Functional Practices at Make Santa Fe
At Make Santa Fe, creativity thrives at the intersection of disciplines. By combining badges across our studios, members unlock powerful functional practices—comprehensive skillsets that empower you to build everything from custom furniture to kinetic sculptures, wearable tech, and beyond. Whether you’re an artist, entrepreneur, or hands-on tinkerer, our interdisciplinary approach gives your membership even more value and your ideas the tools to thrive.
Metal Fabrication & Metalworking
Built on MIG Welding, CNC Plasma Cutting, Metal Lathe & Mill, and 2D Drafting, this practice develops precision fabrication capabilities. It serves professionals working in metal-based fabrication, sculpture, and furniture design.
Custom Woodworking & Furniture Design
This practice integrates Woodshop, CNC Router, Wood Lathe, Laser Cutting, and 2D Drafting badges. It supports the design and construction of custom furniture and built environments using traditional and digital woodworking tools.
Ceramics and Pottery
This functional practice draws on the Ceramics & Pottery, Kiln Firing, 3D Printing, Ceramic 3D Printing, Laser Cutting, and 2D Drafting badges. These combined skills support both traditional and digital approaches to ceramics, allowing for exploration in wheel throwing, handbuilding, digital fabrication, and surface design.
Glass Art & Kiln Work
This practice draws on the Kiln Firing, Glass Fusing, Laser Cutting, Water Jet, and 2D Drafting badges. Together, these skills support a range of glassworking techniques used in both fine art and functional design applications.
Printmaking & Paper Arts
This functional practice combines traditional and digital techniques for creating fine art prints, book arts, and paper-based works. With cutting, embossing, etching, and precision design tools, members can explore analog and experimental approaches to printmaking and paper craft.
Product Prototyping & Design
This track includes 3D Modeling, 3D Printing, Electronics & Microcontrollers, Laser Cutting, and Casting & Mold Making badges. These combined skills are commonly used in product development, enabling iterative prototyping and component integration.
Blacksmithing & Forged Metal Art
This practice utilizes Blacksmithing, Blacksmithing Power Hammer, MIG Welding, and Casting & Mold Making badges. It is ideal for professionals working in traditional metalwork, ornamental forging, and sculptural metal fabrication.
Sculpture & Large-Scale Art
Combining Woodshop, MIG Welding, CNC Plasma Cutting, Casting & Mold Making, and either 2D Drafting or 3D Modeling, this practice supports artists working in large-scale, mixed-media, or public installation contexts.
Leatherworking Studio
Combining Industrial Sewing, Laser Cutting, Patternmaking and Draping, and Leather Tools , this path equips members to work effectively with leather materials. The result is a complete foundation for soft goods construction, prototyping, and leather product design.
Wearables, Textiles & Fashion Design
This functional practice draws from Industrial Sewing, Patternmaking and Draping, Laser Cutting, 3D Printing, and Electronics & Microcontrollers. These disciplines intersect to support fashion design, wearable art, and costume development.
Electronics & Robotics
This functional practice is built on Electrics & Microcontrollers, Advanced Electronics, 3D Printing, 2D Drafting, and Laser Cutting. It prepares makers for work in robotics, interactive systems, and embedded technologies.
Mold Making & Casting
Combining Casting & Mold Making, 3D Modeling, CNC Router or Laser Cutting, and Kiln Firing, this practice provides essential skills for reproduction, small-batch production, and three-dimensional design workflows.
Youth-Oriented Maker Curriculum
This introductory practice includes Laser Cutting, 3D Printing, 2D Drafting, basic Woodshop, and Electrics & Microcontrollers. It supports youth education programs by providing a well-rounded entry point into maker-based STEAM learning.
