The Phoenix Light Swan

After showcasing the Light Swan in the 2015 LUX festival, I was more than happy to shelve the project and move onto something new. The months leading up to and including the festival were exhausting and I was ready for something new.

I even tossed up decommissioning and breaking down the piece. Only keeping the components that could be salvaged for something else. But Sophie persuaded me to keep in tact – for a while at least.

Luckily I did, because since then, there has been a few interested parties.

Recently, Karen Carey from Capital E, a not-for-profit organisation based in Wellington, focusing on young people and their creativity, requested use of the Light Swan for their annual Halloween spooky extravaganza!

The BIG . HALLOWEEN spooky extravaganza at Capital E
The BIG . HALLOWEEN spooky extravaganza at Capital E http://www.capitale.org.nz/portfolio-posts/the-big-halloween/

She wanted to use the Light Swan in the “Walk in Wonderland” set. A glowing world inspired by Dr. Seuss, with a glow-in-the dark landscape, a noodle forest and a rainbow bridge. For ages 3+, this was intended to be a fun spooky environment for younger children but something that everyone could appreciate.
I was more than happy to revive the Light Swan and pleased that it was getting the opportunity to help out such a cool organisation.

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Karin McCracken as the Light Swan. Image by Capital E.

 

The second more recent request was from Sophie regarding an Hour of Code event being held at Scots College, the school her partner Dan teaches at. This event was more of a show and tell and an opportunity to give the attendees a close up insight into how code can be used to create more than software applications on a computer screen.

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Creating Light Swan AKA “Jellyfish Swan Princess”. Image by Makerbox

 

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Soph and I demonstrating the various components and explaining how it all works. Image by Makerbox

 

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Lights out – swan lights on! Demonstrating the colour sensor functionality on an audience members hand bag. Image by Makerbox

 

After this event, I think I will decommission the Light Swan.

Although, rather than disassemble it,  it’s components will be reused to proof the prototype for version 2..

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