A futuristic butterfly

Once every month, Buffalo Lab holds a craft workshop. The goal of these workshops is to learn a new skill or create something interesting with a small commitment of a $5 donation and two hours of time. We welcome all levels of skill. The idea is to get an economy of scale for projects that are often too messy or expensive to do at home, and have fun while we do it! Both members and guests of Buffalo Lab are welcome to participate.

This month, we focused on Steampunk, the art culture that features the Victorian aesthetic combined with modern or futuristic technology. The steampunk community has a long history of creating pieces using found objects. This was an open-ended workshop; participants were encouraged to scrounge through the Buffalo Lab spare parts pile and create something original. We also set out faucet handles, hinges, pipes, and other parts from Buffalo ReUse.

Organized Chaos

About 15 people participated in the workshop, both hardcore steampunk fans and people new to the genre. We got some beautiful, fun, and creative results: a nautical remote control, futuristic butterfly, office supplies, a remote-controlled helicopter, and several pieces of jewelry.

For more photos of the Steampunk craft workshop, check out the Flickr set.

The craft workshops meet once a month, and feature a different skill each time. If you have any questions about the craft workshops or suggestions for skills you’d like to learn, email us at info@buffalolab.org, or drop by during one of our open meetings on Monday nights.

Thank you all for a great time!