Utilizing a 3D printer and years of computer design experience, Kieran Fogarty creates custom wands based on the Harry Potter movies and his own ideas. What began as a unique request from a friend soon turned into a lucrative hobby that brings magic to children and adults alike. Before returning to his hometown two years ago, Fogarty spent more than a decade in Vancouver working for EA Sports and other companies as a video game artist. Those skills have allowed him to navigate the challenges of emerging technology and create works of art that blend the old and the new.
Tell us about your wands. How many designs have you printed?
So far there are six different designs and I’ve made about 18 of them in total. It’s definitely the nicest blend I’ve seen between 3D printing and making something into a handmade craft. I finish each one with real wood stain and real beeswax and they’re printed using a filament made out of a corn-based plastic and 30 per cent recycled wood pulp, so they end up looking almost identical to carved wood.
Which one are you most excited by?
Probably the latest one, which was a replica of Harry Potter’s wand, because it was completely sculpted by hand using the computer and 3D software, and it took me probably the longest to be happy with.
How has technology enabled you to create this kind of art?
Six years ago you would not have been able to do this. You couldn’t buy a home 3D printer for under $1,000 and you couldn’t export stuff from your digital life to your real life. When I was working in the games industry they finally became accessible and the things I’d been building for years inside of a computer, that I couldn’t touch, I could finally touch them. The first thing I ever printed was a Green Lantern ring because I’d always wanted one and could never find one that I liked.
Who or what inspires you as an artist?
Probably my brother, Stefan Fogarty, or Catnip, as he goes by in town. He has never taken a part-time job and just worked his ass off as an artist his whole life, and now he’s made a career out of it.
What else is keeping you busy these days?
I moved back to Powell River to work on my own virtual reality video game so I’ve been working on that. The wands have been taking a lot of my time because of the number of requests but my regular project is still working on my own video game for virtual reality.
Where can people find your work?
You can find me by searching Kieran’s Wand Shop on Facebook, and at PRISMA on the Beach this Saturday from 5 to 8 pm at Willingdon Beach.
