MAC STEAMPUNK FUNDRAISER - September 6th, 2025 - hosted by DeCosmos Fi

MAC Steampunk Fundraiser:  Saturday, September 6th, 2025, 12:30 - 3:30 pm in the MAC Studio Space

Join us at the MAC for an exposure to Steampunk, the ever-growing wave of amazing artistic pieces constructed of metal, glass and ceramics. 

 This event will concentrate on creating ‘Mini Sculptures’. (Image courtesy of Joyce Grenon)

A Bit of History

Steampunk's roots go back to the late 18th and 19th Century stemming from science fiction and retro­futuristic technology. Jules Verne in his 1870 book, Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea*, imagines Captain Nemo under the seas in a submarine called the Nautilus; a complex submersible, underwater propelled capsule capable of sustaining human life. He, along with other futuristic, science fiction thinkers, created a vision of underwater travel which was still in the inventive stages** at the time of his writing. These thinkers and dreamers inspired the Industrial Revolution.  Twenty Thousand Leagues has also had an impact on the steampunk subgenre, with Verne even being described as "the godfather of steampunk." Nemo epitomizes the steampunk hero (or, rather, anti-hero), being an eccentric outsider with a passion for innovative technology o.e. the Nautilus-which, when viewed through modern eyes, fits the retro-futuristic steampunk aesthetic). *  "the Nautilus actually traveled 43,197 nautical miles (49,710 miles), 

Turned into Art

Artists have embraced this turning point era, and created breathtaking, wondrous life sized sculptures, incorporating wheels, gears and cogs, welded amongst pipes, grills and plough shares, formerly lying at rest somewhere and gave this historic 'junk' a new life. 

Format: Introductory and safety info followed by “workshop”

$30 per participant. Maximum 30 participants.

Children over 12 welcomed; some supervision is required (tool use, glue) We will provide some pliers, glue, rubber gloves and junk that we have collected. We encourage you to bring your own pliers, tweezers or any perceived tools you see yourself using.

Definitively, steampunk sculptures are 3-dimensional and may range from tabletop size to large welded representations in public spaces. From this original conception of metal, gears, cogs and industrial accents, there has been a spillover of steampunk being incorporated in wall and two dimensional art work, jewellery and wearables. 

Recognizing the explosion of consumerism and a throw-away society, Steampunk has been an avenue to reduce, reuse, and recycle materials in an artistic and creative way.

All proceeds will go to the cost of materials for the workshop (glue, gloves, tools) and any remaining profit to the MAC Capital Fundraising Project. We graciously acknowledge DeCosmos Fine Arts Society for their promotion and continued support of previous and this Steampunk event(s).