Maker Forest
A site-specific mural for Sequoia Fabrica, a volunteer-run community makerspace in San Francisco.
Key details
Client/commissioning organization
Sequoia Fabrica Community Makerspace
Dates
Completed August 2025
Location
Potrero Hill, San Francisco, California
Dimensions
10 x 12 feet
Medium and materials
Primer and interior paint on more than 35 individually shaped, laser-cut quarter-inch plywood components; each piece installed separately with mounting tape
Role
Responsible for concept and design, vector production files, laser-cutting, painting, community paint-day coordination, installation, and project management
Maker Forest is a mural I created for Sequoia Fabrica, a volunteer-run community makerspace in San Francisco. The art imagines a forest in which making, repairing, and building coexist with natural ecosystems. Playful animal characters use tools and maker supplies beneath an expansive tree, turning the wall into a welcoming visual of the makerspace's collaborative and kid-friendly culture.
The mural was designed around the tools and knowledge already present in the community. I had originally planned to paint the mural directly on the wall, but when members expressed concern that they might need to relocate after the building lease expired, I redesigned the mural as a movable installation. Rather than painting a single surface, I divided the mural into more than 35 individually shaped, quarter-inch plywood pieces. I vectorized my original illustration to create the cutting files, operated the makerspace's laser cutter, painted the pieces, and installed them myself. I also organized a community paint day so that members could be part of the process and help paint some of the solid background pieces.
This process allowed the fabrication method to become part of the meaning of the work: the mural was not just about making, but was also itself made with the space's tools and community.
