Exploring Accessible Digital Fabrication Through Sculpture
At Chaya Art Studio, research and experimentation are fundamental parts of the creative process. Over the past months, the studio has been developing a DIY 3-axis CNC milling machine as part of an internal investigation into accessible digital fabrication for artists.
The objective was simple yet ambitious: to explore whether a functional CNC machine could be designed and built using primarily 3D-printed components and affordable hardware readily available online or from local hardware stores. The result — now referred to as the CHAYA ART CNC — has been successfully built, tested, and integrated into the studio’s fabrication workflow.
This machine will contribute to the production of several sculptures currently being developed by artist Husam Chaya for an upcoming exhibition in collaboration with Maison de la culture d’Ahuntsic-Cartierville in Montreal.
The process begins with small-scale clay sculptures created by hand in the studio. These forms are then digitally captured through 3D scanning and processed using Layera — a sculptural fabrication platform developed by CHAYA ART STUDIO. Combined with the studio’s custom-built CNC system, the workflow enables sculptures to move from physical clay studies into digitally fabricated structures directly within the artist’s atelier.
Beyond fabrication itself, the project represents a broader reflection on artistic independence, accessibility, and the democratization of creative technologies. The experiment demonstrates that artists can build and control their own production tools without relying entirely on industrial infrastructures.
As the research continues, CHAYA ART STUDIO plans to develop future workshops dedicated to sharing this knowledge with artists, makers, and students interested in digital fabrication, sculptural processes, and experimental production methodologies.
This project forms part of the studio’s ongoing exploration of the intersection between sculpture, technology, material experimentation, and self-directed fabrication.
— Chaya Art Studio
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