Imagine drawing a plate, or a tree,  on your computer, then hitting print, and watching it come to life in plastic or metal. Now imagine giving that power to artists.

Back in April, Jerome did a piece for KERA radio on a group of Dallas artists exploring the world of rapid prototyping, using computer-aided design and 3D printing to create sculptures.

Nancy Hairston, president of VanDuzen Inc coordinated the project, picking the artists, many of whom had little specialized computer training. She formed SculptCAD Rapid Artists and the results of the experiment were first displayed at a trade conference for the Society of Manufacturing Engineers in California last Spring.

Now SculptCAD is teaming up with TEDxSMU for the first local public exhibition of the group’s work.  Tomorrow at 6, Hairston and several of the artists will discuss the process and their pieces during a salon at One Arts Plaza.  After that, you can talk to the artists one-on-one about how they did this, and what it was like to work in an emerging medium. Tickets are $20 at the door.

If you miss the salon, be sure to check out the exhibit, which runs through Oct. 16 in the lobby at One Arts.

Here’s a video that includes artist Ginger Fox watching her work come out of the printer.