Tosca Hidalgo y Terán is a part of Nanotopia.
She is a Toronto based multidisciplinary artist. Born in San Francisco, California, Tosca relocated to Canada in 2001. Working with metals, computer coding, and animation since the mid-eighties, Tosca was introduced to glass as an artistic medium in 2004. Through developing bodies of work incorporating metal, glass, and electronics, Tosca has been awarded scholarships at The Corning Museum of Glass, Pilchuck Glass School and The Penland School of Crafts. Her work has been featured at SOFA New York, Culture Canada, Metalsmith Magazine, The Toronto Design Exchange, and the Memphis Metal Museum. Most recently, Tosca has been awarded residencies at Gullkistan Centre for Creativity, Nes artist residency Iceland, The Association of Icelandic Visual Artists and the Ayatana SciArt Research Program in Ottawa. Tosca founded nanopod: Hybrid Studio maker space in 2005. Continually exploring new materials and tools, Tosca started collaborating artistically with Algae, Physarum polycephalum, and Mycelium in 2016, translating biodata from non-human organisms into music.
Mycelium Network Podcast, iTunes: https://goo.gl/95PdBe
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/nanotopia/sets/midnight-mushroom-music
http://www.toscateran.com
Nanotopian Bio-Sonification Module Building Workshop > Due to Pride weekend please note date change!
June 29, 11AM- 3PM • $130/pp includes full module kit, step x step instruction. Basic soldering of electronics a plus!
Collaborate sonically with the non-human organisms around you. Next time you go on a picnic bring along your Bio-sonification Module & listen to the sounds of the forest, how it responds to your presence then, place the electrodes onto your friends or hook up your houseplant and see how it really feels!
Students receive step by step guidance putting together their own Bio-Sonification Module kit and help in understanding how the device works.
Last half of the workshop participants place electrodes onto plants, fungi, themselves or each other and listen to their Bio-data through Ableton Live, Animoog, Model 15 (or similar digital music apps and analogue synths) creating a Bio-Sonification Symphony!
Each participant receives their very own Bio-Sonification Module kit, a Module container file that they can 3D print offsite, a set of electrodes and electrode pads.
Prerequisite:Basic knowledge of soldering is very important. Here is a link to the Mighty Ohm’s, fullsoldercomic_en Some Ableton Live knowledge is helpful, but not necessary!
Not included: 3 AA batteries, USB/Lightning to MIDI or MIDI to MIDI cables. These can be found at Moog Audio.
iConnectivity
Roland
Search under MIDI interfaces
“Bio-sonification,” basically means using technology to turn the bio-rhythms of natural objects into sound.
Biodata Sonification is a process to translate complex real-time sensor data into musical notes and controls, exploring the auditory sensory modality to provide insights into invisible phenomenon.
Insect Spreading workshop Learn how to spread moths/butterflies and beetles. Thursday evening, June 13th OR 20th. Class starts at 7pm
$75pp for 2 insects + materials (see below)
In this class, students will learn about basic insect preparation. We will discuss harvesting and drying specimen, rehydrating dried specimen, and in class we will practice handling techniques, spreading, mounting, the nuances of posing, display, and maintenance. An assortment of ethically sourced insects; Beetles, moths, and butterflies, in various sizes, shapes, and colours will be provided. Students will learn how to put together and maintain their own rehydration chamber, things to check for during all stages of the process to ensure a clean and successful end product, and tips for gentle handling. We will also cover how to select museum quality materials for displays. Students receive 1 Riker mount (or similar) for their specimen, 1 set of insect pins & 2 insects. As always, all specimen are ethically sourced. We will be reviewing the origins of the insects used in class, how students can ethically and legally source specimen, and suggested, reputable suppliers. Students go home with their own prepared insects, one Riker mount (or similar) display, the pinning/spreading board made during class, resource list as well as 1 set of insect pins and the knowledge to create their own pieces in the future. It is recommended students bring a small bag or box or display case to transport their pieces.
Sunday, May 19 – 12pm-5pm Build your own Nanotopian MIDI Bio-Sonification Module and start listening to the biology around you! $95pp includes kit, electrodes, bio-medical pads & step by step instruction.
Seacliff life along Húnaflói Bay, Iceland.
Collaborate sonically with the non-human organisms around you. Next time you go on a picnic bring along your Bio-sonification Module & listen to the sounds of the forest, how it responds to your presence then, place the electrodes onto your friends or hook up your houseplant and see how it really feels!
Students receive step by step guidance putting together their own Bio-Sonification Module kit and help in understanding how the device works.
Last half of the workshop participants place electrodes onto plants, fungi, themselves or each other and listen to their Bio-data through Ableton Live, Animoog, Model 15 (or similar digital music apps and analogue synths) creating a Bio-Sonification Symphony!
Each participant receives their very own Bio-Sonification Module kit, a Module container file that they can 3D print offsite, a set of electrodes and electrode pads.
Prerequisite:Basic knowledge of soldering is very important. Here is a link to the Mighty Ohm’s, fullsoldercomic_en Some Ableton Live knowledge is helpful, but not necessary!
Not included: 3 AA batteries, USB/Lightning to MIDI or MIDI to MIDI cables. These can be found at Moog Audio.
iConnectivity
Roland
Search under MIDI interfaces
“Bio-sonification,” basically means using technology to turn the bio-rhythms of natural objects into sound.
Biodata Sonification is a process to translate complex real-time sensor data into musical notes and controls, exploring the auditory sensory modality to provide insights into invisible phenomenon.
Due to a scheduling conflict (sorry!!) the Bio-Sonification Module building workshop is now taking place Sunday, May 19th 12-5pm
Sunday, May 19 – 12pm-5pm
Build your own Nanotopian MIDI Bio-Sonification Module and start listening to the biology around you!
Seacliff life along Húnaflói Bay, Iceland.
Collaborate sonically with the non-human organisms around you. Next time you go on a picnic bring along your Bio-sonification Module & listen to the sounds of the forest, how it responds to your presence then, place the electrodes onto your friends or hook up your houseplant and see how it really feels!
Students receive step by step guidance putting together their own Bio-Sonification Module kit and help in understanding how the device works.
Last half of the workshop participants place electrodes onto plants, fungi, themselves or each other and listen to their Bio-data through Ableton Live, Animoog, Model 15 (or similar digital music apps and analog synths) creating a Bio-Sonification Symphony!
Various plants, soil, and Mycelium will be available during the workshop for participants to place their electrodes onto along with iConnectivity Midi to USB/Lightning connectors for participants to try out different instruments/software; Ableton, Animoog on iPad, Model 15 (on iPhone & iPad), Moog Mother32s, Make Noise NoCoast, etc. Other possibilities are shown and discussed, for instance, Ableton Max/MSP Midi video disruption!
Each participant receives their very own Bio-Sonification Module kit, a Module container file that they can 3D print offsite and a lo-tech version we will put together during the workshop, a set of electrodes and electrode pads or electrode clips (participants can choose during the workshop). The Bio-Sonification Modules were created by Tosca Teran with the assistance of Manuel Domke and Sam Cusumano!
Prerequisite:Basic knowledge of soldering is very important. Here is a link to the Mighty Ohm’s, fullsoldercomic_en Some Ableton Live knowledge is helpful, but not necessary!
“Bio-sonification,” basically means using technology to turn the bio-rhythms of natural objects into sound.
Biodata Sonification is a process to translate complex real-time sensor data into musical notes and controls, exploring the auditory sensory modality to provide insights into invisible phenomenon.
Mycelium
(my·ce·li·um \mī-ˈsē-lē-əm\) the mass of interwoven filamentous hyphae that forms especially the vegetative portion of the thallus of a fungus and is often submerged in another body (as of soil or organic matter or the tissues of a host) A.K.A. — mushroom roots
Sculpting with Mycelium: working with environmentally friendly, renewable materials
TBA 7pm-9pm.
Bio-materials are grown over several days, participants meet up every 5th or 6th evening after the first start-up date to check on their Mycelium’s growth and sculpt or desiccate their forms! $60/pp includes:
1 round planter growth form
1 bag of Hemp substrate inoculated with Mycelium
Sculpting mix
Nitrile gloves
Particulate masks
Mycelium food
Instructions
This workshop includes everything you need to grow a round planter, as well as hand-sculpt a small form plus, a full bag of substrate inoculated with mycelium! Suggestions on how to grow other forms or grow onto various armatures (3D printed, hand knit/crocheted) is discussed.
Evening 1: we start with an introduction and demonstrate how the growth materials work, as well as discuss Mycelium; what it is, its benefits to us and our environment. Then everyone feeds their Mycelium and leaves them to rest in a safe, cozy dark place until the next workshop evening! Evening 2: WOW look how you’ve grown! Your Mycelium has grown and consumed its substrate. Now we gently, yet firmly work with our Mycelium through sculpting with special media and/or using forms to grow our planters!
After forming/sculpting the Mycelium is again placed into a dark, cozy space where it can happily grow to fill or cover our structures! Evening 3: Your planter/sculpture is ready for desiccation and use! Everyone unpacks their forms, weighs them and then we bake them until they weigh approximately 35% less then pre-desiccated weight. Participants also have the option to dry their forms at home. Once dried students can plant lovely succulents, cactus, or use their forms as sculptures or packing materials and marvel over nature!
Organic tea, coffee and snacks will be offered during workshop evenings.
Mycelium= the mass of interwoven filamentous hyphae that forms especially the vegetative portion of the thallus of a fungus and is often submerged in another body (as of soil or organic matter or the tissues of a host) aka mushroom roots
Artist-instructor Tosca Teran works with Mycelium collaboratively –
creating the Midnight Mushroom Music Podcast.
This year (2019) Tosca and Andrei (together forming Nanotopia) are offering workshops making Bio-Sonification Modules out of their shared studio space, Interaccess.org, UofT and abroad.
Personal: www.toscateran.com
Tosca was recently interviewed by, Ecovative Designs. Check out the
interview here, https://ecovativedesign.com/blog/178
Tosca was one of 4 artists recommended and awarded a 3-month residency at the Museum of Contemporary Art in the Ontario Science Centre studio. The residency starts March 15th, 2019. Check out her website for information concerning this amazing collaboration and forming of The Alien Agencies Collective.
Organic tea, coffee and snacks will be offered during workshop evenings. This workshop takes place at our at our 322 Harbord street studio!
From the overwhelmingly, unexpected, positive response my Grow Op 2019 installation, Primordia received it is clear the time has come to move forward with sculpting mycelium, working with mycelium towards bio-remediation, recording bio-data from mycelium, visiting old growth forests, delving deeper into my interest in mycology.
nanopod: Hybrid Studio has always been dedicated to research, and my love of science: Astronomy, biology (marine, fungi/mycology, bacteria, bio-hacking), microscopy, geography- to name a few of my interests! After the Fukushima disaster, my focus started to change from making ‘jewellery’ or wearable metal art and flame-working glass to researching new materials I might work with and learn from that are not harmful to our shared environment, use less energy or give back energy. Initially, I participated in workshops teaching Japanese techniques of working with paper (turning it into threads or yarn and/or waterproofing washi), clay and studying Obvara (because- yeast glaze!) to growing gourmet mushrooms and using the mycelium blocks to sculpt with! Sound art has been a serious interest of mine since putting together mix-tapes in grade school, recording my friend’s voices, field recordings to building circuits that go beep (until I figured out how to make these circuits do more than just that!) I now combine my love of ‘found’ sounds and mycology. So, my focus seriously zeroed in on working with non-human organisms, listening to them (if you will) mid-2016 and this focus has snowballed. I am forever grateful for all of the support nanopod studio received as a goldsmith and silversmith studio school and the love received as a glass studio and school. Now I feel the time has come to move deeper into my work with sound, mycelium towards bio-remediation and giving back to the planet and its inhabitants in a more material friendly manner. This website will remain up throughout 2019, workshop offerings will start to wain as nanopod: Hybrid Studio metamorphs into its new form.
Love always, Tosca
Mycelium
(my·ce·li·um \mī-ˈsē-lē-əm\) the mass of interwoven filamentous hyphae that forms especially the vegetative portion of the thallus of a fungus and is often submerged in another body (as of soil or organic matter or the tissues of a host) A.K.A. — mushroom roots
Sunday, May 19 1pm-5pm
Build your own Nanotopian MIDI Bio-Sonification Module and start listening to the biology around you!Biodata Sonification is a process to translate complex real-time sensor data into musical notes and controls, exploring the auditory sensory modality to provide insights into invisible phenomenon.
Seacliff life along Húnaflói Bay, Iceland.
Collaborate sonically with the non-human organisms around you. Next time you go on a picnic bring along your Bio-sonification Module & listen to the sounds of the forest, how it responds to your presence then, place the electrodes onto your friends or hook up your houseplant and see how it really feels!
Students receive step by step guidance putting together their own Bio-Sonification Module kit and help in understanding how the device works.
Last part of the workshop participants place electrodes onto plants, fungi, themselves or each other and listen to their Bio-data through Ableton Live, Animoog, Model 15 (or similar digital music apps and analog synths) creating a Bio-Sonification Symphony!
Various plants, soil, and Mycelium will be available during the workshop for participants to place their electrodes onto along with iConnectivity Midi to USB/Lightning connectors for participants to try out different instruments/software; Ableton, Animoog on iPad, Model 15 (on iPhone & iPad), Moog Mother32s, Make Noise NoCoast, etc. Other possibilities are shown and discussed, for instance, Ableton Max/MSP Midi video disruption!
Each participant receives their very own Bio-Sonification Module kit, a Module container file that they can 3D print offsite and a lo-tech version we will put together during the workshop, a set of electrodes and electrode pads or electrode clips (participants can choose during the workshop). The Bio-Sonification Modules were created by Tosca Teran with the assistance of Manuel Domke and Sam Cusumano!
Prerequisite:Basic knowledge of soldering is very important. Here is a link to the Mighty Ohm’s, fullsoldercomic_en Some Ableton Live knowledge is helpful, but not necessary!
“Bio-sonification,” basically means using technology to turn the bio-rhythms of natural objects into sound.
Hello and WOW! Many people are asking me when the next Metal and Glass course will be taking place. So, I am fitting one in to start up April 29th. Register soon, it looks like this class may fill up fairly fast! 🙂 Thank you all for your support!
Learn how to form, fabricate, solder, set-stones in our 4 wk Metal + Glass course, etch, cast and more!
Almar’s cuttlebone cast from an 4/wk course in Iceland
Metal + Glass 4-week course Starts up April 29th and runs – 8 evenings. Monday & Wednesday 6:30-9:30pm $285/pp
evening #1: First evening: working with copper: safety, drilling, sawing. Adding textures.
evening #2: Making a ring band out of silver (stamp, hammer finish, roller print, etc.)
evening #3: Working with wax create a small piece w/the lost wax technique- to be cast in Sterling silver.
evening #4: Finishing wax projects, invest models for casting in metal. Waxes for metal casting are weighed and calculated (*sterling runs $2.50/grm. Lab fee includes 20grams of sterling silver casting grain). Lo-tech casting with Cuttlefish bone.
evening #5: Cast moulds in sterling silver!
evening #6: Enameling copper projects, forming, how to make your own basic findings.
evening #7: Bezel settings cabochon stones or fossils or crystals, or an enamelled glass piece.
evening #8: Finish up projects No experience necessary!
Copper, wax, glass, and some sterling silver are supplied*. A list of local suppliers is included. Questions concerning this course? Please see our FAQ’s
What’s included: Approx 4×5” piece of copper sheet, 2’ copper wire, sterling silver for 1 ring band, fine silver bezel wire to set 1 cabochon cut stone. Glass is included for casting/flame-working (whatever method is covered), silver solder to complete class projects, wax, 10 grams of sterling silver for casting (either cuttlefish or lost wax), powdered vitreous enamel, 1 doz saw blades, 1 1mm drill bit, 1 half face particulate respirator, nitrile gloves, refractory materials for casting moulds. Students are encouraged to supply their own cabochon cut stones, crystals, rocks, etc.
Additional materials not included: cabochon cut stone(s), extra sterling silver grain for lost wax castings, sterling silver sheet/plate for setting stones on/constructing other pieces. Sterling silver casting grain may be purchased at $2.50gram.
The lab fees offer tools and materials for students to continue projects at home and start setting up their own studio.
Special offsite workshops in Bio-Sonification at York’s Maker Fair, University of Toronto and InterAccess (sign up for the InterAccess workshop fast– space has almost filled!)
My 3-month residency begins March 15th at MOCA Toronto. This residency enables my work with mycelium of various strains, explorations with bio-plastic, 3D printing and augmented reality to move forward. More concerning this residency can be found on my personal website, and a dedicated website will be online soon. This website; Alien Agencies Collective will document all of the Collective’s work during our time with MOCA and the OSC as well as future projects.
April workshops! Look for other workshop offerings under our Metal, Bio-Art, Glass menu headings!
Insect Spreading workshop Learn how to spread moths/butterflies and beetles. Thursday evening, April 25th. Class starts at 7pm In this class, students will learn about basic insect preparation. We will discuss harvesting and drying specimen, rehydrating dried specimen, and in class we will practice handling techniques, spreading, mounting, the nuances of posing, display, and maintenance. An assortment of ethically sourced insects; Beetles, moths and butterflies, in various sizes, shapes, and colours will be provided. Students will learn how to put together and maintain their own rehydration chamber, things to check for during all stages of the process to ensure a clean and successful end product, and tips for gentle handling. We will also cover how to select museum quality materials for displays. Students receive 1 Riker mount (or similar) for their specimen, 1 set of insect pins & 2 insects. As always, all specimen are ethically sourced. We will be reviewing the origins of the insects used in class, how students can ethically and legally source specimen, and suggested, reputable suppliers. Students go home with their own prepared insects, one Riker mount (or similar) display, the pinning/spreading board made during class, resource list as well as 1 set of insect pins and the knowledge to create their own pieces in the future. It is recommended students bring a small bag or box or display case to transport their pieces.
Collaborate sonically with the non-human organisms around you. Next time you go on a picnic bring along your Bio-sonification Module & listen to the sounds of the forest, how it responds to your presence then, place the electrodes onto your friends or hook up your houseplant and see how it really feels!
