shot from the hip

Hi, I’m Michele Perras, pathologically busy creative practitioner and consultants in the space between craft, foresight and emerging technology.

My passions reach far and wide, especially on great ideas and inspiring people. This blog touches upon any of the different pots I’ve usually got my hands in. I’m a strong advocate for play, open practice, and searching for ways to make the impossible possible.

My background is meandering. Raised in Niagara, based in Toronto. BFA from OCAD, specializing in Jewellery and Material Culture. Residencies and studio practice since 2002. Exhibitions, curating, writing, teaching – I’m continually seeking out new adventures. I’ve gone caving in West Virginia, swam in James Bay and in 2004 I cycled the rivers of France (well, 4 of them, and no mountains). I’m equally happy in a sailboat or making cheese, and MacGuyver is my spirit animal.

Prime Gallery in Toronto carries my work, but it’s also available through this site. Check the Portfolio page and contact me if something strikes your fancy.

For 2 years I worked with really great people at a research and foresight think-tank – Beal Institute for Strategic Creativity. Strategic foresight, idea generation, design thinking, workshops, and educational initiatives. I directed and contributed to projects with Motorola, Creative Commons Canada, Firefly Foundation, BumpTop Technologies.

My research focus while there dealt with social behaviour enabled through technology – the transformations a community undergoes, new behaviours, identifying implications and contexts. The approach was a mixture of ethnographic study, design, strategic foresight and business development, with threads of play and public policy.

I was Research Lead with former Beal Institute Director Alexander Manu on his recent book “The Imagination Challenge: Strategic Foresight and Innovation in the Global Economy.” (PeachPit Press, 2006). Other roles included team leadership and outreach.

I’ve also produced large and small scale events in the interactive media industry with interactive ontario, a non-profit based in Toronto. Conferences include GameON: Finance, iLunch 6.0, and ICE 2008.

Currently, I manage the Mobile Experience Innovation Centre, a public-private partnership consortium that focuses on creating new and meaningful experiences, and business, through mobile and wireless technology, prototyping and research.

Other things that keep me/have kept me busy:

• TorCamp – Organizer (Open Cities, ScotchCamp), participant (…)
• Overlap – Advisor, participant
• Media Lab Toronto – collaborator
• Remarkk Consulting – collaborator
• Digifest 2008 – Advisor
• …

My inner magpie is always searching for ways to push the conversation.

Find me here

• http://www.linkedin.com/profile?viewProfile=&key=8718575
• www.flickr.com/photos/catalan
• del.icio.us/_catalan_
• michele_dot_perras_at_gmail_dot_com
• skype: michele_perras
• twitter: michele_perras