Cynthia Hilmoe Portfolio

Welcome to my most current portfolio. Samples include objects, creative writing, visual arts, a participatory web site and journal entries concerning exhibit/experience design. Enjoy!

Cynthia Hilmoe
315/439-2738
cynthia.hilmoe@nyu.edu

Wearable, May 2008

For a young teenage girl, the ListenUp Scarf is a canvas for self-expression and a reminder of her community of support. The two scarves, the winter version wired with audio and the summer version wired with light components, help her explore different forms of self-expression and build her self-esteem. From the summer scarf, LED lamps magically produce a gentle glow as night falls, a reminder that she can light up a room with her personality. With the winter scarf, she collects snippets of conversations with the scarf and shares them in unconventional ways. Because this scarf is all about voice, she will always think of it as a metaphor for speaking her truth. The scarves harken to her childhood security blanket while helping her grow into her next skin — that of a confident young woman.

The winter scarf is equipped with hacked Radio Shack 20-second audio modules controlled from an Arduino LilyPad microprocessor. Two soft-switches are dedicated to record and playback functions, respectively. Soft circuit technology is used to position the switches in one end of the scarf and the speaker and microphone in the opposite end. The summer version is equipped with solar powered, nocturnal LED pummers (BEAM circuitry). A pink and green palette is carried across lightweight fabric for summer and fleece for winter. Ornamentation includes charms that spell out “SPEAK” and “LISTEN,” matching tassels and trimming.

Collective Storytelling, May 2008

This blog is based on the idea that teenagers and adults are curious about each other, but feel awkward asking each other directly for stories and information. Teenagers begin to define and search for their unique identity through stories told by both adults and peers. Without the pressure that often comes with in-person, one-on-one exchanges, teens use the website to reflect on their experiences and adults recall their own experiences for a sometimes funny, other times poignant and informative read.

This is a work in progress. For one thing, I am searching for a word to replace “confessions.”

Journal Reflections, Spring 2008

Here are some responses to readings and field observations related to collective storytelling and museum exhibit and experience design. Note: This link takes you to a similar looking, but different blog. Be sure to hit the back arrow after reviewing the contents of the targeted category in order to return to this blog.

NYU Course References:
Collective Storytelling, Marianne Petit
Cabinets of Wonder, Nancy Hechinger

Cabinets of Wonder, Final Project

The American Museum of Natural History and partners developed the exhibit “Water H2O = Life” exhibit to raise awareness of water quality and quantity issues around the globe. The attached slide show and supplementary documents present a concept for a Internet-connected road show based on the exhibit’s 10-year international travel schedule. The road show is built around principles of hyperlocalism (global issues presented within the context of local agendas and needs), community arts movement (eco-arts, community building and empowerment, partnerships), and institutional branding (growing AMNH membership, making AMNH’s contributions to content and programming visible and secure).

PowerPoint Presentation
Program Overview
Web Page Mock-up

Community Capacity Building, December 2007

The Toy Emissary is a felt-covered box with switches and buttons that tempt the curious. The Toy delivers messages displayed on an adjacent computer screen; makes noises and lights LED. Messages entered from an accompanying keyboard by one person are retrieved by another person by playing with the switches in combination. The recipient can pass text back by doing the same.

This is the beginning of an exploration into how interactive media can be used to help engage and empower communities or individuals faced with solving ambiguous, complex or contentious/divisive issues. The idea is to provide a playful environment where conversations, imagination and out-of-the-box thinking is stimulated among people with diverse interests. The goal would be to create common ground, build trust and a sense of hope and unity as a precondition to tackling the difficult issues. The objects and their installations would provide the platform for sharing stories, images and information that daylight implicit values and investments that transcend differences within a community.

Assistive Technology, October 2007

An existing Shrek Matching Game was modified for blind and visually impaired children by utilizing game piece shapes for recognition and audio clips to guide activities. Each game piece is assigned a unique resistor value soldered to a radio jack, which when disconnected cues up the sound clips announcing a match or instructing the child to try again or restart the game. Sound clips are stored in a Processing programming environment

50-word Story, Fall 2007

Rhododendron, mountain laurel, and gum trees edged the bank. Swift glassy water. Horizon line ahead. She met thin air and gravity on her way to the frothy water below. Aqueous silence; air bubbles like Champagne. Down, down. Then out she popped like a watermelon seed. Her kayak’s buoyancy overtook her plunge.

Handmade Books, 2002

I made these books using a variety of binding methods and finishing techniques.

Monoprint, 2001

I created and executed this design using a handmade screen clamped to a table top. I didn’t need a sophisticated studio, just a couple of friends to collaborate in setting up and operating the temporary print studio.