Physical Art & Making

Not everything I build lives on a screen. Some of my most meaningful projects are physical, hands-on pieces I have designed and built for a very specific user: my daughter. These projects combine problem-solving, structure, and iteration in much the same way programming does — just with wood, hardware, and paint instead of code.

Jewelry Display Board — Interface & Visibility

The jewelry display board was designed to solve a visibility and access problem: how to store a large number of necklaces and bracelets in a way that makes them easy to see, reach, and reorganize. The solution involved cutting and finishing a wood base, decorating it to feel personal, and carefully planning the placement of multiple drawer knobs to act as hanging points.

From a programming perspective, this piece closely mirrors user interface design. Each knob functions like an interactive element, and spacing decisions affect usability in the same way button placement or menu density does in software. The board prioritizes clarity, discoverability, and ease of interaction — the same principles that guide effective front-end development.

Designing this piece reinforced the idea that good systems are not just functional, but intuitive. Whether digital or physical, thoughtful layout and user-centered decisions directly impact how comfortably someone can interact with a system over time.

Miniature Kitchen — Modeling, Scale, and Abstraction

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The miniature kitchen project involved creating a scaled-down physical model of a real-world environment using handmade furniture and carefully considered proportions. Every component — from the table and chairs to the floor pattern and accessories — required decisions about what details to include and what could be simplified.

This process closely aligns with abstraction in programming. Just as developers model real systems using data structures, entities, or wireframes, this project required translating a complex space into a reduced, manageable representation while preserving its essential characteristics.

Working at a small scale also emphasized structural logic. Pieces needed to balance, align, and visually belong together, reinforcing the same kind of systems thinking used when designing software architectures where individual components must work together coherently.

Jewelry Cubby & Storage Box — Modular Systems & State

The jewelry cubby was designed as a modular storage system to complement the display board. Built from wood, it features a hinged front door secured by magnets, a removable internal shelf, a large handle constructed from a dual-mounted drawer knob, and a set of custom-fit internal boxes.

This project maps directly to system design in programming. The cubby acts as a container, the door introduces state (open or closed), the removable shelf allows configuration, and the internal boxes function as structured sub-containers with defined constraints. Each design decision balances flexibility with stability — a core concern in software systems.

Building this piece reinforced modular thinking, constraint management, and user-driven adaptability. These same principles appear in database design, component-based development, and application architecture, where systems must remain usable while accommodating change.