Mind Over Vision - Checkers Board

Hello, everyone! We are “As Marias”. For Fab&Fierce Challenge, we chose Cristiana Felgueiras as our muse. We learned about her story at the latest Fab Connect Her event and felt very inspired.

Cris is a Portuguese artist, maker and content creator. She created the “Get Hands Dirty” project, which involves a YouTube channel where she posts videos of her wood and wood-based projects, with the aim of encouraging the maker movement.

Based on Cris’s projects, we decided that we would make something out of wood. After some research, we came up with the idea of creating a chessboard, replacing the classic pieces with pieces alluding to STEAM areas. However, we opted to simplify and switch to checkers. To create something within the STEAM context and inspired by Cris, we decided to change the traditional pieces (black and white) to pieces with the symbol of a hammer and a saw, tools widely used in woodworking.

To do this, we used a digital manufacturing tool: a laser cutting machine.

In order to create a more inclusive project, we adapted the checkers and board for blind people. The checkers have raised symbols so that players can distinguish their pieces from their opponent’s, and the board has a rough texture (derived from the sandpaper we glued to the black squares) so that players can identify where they can play.

Cris inspired us because she is a strong woman who followed her dreams. In addition, she shares her personal projects and encourages the public to join the maker movement.