Join the maker and artist community at Generator Makerspace during the South End Art Hop for our Artist-In-Residence Showcase with Andrew Dudka!
Andrew is a local artist and designer who creates digital, two-dimensional and three-dimensional pieces to encourage playful reflection and offer poignant societal commentary. His work speaks through vibrant, rounded forms and dynamic negative space—colloquially dubbed “blobs”—and a deceptive simplicity that belies deeper meaning.
Andrew will be unveiling a two-part exhibit for Art Hop: “Rorschach Tests For How Much Fun You’re Having” is an interactive, multimedia culmination of over two years of exploratory abstract drawing and printmaking, driven by free association and loosely interpreted tenets of art psychology. “It Takes All Kinds” is an extension of the same creative process, expanded through the variety of mediums and resources made possible by Generator Makerspace. Both bodies of work pose questions about the relationship between meaning, humanity, and belonging.
Andrew’s installation will be on display at Generator for all three days of Art Hop, and Andrew will be present in his studio from 6-9pm on Saturday and 10am-12pm on Sunday.
What: Artist-In-Residence Showcase Who: Andrew Dudka When: Fri-Sun during Art Hop Cost: FREE
Join Generator at Old Spokes Home located at 331 N Winooski Ave in Burlington for an evening of hands-on DIY fun! Generator will be leading a sewing workshop where anyone who shows up can make a small cycling utility pouch for FREE.
The world is made of fabric and learning to sew unlocks a whole world of possibilities. Maybe off the shelf pants and shirts never fit quite right… Sewing can fix it! Maybe you’re looking for the perfect handlebar bag for your bike, but just can’t find something with the right features in the right color… Sewing can make it! Maybe you have an idea for a piece of clothing or a bag that doesn’t exist yet… Sewing can manifest it!
While sewing is not a difficult skill to learn, and many projects don’t require high level expertise… Sewing is something that needs to be learned.
During this workshop participants will receive a basic introduction to sewing with technical fabrics by making a simple cycling utility pouch perfect for protecting your phone in a sweaty jersey pocket, for storing some basic tools, or for protecting a spare tube while it bounces around in your saddle or frame bag. The process involves cutting out the pattern, sewing the seams, and adding the snap closure.
Generator staff will provide guidance and support during every step. All materials are provided, and all ages are welcome.
We do ask that younger kids—and maybe some adults (your friends know who you are)—be accompanied by a mature person that can support them while learning new skills that might not come very easily at first.
So, clear your schedule and consider joining us at Old Spokes Home on Thursday, July 17th to get your learn on!
What: Free Cycling Sewing Workshop When: Thursday, July 17th Time: 4:00-7:00pm Where: Old Spokes Home (Map) Cost: FREE
Have a bike that needs a little TLC, a torn jacket, broken buckle, or a pack that’s seen better days? Let us help you fix it! Throwaway culture has become widespread and repairing what you can is a powerful act of sustainability. Every patch, stitch, and fix helps keep useful gear out of the landfill. Rather than extracting additional resources to make something new, let’s focus on extracting as much life as possible from what we already have. It’s a simple shift with a big impact—and we’re here to help!
Here’s what’s on deck:
Bike Repair
We will have stations set up for basic bike tune-ups. Volunteer mechanics from Generator and Local Motion will be focusing on safety checks and making sure brakes and shifting work as well as possible. We won’t have spare parts on-hand, so it’s more tune-up than overhaul. Shout out to Local Motion for providing bike parking and additional mechanic support!
EZ Breezy Bike Ride with Local Motion
Join Local Motion for a special edition of their community bike ride ending at Zero Gravity for the Bike & Gear Repair Fair!
The ride will meet at 6 PM at Local Motion’s Trailside Center (1 Steele St) for a leisurely spin around Burlington’s streets. The pace will be relaxed so you can chat with neighbors, groove to music, and pick up local riding tips along the way. As always, we stick together – no one gets left behind!
Bring your bike and any gear that could use some love. Local Motion will provide the tunes, safety volunteers, and the community spirit that makes these rides special – Learn More!
Gear & Clothing Repair
Generator & The Sandbox will be on-site with sewing machines, scrap fabric, and other supplies. Whether it’s a torn jacket, busted strap, or frayed pack, bring it by — we’ll fix what we can on-site and can help make arrangements for more complicated repairs.
We can offer free patches, snaps, and other basic repairs. For more complex repairs, representatives from The Sandbox will be able to provide advice and make arrangements to have the repairs completed at The Sandbox. These more complicated repairs will likely not be free, however any repairs that come into The Sandbox through this event will receive a $10 discount.
The Sandbox also has a supply of old construction garments that we can deconstruct… aka cut up… and use to decorate and enhance your riding clothing, bags, or packs!
Design & 3D Printing Fun
While you wait come learn more about 3D printing, and design. We’ll be printing some fun projects and will have custom stickers available for the taking. Repairing gear is fun, but customizing your gear is the ultimate upgrade!
Hang Out & Hydrate
This whole thing will take place at Zero Gravity, and they have some of the best beer and food in the area. So, come for the fixes, but stick around for the food and friends.
This event is totally FREE!
So clear your schedule, grab all of your broken stuff, and join us at Zero Gravity on Tuesday, June 24th for a fun evening of giving good gear new life!
What: Bike & Gear Repair Fair When: Tuesday, June 24th Time: 4:00-8:00pm Where: Zero Gravity Brewery (Map) Cost: FREE
Have a bike that needs a little TLC, a torn jacket, broken buckle, or a pack that’s seen better days? Let us help you fix it! Throwaway culture has become widespread and repairing what you can is a powerful act of sustainability. Every patch, stitch, and fix helps keep useful gear out of the landfill. Rather than extracting additional resources to make something new, we should focus on extracting as much life as possible from what we already have. It’s a simple shift with a big impact—and we’re here to help!
Here’s what’s on deck:
Bike Repair We will have two stations set up for basic bike tune-ups. Our volunteer mechanics will be focusing on safety checks, clean drivetrains, and dialed-in brakes and shifting. We won’t have spare parts on-hand, so it’s more tune-up than overhaul.
Gear & Clothing Repair Generator & The Sandbox will be on-site with sewing machines, scrap fabric, and other supplies. Whether it’s a torn jacket, busted strap, or frayed pack, bring it by — we’ll fix what we can on-site and can help make arrangements for more complicated repairs.
Custom Decals & 3D Printing Fun While you wait come learn more about 3D printing, and design and make your own custom vinyl decals! Repairing gear is fun, but customizing your gear is the ultimate upgrade!
Hang Out & Hydrate This whole thing will take place at Zero Gravity, and they have some of the best beer and food in the area. So, come for the fixes, but stick around for the food and friends.
This event is totally FREE!
So, whether you’ve been getting out all winter or just dug your gear out of winter storage, join us at Zero Gravity on Wednesday, May 14th and let us make sure you’re ready to roll!
What: Bike & Gear Repair Fair When: Wednesday, May 14th Time: 4:00-8:00pm Where: Zero Gravity Brewery (Map) Cost: FREE
Ahead of our upcoming JumpStart Expo & Pitch Night, we are excited to introduce our newest cohort of Generator entrepreneurs!
These ten talented makers were selected to participate in 2025 JumpStart Business Bootcamp, a 12-week startup development program facilitated by business coach Emily Eley. This incredible crew has been meeting weekly since early March, setting goals, crafting prototypes, and fine-tuning their business models.
Don’t miss the JumpStart Expo & Pitch Night coming up on Wednesday, May 28th where you can listen to each entrepreneur pitch their business and share a bit about their journey. Click Here to RSVP!
This program is made possible with support from M&T Bank and the Center For Women & Enterprise.
Adrianne Busato Busato’s Revival
Busato’s Revival specializes in restoring and transforming furniture, giving old pieces new life with craftsmanship that blends timeless charm and modern style.
Amanda Rubinstein Ruby Threads
Ruby Threads ethically hand-crafts and sells multi-functional, one-of-a-kind garments that solve fashion’s real life problems.
Bethany Andrews-Nichols is a designer, artist and block-printer from Burlington. She loves finding innovative ways to interpret a print. In 2023 she birthed Cover-All “the block-print everywhere kit” to inspire others to join her on the journey of creating bold patterns everywhere. In 2025, Bethany will be relaunching an improved version of the Cover-All kit to get it into the hands of more designers, dabblers & DIYers!
Eric Roy Relics + Rarities
Relics + Rarities transforms discarded plastic waste by transforming old trash into new treasures, giving new life to forgotten materials while diverting waste streams into innovative and sustainable products.
Studio Pollinator is developing a series of adaptable, multipurpose furniture items for intentional urban lifestyles. Our first product is a western adaptation of the Japanese kotatsu, a low, heated table.
Jasmine Martel Flow To The Flower
Flow to the Flower delivers a sense of calmness and grounding. Heightened by attractive hand-crafted Cannabis storage boxes that provide the moments in our day that are ritualistic and sacred.
Joe Pasteris Backland Designs
Backland Designs creates custom awards that reflect the spirit of the outdoors and the grit of the people who earn them. The awards are handmade in Vermont and designed to be cherished keepsakes that capture the essence of each event.
Cry Baby Clay offers handmade ceramics that bring big feelings to small daily moments. Katie is utilizing the Jumpstart program at Generator to navigate how tools like 3D printing and laser cutting can better assist and inform her ceramics practice.
HoneyBee Cards; from forest floor to conference room—in your pocket illustrated cards that bring groups together & spark connection.
HoneyBee Cards are 50 vibrantly hand illustrated IMAGE CARDS used in a variety of ways to spark conversation and foster innovative ways of thinking & processing. One side features hand-painted brightly colored animals, plants, birds, whimsical food items or magical creatures. On the flip side are a puzzle of colors and patterns that can form pairs & groupings
Your scent, your story. Bloom Lab specializes in the art of natural perfumery through custom perfumes and immersive classes. We believe that the sense of smell is one of the most powerful human experiences capable of unlocking memories, emotions, and expressing individuality. In a world where instant satisfaction rules, Bloom Lab strives to break that mold by inviting you to slow down and experience the art of perfumery for yourself.
This summer, Generator is hosting jen berger as the Artist-In-Residence. jen comes in with experience in printmaking, painting, mixed media, and installation work. A theme she is currently exploring through her public artwork is the idea of care. How the use of care as a lens puts responsibility on artists to truly consider what is being created and put into public spaces.
jen comes to Generator with many years of experience in utilizing care within her artwork and practice. Originally from outside of Philadelphia, she spent time in Chicago and moved to Vermont in 2001. Her interest in herbalism and living closer to plants is why she moved to Burlington. jen has always had an interest in art, however, it was not until after 9/11 that she began to veer away from herbalism and use art as a tool of activism. jen has been bringing people together for many years, through her community-based work, teaching artistry, and as an educator. jen has worked for several higher education institutions in Vermont, such as Community College of Vermont, and Champlain College, and currently teaches art at the University of Vermont. She has been involved with Generator for the last decade, because of her previous work at Champlain College, she came in to work on a project, and using the laser cutter is what kickstarted her relationship with the makerspace. She has brought students here, has had friends who were Artists-In-Residence and has been a member on and off for many years.
Though her art began as activist and social movement-oriented, it has changed to not be less literal as “in your face”, but instead has become more of a personally memorable experience to folks engaging with the work. As the Artist-In-Residence, jen will be working on an installation, tying together the ideas of care, public art, memorials, and monuments, things that have been prevalent in her mind since the racial reckoning of 2020. She will be highlighting the concept of loss, not only physical but intangible, and this will manifest in the form of a multi-alter memorial monument. The piece is intended to be used as a means to bring people together and make it easier to be in the world with one another. jen has spent the last month of her residency practicing and planning, she expresses her love for power tools, and how “there’s a world of opportunities that [she] can just scratch the surface at right now” at Generator. She foresees herself focused on the metal and wood workshops for her installation piece. She is also playing around with a print to accompany the installation.
Though jen is a full-time teacher and artist, she is also a full-time human being. Some of the things she does for fun outside of art are spending time with friends, traveling, swimming, cooking, being outside, hanging out with friends, and dancing. Joy is also a big part of jen’s life, specifically joy as resistance. To jen, going dancing feels like joy, or when she can find time in her day to do something that is not scripted feels like joy.
If you would like to learn more about how joy, care, community, and education take hold in jen’s work visit her business website At the Root, or her Instagram. Also, you can connect with jen, and see her most recent work, on September 6-8 during the South End ArtHop–More Info Here.
This week are getting to know Generator’s Operations and Safety technician Alex Hahl! A freelance maker and teacher who specializes in metal fabrication, Alex grew up in the idyllic suburbs of northern Virginia and went on to get a degree in geography from the University of Kansas. After a subsequent career as a pizza artist, he hit the road and found himself working as a commercial fisherman on the coast of Maine. Now in Burlington, Generator is where Alex spends most of his time. His goal in life is to learn how to do everything, or at least everything that interests him.
Current Home Location? Burlington
Hometown/Birthplace? I grew up in Falls Church, Virginia
What is your job title at Generator, and what do you do? My title is “Operations and Safety Technician.” I usually tell people that my job is fixing tools and teaching people how to use them.
How did you first discover Generator, and how did you end up working here? I first arrived looking to make jewelry, and then I started learning all the other tools. Every time there was a chance to increase my involvement at Generator I took it. I’ve been the metal shop lead, member representative to the board, guy who puts up posters for events, and many other things. Then one day I woke up and it was my full-time job.
When you’re at Generator, what brings you joy? Why? Being able to improvise something quickly with our tools that solves a problem. I also enjoy seeing the members feeling at home in the place, just hanging out.
What’s one rewarding/fulfilling aspect of working at Generator you either didn’t expect, or didn’t know would be part of your job? Hearing about the lives of the people who show up here. Many of them are in transitional moments and have interesting stories.
What’s one aspect of your job you wish you could do more of? I really enjoy teaching, but it takes a lot of time and energy.
If you didn’t work at Generator, what would you be doing right now? Running a used bookstore in a sleepy beach town. The woman who owns the pub across the street visits from time to time, but something about her says she has a dark past, so I keep my distance.
If you had 2 weeks to do whatever you wanted to do, and all the money you needed to do it… What would IT be? Visiting uninhabited islands by sailboat. Possibly looking for pirate treasure along the way.
What projects have you been working on in the space or in the past? How has that been fulfilling you for? I’m currently working on a couple of large public sculptures with the artist Clay Mohrman. In the past I’ve used Generator to make many things, from a shovel, to film festival award statues and drinking troughs for crickets.
How has Generator been a part of your personal journey as a creator/maker? Have you seen any growth since the start of your time up until now? Generator has absolutely been the most important place in my career for me to learn new skills and find new projects. It also has given me the opportunity to learn and practice teaching as I pass on the skills I’ve gained here.
Here at Generator our mission is more or less to help people make stuff. What is it about making something that is so important, and why should other people care? The outsourcing of America’s industrial capabilities to countries with lower wages and environment/labor standards has created a situation where most people don’t know how to produce or repair the things they use in their daily lives. In the event that the US dollar loses its status as world reserve currency, we’re all going to be in a lot of trouble if we don’t know how to do anything other than write emails.
Thank you Alex… and thank you to Susan Le! Susan is a student at Middlebury College who spent the summer interning here at Generator. In addition to producing this article with Alex, Susan also helped out and support our youth summer camps, worked on a number of fabrication projects, and helped to document the building of a large member project. We were really fortunate to get to work with Susan this summer and wish her well in the future!
Mason Merriam is the Director of Facilities and Operations here at Generator. He has been at Generator for a little over a year. Mason comes to us with experience as a freelance carpenter off-Broadway, Foreman in New York City, and more recently as a maintenance technician at the University of Vermont Medical Center. It has been so fun getting to know Mason this summer. He is a funny guy who is always willing to help. There is no one else I’d want to hang off the roof with!
We hope you enjoy reading a little more about how Mason got here, what he does, and what brings him joy in his own words.
Hometown/Birthplace? Ription, VT
Current Home Location? Vergennes, VT
What is your job title at Generator, and what do you do? Director of Facilities and Operations. I am tasked with making sure the facility is kept running smoothly. This includes everything from writing policies, to fixing equipment & scheduling major repairs and upgrades, to running our Fabrication Services & Space Rental programs.
How did you first discover Generator, and how did you end up working here? A good friend of mine has been a member here for many years and told me he thought that I would be a good fit at Generator.
When you’re at Generator, what brings you joy? Why? I love getting to interact with the members and see all of the interesting, cool projects that they’re working on. It’s a really wonderful community.
What’s one rewarding/fulfilling aspect of working at Generator you either didn’t expect, or didn’t know would be part of your job? It’s really wonderful to be part of a team that is fun, creative, emotionally intelligent, and excited to be part of such a cool place.
What’s one aspect of your job you wish you could do more of? I would love to be able to do more physical repair work on the tools and equipment.
If you didn’t work at Generator, what would you be doing right now? Probably still working at University of Vermont Medical Center.
If you had 2 weeks to do whatever you wanted to do, and all the money you needed to do it… What would IT be? I would book a two week fishing trip to Sweden, Norway, and Finland.
Here at Generator our mission is to help people make stuff. What is it about making something that is so important, and why should other people care? When you learn a new skill and use it to create something, or you learn to use complicated or dangerous tools safely and well, it builds confidence and allows you to bring that into other areas of your life. “If I can do X, why can’t I do Y?” Learning to make something exercises both physical and mental traits. You have to problem solve, you have to try out new methods, or ask a fellow member for help and in doing so you grow and become part of a community. It can bring a sense of pride and self reliance to a person.
How would other community members describe you? Devastatingly Handsome™
Evelyn and Susan are students at Middlebury College participating in the Middlebury Innovation Hub’s Vermont Innovation Summer, a program that supports students working at companies and on self-directed projects across Vermont’s innovation ecosystem. This summer Susan and Evelyn will be working at Generator supporting our youth programs, and working on a variety of fabrication and communication projects. The next time you’re in be sure to say hello!
Name: Evelyn Magdaleno Pronouns: She/Her From: Chicago, IL Currently Studying: History and Education Studies Double Major LinkedIn: Evelyn Magdaleno
Why did you want to work at Generator?
I have recently been into making art, usually ceramics, collaging, and developing film, and wanted to spend my summer doing something that was more hands-on. So when I saw the opportunity to work in an artist studio, classroom, and business incubator at the intersection of art, science, and technology, I was hooked. I wanted to build my skills as an educator while working with the summer camp and learn how to use tools I would not have the chance to use otherwise.
Which tools are you most excited to use?
I am most excited to use tools in the metal and wood shops.
How would you describe the makerspace to someone who doesn’t know?
A makerspace is a third place for a lot of folks. It’s not home, it’s not work, but instead it is a community of individuals coming together to get creative. Allowing you to do your own thing, work together, learn from one another, and make things. A makerspace has the tools and resources for folks to get the things they want to do, done.
What are you looking forward to the most this summer?
Really looking forward to building connections with folks at Generator. I love being in community, learning from others, and having a laugh. Excited to do this with staff, members, and students. And grateful that this all gets to happen while making things.
Name: Susan Le Pronouns: She/Her From: Philadelphia, PA Currently Studying: Computer Science and Japanese Studies Double Major LinkedIn: Susan Le
Why did you want to work at Generator?
I was initially introduced to Generator by Dana from the Innovation Hub at Middlebury College. When I first heard about the maker space I saw how there were these super different and super interesting tools being utilized for art pieces and projects. Although my college has Studio Art as one of the majors, we don’t really have classes focusing on metalwork, jewelry making, or 3D work. By coming to Generator, I could meet and get to know artists with a passion for their work and medium, and I love to learn from peers and mentors in the creative work process.
Which tools are you most excited to use?
I am stoked about getting my hands on any electronics for making things light up and move. The ceiling covered in LED lights in Generator is awesome to look at.
How would you describe the makerspace to someone who doesn’t know?
A makerspace is a place where you can meet other artists, encounter other art mediums, and have the opportunity to collaborate in a shared space. In Generator’s case, it’s a place where dark, mythical things happen, all shrouded in secrecy and mystery until you sign up for the membership. In all seriousness, Generator is a fun, awesome place to learn something new and make something cool.
What are you looking forward to the most this summer?
I am looking forward to getting to know all of the members that use the makerspace! After seeing all the different art projects and office spaces filled to the brim with all these cool shapes, designs, and figures I kind of feel like I walked into the Avengers space. I’m looking forward to getting my hands dirty this summer creating art pieces alongside the summer cohort of students!
I’m Prince Awhaitey, the founder and CEO of Healthy Kingdom and a graduate of the JumpStart 2024 business incubator program.
I first heard about JumpStart when I was selling coconuts at the Burlington Farmers Market and met Meg Hammond, Generator’s executive director, who encouraged me to apply. Healthy Kingdom is my nutrition wellness business that provides nutrition retreats, corporate wellness, and branded coconuts for events. Over the past 3 months in JumpStart I’ve refined my business plan, constructed a coconut bike cart prototype, and optimized my laser engraving process for my coconuts.
I grew up in Ghana where fresh coconuts were a big part of our culture. Then when I was pursuing my Masters in nutrition I learned that coconuts have a wide variety of documented health benefits; including macronutrients and antioxidants that help with insulin sensitivity, high blood pressure, kidney function, and digestive health. As a community nutritionist, I was thrilled to discover that coconuts are a superfood that can make a positive impact for so many people.
Now I put a fresh spin on serving coconuts by customizing them for events. I use a laser cutter to engrave logos or words on the shell of the coconut, which have become very popular as event refreshments or promotional giveaways.
JumpStart has been hugely beneficial to my business development. It’s been so helpful to have the structure of a class and cohort of peers to provide accountability and motivation to keep moving forward. I’ve taken other business courses, but JumpStart is the only one that’s had such relevant information that I can immediately put to use for my business.
I think a lot of that is thanks to our instructor Emily Eley. Her advice is like food with good seasoning – it has spice to it! It’s never the obvious or generic response, she’s giving us well-researched, grounded, and innovative guidance.
The engineering consultation I received through JumpStart helped me to finesse my process for laser cutting my coconuts, and put me in touch with skilled metalworkers that constructed the prototype of my new coconut bike cart – complete with a freezer, sink, and awning!
Looking ahead, I want to grow my business to offer more corporate retreats and nutrition workshops. And I am especially passionate about connecting low-income communities with better nutritional options. I am hoping to become part of the USDA funded Summer Food Service Program to provide eligible families with free coconuts.
I am so grateful to Generator and the JumpStart program for providing me with the guidance and support to push my business forward and provide healthy food options to more people.
Prince… Thank you so much for the kind and thoughtful words!
As a nonprofit, community support from people like you is what enables Generator to continue to offer our impactful programs for entrepreneurs such as Prince.
Supporting Generator is never a bad idea, but right now it’s an especially good one!
We are currently fundraising to support programs like JumpStart, and if we raise $20,000 in community donations by June 16th we will unlock a $20,000 match from some generous sponsors. So please consider making a donation today… We won’t make it without you!
