Meet the Maker: Fran Blanche

Self-taught electronic engineer, artist, musician, mechanical engineer, woodworker, and YouTuber Fran Blanche had never put in so many hours over so few days to complete a single project ... before Project Egress.

Read on to learn more about Fran as well as to watch her video from the live build.

Bio: Fran Blanche is the owner and founder of Frantone Electronics (1994-present) one of the world’s very first boutique guitar effects companies. Fran is a completely self-taught electronic engineer, artist, musician, published photographer, space technology researcher and historian, mechanical engineer, woodworker, and YouTube vlogger. A former professional AM and FM radio DJ and videographer. Fran has worked on the restoration of the one of a kind Maillardet Automaton at the Franklin Institute and worked on vintage Apollo flight hardware at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. She currently operates FranLab, producing educational science content for YouTube.

Artist Statement: “My participation in Project Egress was a transcendent experience that challenged my resolve and problem solving abilities. I had never put in so many hours over so few days to complete a single project, and finally completing my own small piece of such a large project was immensely satisfying on so many levels. Being at the NASM to witness the build really solidified the reality of what I was asked to do, and the completion of the hatch left me with a tremendous appreciation of having participated in something that truly became more than the mere sum of its parts.”