"The desired impossibility to be rendered from each body of work is determined by materials, process, and the forms of the desired effect outcome. The work reaches its highest point of purity when it becomes undetectable by the untrained eye."

- Rolando Medina

About

Rolando Medina is an award-winning Mexican/American magician, sideshow performer, artist, designer, author, master craftsman, and entrepreneur. Rolando has performed and has been a top consultant for multiple theatrical productions, music videos, and TV commercials, and prominent magicians through out his career.

Born and raised in Mexico's Federal District, the capital of Mexico. He was raised within a rich cultural diverse context from his Mexican and Irish American families. As a child, Rolando grew up with constant exposure and stimulation to fine art, classical music, theater, the circus arts, magic, street performers, performance art, and the master work of local and regional artisans and craftsmen.
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While still in school Rolando began an apprenticeship with Louis Berkowitz a.k.a . "ElBee"  - King of the Wooden Nickels, who was the proprietor of El Bee Co. in San Antonio TX, the oldest magic & novelty store in the city.
This is where Rolando was first introduced to the concept of manufacturing and making magic. Since Rolando has developed a unique understanding and application in design and fabrication toward what it is to be a "Maker of Wondrous Things".

Product Design

Philosophical Emphasis

Rolando believes in making through the process of learning-through-doing (constructivism). He emphasizes informal, networked, peer-led, and shared learning, motivated by love and passion for the magical arts, as well as self-fulfillment. 

Rolando's work and process take a critical view of pre-existing magic machina and apparatus, as well as the desired impossibilities to be rendered. His work, deconstructs the desired magical effect in order to innovate the workings of the gaff or gimmick required for the creation of said effect, resulting in innovation within the given content. Having engaged subjects as diverse as the performance of close up, parlour, and stage magic, busking, manipulation, sleight of hand, misdirection, corporal manipulation, juggling, and acting.  Rolando's work yields a very complete understanding and application of the multiple facets  of functionality required for fine work to be created.

Prototype Development & Proof of Concept

Rolando uses a variety of materials and processes along side with his own methodology and process, and specially created tooling to create a consistent level of refinement in the work he produces.

• Metals
• Woods
• Plastics & Polymers

• Fabrics
• Glass
• Paper

• Leather
• Pigments
• Clay

The encouraging novel applications of such materials, and the exploration of Rolando's process leads him to create specialty tooling and machinery within the development of each project. Although there may not always be material similarities between the different projects they are linked by recurring formal concerns and through subject matter of the desired project outcome.

• Metals Spining/Forming
• 3D Printing
• Micro Machining
• CNC Subtractive Manufacturing

• Boundry
• Plastic Injection
• General Fabrication
• ​Casting
  

During research and production new areas of interest and ideas arise and lead to new and innovative process and bodies of work. The concrete, repetitive nature of this work frees his imagination and provides opportunities for "happy accidents" and grace to influence the finished product, as well as future projects. 
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Rolando's influences are other makers and performers, everything that is seen, felt and experienced becomes an influence in his process.

Throughout the making process, Rolando utilizes a wide variety of materials yielding nothing short of art.