Our Mission
Otter & Penguin Makerspaces, aspires to develop shared spaces and resources, in support of the arts, in an environment of inclusivity.
Pinky Estell, Managing Director
Pinky Estell grew up between the farm lands of Eastern Washington and Spokane Valley. Starting as a young teen he worked alongside his family members to learn wood and steel fabrication. In highschool he found a passion for the performing arts which led to his apprenticeship under Nick Adams a local retired Regional Theatre Designer. A few months after turning 18 he moved to Capitol Hill where he started his career in pursuit of being a professional artist. Pinky attended Cornish College of the Arts where he studied both performing and visual arts fabrication. After graduating, Pinky would spend the next ten years traveling the USA working in many makerspaces and for arts organizations. During which time he got his MFA at UNCSA.
Pinky would return to Seattle in 2013 to help develop programing and remodeling of the World’s Fair Playhouse which recently came under the stewardship of Cornish. He would go on to be the founding Director of Creative Spaces and Event Services also at Cornish.
His interest in being an active citizen in his community grew over the years of his travels. Today he serves as the President on the UpTown Arts & Culture Coalition District Board in Seattle Washington, Advisory Board of Seattle Arts & Culture for Antiracism, and as a Tukwila Arts Commissioner.
Jill Beasley, Operations Director
Jill Beasley has been building and repairing things since she was a small child. It all started with building model cars, LEGO, and following her father around building and repairing everything around the house. She became interested in running shops in college while earning her BFA in Performance Production. Jill’s first Shop Supervisor position was actually at her alma mater, Cornish College of the Arts. Her career in theater led to work in many makerspaces and on many projects throughout the country.
Jill has worked as a Shop Foreman and Technical Director both in professional and educational settings over the last 20 years. She has also done work as a handy-person, and has many skills throughout different trades. Her passion is in teaching people who want to learn to build and create. A few years ago she returned, once again, to Cornish where she helped found the Creative Spaces and Event Services as the Technical Supervisor.
After getting the department up and running she decided it was time to pursue a new career path. Jill is now the Building Manger at Town Hall Seattle where she works to keep a 100 year old building up and running for a company that has an amazing mission.
Our Vision
We envision a shared use shop, studio space and educational environment supplied with professional grade equipment and unrivaled facilities to build and store projects. Mobilized art programs bringing arts to communities who do not have access within their neighborhoods.