All posts by nanotopian

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

Fall Metal + Glass Workshop

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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 Tuesday evening, October 29th and runs – 8 evenings. Tuesday & Thursday 6:30-9:30pm  $285/pp – limited seats!  

Only Fall course for 2019

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 or brass (off-site).

evening #4: Finishing wax projects, Lo-tech casting with Cuttlefish bone.

evening #5: Fold-forming

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 enameled 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.
Lab fee $150.00 (optional) what it includes:
adjustable jeweller’s bench pin, jeweller’s saw frame, 1 gross (144) jeweller’s saw blade assortment, 20 grams of sterling silver casting grain, 2″x2″ sterling silver plate.

October Bio-Sonification Module workshop

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Bio-sonification Module building workshop w/custom touch pads! Advance registration is recommended – this class fills up fast! 

Build your own Nanotopian MIDI Bio-Sonification Module w/customized touch-pads (!) and start listening to non-human organisms around you. 

Wednesday, November • TBA $95/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 analog 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.

This workshop will also cover Creating your own Custom Touch-Pads! Participants will create 1 or 2 touch pad/plates they can use to collect bio-data,  trigger sequencers,  and more! Details included upon registration.

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.

Create your own custom Touch-Pads!

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Build your own Nanotopian MIDI Bio-Sonification Module w/customized touch-pads (!) and start listening to the biology around you!  

Seacliff life along Húnaflói Bay, Iceland.

Saturday, August 10th • 1pm to 5pm – $95/pp includes full module kit, step x step instruction. Basic soldering of electronics a plus! SOLD OUT

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 Symphon

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.

This workshop will also cover Creating your own Custom Touch-Pads! Participants will create 1 or 2 touch pad/plates they can use to collect bio-data,  trigger sequencers,  and more! Details included upon registration.

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 non-Human Collaboration August workshop!

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Saturday, August 10th • 1pm to 5pm – $95/pp includes full module kit, step x step instruction. Basic soldering of electronics a plus! SOLD OUT

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!

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.

Saying farewell to various Social media…

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Thank you everyone that has kept up with the FB feeds. Closing the nanopod Facebook page (If that is even possible!) and merging nanopod with co:Lab. Instagram/Twitter will remain for now. Tumblr? Does anyone still use Tumblr?!

Apologies to students these past couple of years. Many life events and life changes I have perhaps not truly been paying attention to and sadly translating into my  bad attendance, disrupting class flow and being perceived a flake. This is not at all the impact intended.

This May I lost my mom. This has entirely thrown my emotional/spiritual life topsy-turvy and the feelings are still quite raw for me. Add to this a major installation/project with expectations from various institutions and more wrenches thrown into my operating/functioning like a normal human being schedule- nope.

I am considering closing this website down. While the studio is still up and running with new artists/makers/science-people coming in to share the space, I do not have the time to successfully run multiple websites.

Workshops and courses are still taking place and new ones will be available soon instructed by the new people in the studio!

For now I need to finish up some projects and take some very necessary time away to reconfigure all things.

Thanks again! I truly appreciate all of the support, patience, understanding – it has meant a lot.  If you have any questions please, do not hesitate to reach out via email.

 

XO

Tosca

Nanotopian Bio-Sonification Module Building June Workshop

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Nanotopian Bio-Sonification Module Building Workshop > Due to Pride weekend please note date change! 

June 29, 11AM- 3PM • $95/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.

 

Create your own Insectarium

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Insect Spreading workshop

Back & Front view
Back & Front view

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.