This article originates from Women In 3D Printing and is part of our effort to support the use of 3D printing technology by women. The article is re-published with permission.
Sarah is the founder of Convolo Design, an Australian-based design studio.
I asked her her thoughts on the 3D printing industry and how she uses the technology in her work.
Nora Toure: Sarah, could you let us know about your background and what brought you into 3D printing in the first place?
Sarah Ceravolo: I studied nine different areas of art and design over one year and set out to find where my creative talents lie, I soon decided they were in form finding and intricate detailing of 3d objects. I then decided metal-smithing was the best practice for me to further explore these elements in design and art- it proved to be true.
After a few years I grew a deep fascination for architecture, particularly computational, I understood that the skills I possessed could go much further in scale and functionality. My architectural concepts gave me the ability to design in multiple forms and scale, the purpose of my work had developed from wearable to habitable. Using computational methods I was able to translate enormous ideas into 3d imagery which is where 3D printing became a possibility. On an architectural scale 3D printing small prototypes to test ideas was normal practice. Both the micro and the macro scale of which I had become so familiar with, could now easily be applied to design and also 3D printed into various functional objects.
Nora Toure: Do you remember your first 3D printed design?
Sarah Ceravolo: My first 3D print was during my architectural education in 2009, it was a portion of a small building in plaster.
Nora Toure: You built your own design studio, Convolo Design, based in Melbourne, Australia. What are your main inspirations?
Sarah Ceravolo: My inspirations are no longer as direct as they once were, they are all around me. I am inspired by a challenge to reinvent how we might use an ordinary object, a private or a public space. Nature and its phenomena are constant inspiration. For example: nature will take a holistic approach to design allowing for an optimal result in a single solution.
At times I try to imitate this approach and this is where using 3d printing can help. A fusion of nature along with many years of exploration and experimentation into different geometric patterns continues to inspire me. So, my inspiration now truly begins with the freedom of complexity offered by imagination, combining years of inspiration into concepts that will eventuate into the physical world.
Nora Toure: Why 3D printing?
Sarah Ceravolo: 3D printing truly broadens the scope of design possibilities along with precision and geometric complexity that no other modern machine is capable of. I always had the intention to open a design firm, 3D printing was a gateway to low cost, high quality effective design results.
Nora Toure: Do you integrate other technologies as well?
Sarah Ceravolo: Not at this stage of my practice, however there are future plans to fuse different techniques and even collaborate with other designers with diverse disciplinary skill sets.
Nora Toure: Do you have any (fun or not) story about your company to share with us?
Sarah Ceravolo: Opening a delivery of 3D printed objects I’ve designed but only ever experienced in the digital realm before is fun each and every time.
Nora Toure: As a woman entrepreneur, what was/ is your biggest challenge? Any challenge specific to the 3D printing industry?
Sarah Ceravolo: My biggest challenge was to find and maintain a balance between family life and work. I have a 3 year old boy and a very supportive husband who deserve my best efforts as a mother and a wife.
Nora Toure: What makes the 3D printing industry particularly interesting for you as a business person?
Sarah Ceravolo: I believe this may just herald in a new industrial revolution, this is happening on a global scale and I am excited to be a part of it. The implications for society are boundless and could be paralleled with the invention of the printing press, as Peter Day from the BBC so succinctly put it: “Effectively, printing changed the relationship between men and women and their universe, their surroundings. Nobody knows who first said it, but there is no exaggeration in the resonant phrase about the alphabet moulded into sticks of metal type: “With 25 lead soldiers I will conquer the world”.”
Nora Toure: As a woman?
Sarah Ceravolo: Perhaps 20 years ago there would have been quite a gender divide in this area of expertise, however nowadays women are being invited into this field equal to men.
Nora Toure: What do you think of the 3D printing industry today? And how would you like to see it evolve?
Sarah Ceravolo: I think there are still invisible barriers within the industry toward design practices and general public knowledge. It is evolving naturally with a focus on the sciences and engineer driven disciplines. I am looking forward to the moment this technology is adopted by masses of the general public and various design disciplines as a great amount of creativity will be unleashed. It will be a phenomenon for design.
Nora Toure: In your opinion, how could we encourage more women to become involved with 3D Printing?
Sarah Ceravolo: From gastronomy to technology the possibilities are endless. Whatever your passion is, chances are there is a relevant application within 3D printing for it. Many exiting hurdles can be eliminated for women, allowing them to explore and express their talents on demand and with flexibility. 3D printing can be predominantly done from home- it is a highly accessible platform and if they choose to learn the relevant software, world of possibilities awaits them.
If you are interested in learning more about Sarah and her work, we invite you to visit her collection here!
And don’t forget to join the Women in 3D Printing group on LinkedIn and Facebook
