A. Laura Brody

"My works are playful with a practical touch. They are meant to encourage conversation, audience participation and to inspire action.

My mobility artworks start with used devices and are transformed with reused hardware, mechanics and fabrics into imaginative creations. Driven (an Edwardian electric wheelchair), Le Flaneur (a Victorian-inspired walker) and The Rocking Duck Boat (a re-imagined rocking chair, in collaboration with Alan deForest) re-imagine mobility and disability in poetic ways. The intent is not just to make beautiful objects, but to collaborate with others and find ways to create functional and sustainable beauty.

I see old electric wheelchairs and thrift store walkers as buried treasure waiting to be discovered and re-formed. Re-used fabrics and materials call to me to become new creations. Let me share their voices with you."

A. Laura Brody is a sculptor and creator for the human body and its vehicles. She creates re-used wearable art and mobility art through her company Dreams by Machine.

She developed staple draping, using scissors, staplers, staples and reused fabrics to create living sculptures and clothing on live models and vehicles. This technique is an excellent tool for teaching people how to figure out underlying shapes. She's staple draped her way from LA Derby Doll events to the Summerset Festival in Baraboo, Wisconsin and even as far as Wellington, New Zealand. The staple draping works as a performance, in workshops and as a class. Her live performance draping event, Presque Prêt a Porter, won the CSPA Sustainability award for the first Hollywood Fringe Festival.

Her re-made mobility art (fancy wheelchairs and walkers) was shown in Dr. Grymm's 1000 Steampunk Creations, the Steampunk Form and Function show, at Cannibal Flower and as part of her group show Opulent Mobility.The next goal is to work with assistive technology engineers to develop new and personalized mobility device designs.

Her first love was for costumes, and she's worked as a costume maker and designer for over 25 years. Maybe you've seen her patterning and tailoring work for designer Michael Schmidt on LMFAO at the Superbowl 46 halftime show or Fergie?s LEGO ensemble for the Kids Choice Awards. Or maybe you saw her specialty costume work on Kickin' It where she made walking mattresses and Mothra suits.