Inside The Residency: Michael Levenick’s Art & Tech Fusion
E.C. public library welcomes new Maker In Residence with annual summer program
words & photos by Evelyn Nelson |
To put a label on creatives with multifaceted backgrounds can be a difficult task. Eau Claire's public library, however, welcomes such challenges and commemorates all forms of curiosity through its yearly Maker In Residence program.
The RCU Dabble Box Makerspace, a do-it-yourself (DIY) programming space housed in the L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library (400 Eau Claire St., Eau Claire), has become a hub where folks of all ages can “develop new technology skills, gain confidence, and discover new talents and career opportunities,” the library's website reads.
The Maker In Residence initiative, aided by the library’s endowment fund, invites the opportunity for a local artisan, maker, designer, or hobbyist to build their own four-week residency during the month of June.
"Technology in some ways can help to bridge some of those gaps for people like me (who) have a little bit more of a technical mindset — but can still partake in the process of creation.”
Michael levenick
2025 maker in residence
Bethany Bulgrin, who oversees the Dabble Box and serves as a reference and digital services librarian, said the library's Makers in Residence program offers creative-minded residents a space to work on projects and learn from experts in their respective fields.
The RCU Dabble Box Makerspace is located on Level 0 of the L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library in downtown Eau Claire. (Photo by Andrea Paulseth)
“At our core, we are open and welcoming to everyone,” Bulgrin said. “This value extends to our (Dabble Box) programming and we feel strongly that all ages should be able to participate in learning and exploring with the new skill that the resident is sharing.”
Over the years, makers and artists Sam Peskie, Jenna Van Zande, and BIBS Printing each shared contemporary artforms in their respective mediums and explored themes such as sustainability, block printing, and zine or book creation.
Michael Levenick, the 2025 Maker In Residence, will tackle another mission of the Dabble Box Makerspace: the exploration of art and technology as a shared unit; where guests can gain confidence in subjects within the field of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM).
Levenick, a quality and safety engineer for AI initiatives at JAMF in Eau Claire, said he finds fascination when art and technology can meet to create innovative solutions. While he may not call himself an artist, his creative drive fuses technological interests like 3D printing with lighting and sound work, crafting immersive experiences for those around him.
"Since I've started working with Michael, it's clear how passionate and excited he is about the industry. We're all excited to see how his residency plays out."
BETHANY BULGRIN
DABBLE BOX, REFERENCE & DIGITAL SERVICES LIBRARIAN
“Art is something that has always interested me," Levenick said. “Technology in some ways can help to bridge some of those gaps for people like me (who) have a little bit more of a technical mindset — but can still partake in the process of creation.”
Levenick’s unique approach to introduce a technological element within the program became the standout quality that intrigued the library staff, Bulgrin said.
“We feel that Michael's residency will help to round things out by focusing more on technology and engineering,” Bulgrin said. “Since I've started working with Michael, it's clear how passionate and excited he is about the industry. We're all excited to see how his residency plays out.”
As the summer continues, Levenick will hold regular studio hours once a week during the library’s open hours and teach three two-hour workshops on different entry points to the world of technology — each with a unique twist to bring an element of fun to the residency (and free to attend).
Attendees can expect workshops ranging from crafting peanut butter and jelly sandwiches with a programmer's mindset, to building greeting cards illuminated with LEDs; even designing custom board games using tech-integrations alongside cards, dice, and other components, Levenick shared.
“I think that we've put together a curriculum that is a really good intersection of education and fun,” Levenick said. “It's really cool that (the Dabble Box) can give folks in the community access to these (resources) when they may not otherwise have them; it's stuff that's benefited my life greatly.”
Open Studio Hours
Drop by the RCU Dabble Box Makerspace (Level 0) at the L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library, during studio hours and help create new innovations with this year's Maker In Residence: Michael Levenick.
Thursday, June 12: Noon to 4pmWednesday, June 18: Noon to 4pm
Wednesday, June 25: Noon to 4pm
Register for a Workshop
Visit the library event calendar page online to sign up for the remaining Maker In Residence workshops! Registration is required to attend.
Saturday, June 14: Greeting Cards that Shine | Noon to 4pmSaturday, June 21: From Idea to Game Night: Board Game Design and Creation | 10am to Noon
Stay up to date with Levenick’s weekly Maker In Residence studio hours and weekend workshops through the L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library’s website at ecpubliclibrary.
