas of our lives. The mission of The APEO Project is to encourage selective disconnection from digital screen media devices by offering users a viable alternative to their gadgets: Analog Personal Entertainment Objects (APEOs for short).

The APEO Project‘s agenda is furthered through the creation of an online community of users, through traveling analog PowerPoint presentations explaining the APEO ethos, and through the sale of APEOs themselves.

The APEO Project website
The APEO Project Etsy shop
The APEO Project analog PowerPoint presentation