Nate Mahoney Studio

Tag: Proposal

  • Prototyping

    Prototyping

    Thanks to Diane and Kate for leading a fun AI playground workshop.

    I’m using AI tools to create new products and services.

    For my art practice:

    1. AI Coffee: Scan a QR code sticker to order your coffee

    For my small business, The Urbanist.

    1. The Urbanist: Text Advice for how to use public transportation, food recommendations, and for city tips.
    2. The Urbanist. Safe Streets: Text message supportive advice for confidently navigating the city.

    Tool or Tools utilized: Figma Make, Twillio, Terminal, Python, Flask, Claude, Chat GPT. 

    What worked well: Figma make went very well for generating a prototype. Setting up an account and verifying phone numbers on Twillio was easy. 

    What didn’t: Getting python running on terminal was tricky, I’m new to coding so learning a lot asking Chat GPT how to get it to work 

    Next steps: Prototyping and coding this so it actually works with a phone number ported to Twillio. 

    Links: 

  • Howdy Cowboy. Painting series.

    Howdy Cowboy. Painting series.

    For Walking, 2025, acrylic on canvas, 11” x 14” x 1” Work in progress.

    Howdy Cowboy. A western painting series that I’m currently working on. This work challenges traditional masculine stereotypes by reinterpreting cowboy imagery to critique conventional idealized narratives. I found myself needing to explore a personal conflict, being attracted to cowboys but also not wanting to further patriarchal symbolism.

  • Forest bathing: Queer portraits in nature: proposal

    Forest bathing: Queer portraits in nature: proposal


    What the series is about.

    This series documents queer people exploring and being rejuvenated by forest bathing in nature. The collaboration with queer subjects across the spectrum of LGBTQIA+ includes video interviews and still photographs to share that sense of calm with our community. The goal is to capture a human centered portrait in nature and bring back that green natural environment to the gallery space. 

    There is an open call to be photographed for this ongoing project. Link to participate.

    Land Acknowledgment. We acknowledge that this project takes place on the ancestral lands of Native Peoples. We acknowledge this not only in thanks to the Indigenous communities who have held a relationship with this land and stewarded it for generations, but also in recognition of the historical challenges. Additionally, we make this acknowledgement as a point of reflection for us all as we address these wrongs in an effort to heal our relationship with Native Peoples.

    Sketchbook drawings to envision photographing queer forest bathing portraits.
  • Aquatic clock proposal

    Aquatic clock proposal

    A public art proposal to connect public swimming pools in different neighborhoods across the Bay Area. Inspired by taking WSI training at Oakland public pools and learning about a proposal to create a floating long course pool on the San Francisco water front. This initial idea is to update the defunct pool clock at Fremont pool in Oakland with a functional clock with a second hand to aide in timing workouts, a similar clock would be installed at other public pools in the Bay Area that would send and receive useful and poetic data from each location.

  • AI Coffee

    AI Coffee

    A performance art project to create a pop-up coffee shop that runs on an experimental Chat GPT conversation. The whole thing is a mechanical Turk. Perhaps this project should be called OZ coffee. In reference to the Wizard of Oz, who is always pulling levers behind the scenes.


    Original Proposal UX flow:


    1. Scan a QR code at the coffee pop up to begin a SMS chat conversation to order your coffee.

    2. Prompt: What kind of coffee would you like and can I have your name for the order? (It’s free)

    3. The customers name is hand written on the counter by a wand to suggest what could be automated with the delivery process while a lively conversation goes back and forth about the coffee order.

    4. No matter what the customer orders, they just get a regular coffee from a basic Keurig machine behind the curtain.

    5. The last message in the conversation will be asking to provide a 1 star review to be helpful to future customers. ⭐️

    Check out this review of AI coffee on Google Maps https://maps.app.goo.gl/Fc3MiDAqS2YVCxx57?g_st=i

    Over 100,000 views on Google maps!

    Sound effects from an espresso machine steaming milk will be played during the conversation.


    Scan the QR code to start a conversational AI coffee order.

    I made printed stickers and they are perfect for your laptop! Reach out if you’d like to order one.

    Screenshot