Hi! I’m Alexandra D’Oliveira, a deaf Designer and Craft Maker from Toronto, Ontario, currently based in Montreal, Quebec. Holding a Bachelor’s of Industrial Design with a Minor in Textiles and Furniture, I have currently been working in digital fabrication and custom manufacturing for 7+ years. My experiences in this space continues to cultivate my enjoyment of working with my hands and new materials.
My approach to design is as a ‘jack of all trades’. Be it from research and development, to model making iterations, to varied mediums, there are always new discoveries to be made. The continuous motion of shifting gears and adapting is what I find exciting and that can be seen in my work.
In my own life, in studies and throughout my career, themes of sustainability, accessibility, and community are metrics I follow. The never-ending cycle of consumption so prevalent in this industry (and society at large) has fuelled my ongoing desire to explore a material’s life after production.
Having the technical know how in Laser Cutting, CNC Cutting, 3D Printing and Sewing processes, I find ways to revive this excess through inspiration in craft, fibre arts, open sourcing, and DIY culture modalities. I believe in these practices as a means to make design approachable, a learning opportunity and for everyone. In application, this is how and why the philosophy of my own work strives for boldness, fun, and practicality.
Check out @gemini.crush or @mrroygbiv on Instagram to see how I keep inspired!