Artist Statement: Richard Call

Richard Call is a fabricator and digital designer working in his home town of Sonora, California.

Mr Call is very interested in responsible creative uses for technology to teach and make accessible experiences. Time and time again people have put their faith into technology to solve the perilous problems mankind creates for itself. Meanwhile, other people can use technology to create perilous problems to solve. What can seem like a miracle device in one person’s hand can be the burden of another person on the other side of the planet. People with technology have access to information and resources. People without technology and the money to operate it: access denied.

Richard’s background is in several areas of art and technology. He was an IT administrator, a UX/UI software developer, and a long-time web designer. Richard has also been a print designer working for local publications and graphic shops. Currently he owns a small laser engraving/fabrication business and works for a local custom fabricator as a CAM programmer and systems engineer. His educational background is not worth mentioning, but if you insist, it consisted of some film and television, and some industrial design. He was removed from Academy of Art University for missing a tuition payment.

If you had to describe his creative career arc, you’d probably say it went from making software to making things. Things are different than software. Software is made for people who want to use computers and phones to do “stuff”. What about people who are actually sick of being at their computers or on their phones? What about people who cant fucking afford an Uber to the Apple store or your big-brother augmented reality rig? What experiences are accessible to them? Things. Of course you can still make software. Richard makes software, and he makes things. Best of all, he makes software that makes things.

Why didn’t he just make things all along? Accessibility. Making web sites and software costs zero dollars. Anyone with a power outlet, the will (if you actually have the will, you will get the ability. if you couldn’t get the ability, you wouldn’t have the will. Don’t give up!), and the physical abilities required for computer use can start programming. Richard will bring you a computer if you need one and you ain’t choosy. Cool thing is you don’t need any kind of beefy machine. Any computer will do. Things, however, have quite a range of costs to create.

Richard derives joy from continuous exploration and learning. One way he likes to express that joy is by being a teacher or mentor to others when he can. He’s got a deep chest of design tools that can be chained together to take on larger projects and reach wider audiences.