High Tech and Handcrafts Meet in the Ozarks

Maker News
High Tech and Handcrafts Meet in the Ozarks
Buffalo_national_river_steel_creek_overlook
View of the Ozarks from the Buffalo National River, Newton County, Arkansas.

The lusciously vegetated rolling hills and mountains stretching over the southern half of Missouri and northern end of Arkansas are called “the Ozarks.” This area is riddled with national forests, scenic water ways, more caves than you can imagine. It is absolutely gorgeous and it is where I call home.

The Ozarks covers a large area
The Ozarks covers a large area.

Any time the Ozarks are mentioned, images of barefoot hillbillies, like the Clampetts, often jump to mind. While I do personally enjoy the shoeless life when possible, the uneducated and socially stunted stereotype couldn’t be further from the truth. However, that old hillbilly tendency to cobble things together and “make do with what you’ve got” has contributed to creating some of the most interesting Makers I’ve ever seen.

Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, Arkansas
Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, Arkansas.

The Ozarks host nationally acclaimed art museums, universities and more. Not to mention fun local sites like the biggest Bass Pro shops and museums, the Silver Dollar City theme park, and Branson Missouri (often called a “wholesome Las Vegas”). Celebration of hard work and handcrafted goods has been strong in the Ozarks for many years, with multiple festivals each year for many aspects of our local skilled workers and artists.

Now, with our very first Mini Maker Faire coming, we’re finding that our community of high-tech Makers is much bigger than even we thought!

ozarksmmf

We’re currently looking for even more participants in the Ozarks Mini Maker Faire, being held in Springfield, Missouri on August 29th.

subjects we’re interested in having:

  • Student projects
  • Robotics
  • Drones
  • Arduino projects
  • Raspberry Pi
  • Conductive materials projects
  • Kit makers
  • Interactive art projects
  • 3D printers and CNC mills
  • Textile arts and crafts
  • E-textiles
  • Home energy monitoring
  • Rockets and R/C toys
  • Sustainability & green tech
  • Radios, vintage computers and game systems
  • Electronics
  • Electric vehicles
  • Science, biology/biotech, and chemistry projects
  • Puppets, kites, and other whimsical creations
  • Bicycles
  • Large-scale art
  • Shelter (tents, domes, etc.)
  • Music performances and participation
  • Unusual tools or machines
  • How to fix things or take them apart (vacuums, clocks, washing machines, etc.)
  • Digital fabrication
  • 3D printing
  • Virtual reality

If you or anyone you know is involved with these things, get signed up as soon as possible!

 

2 thoughts on “High Tech and Handcrafts Meet in the Ozarks

  1. glmeece says:

    Since you have a photo of some beautiful Arkansas architecture. it’s also worth mentioning about the Thorncrown Chapel in Eureka Springs (http://www.thorncrown.com/). It was artfully designed by Frank Loyd Wright protege Fay Jones. Jones also designed a similarly-themed structure you can see in the first (reboot) Star Trek movie when Spock is getting grilled by the counsel about his choice to join Star Fleet.

    Anyway – it’s a beautiful building, and they kept as much of the surrounding woods intact to make it almost blend in. I have often enjoyed visiting the Ozarks when I’ve had the chance to do so (they even extend into eastern Oklahoma).

    Disclaimer: my college roommate’s dad is the one who had the chapel built.

  2. kukary says:

    < col Hiiiiiii Friends….uptil I saw the paycheck saying $8736 , I have faith that my neighbour woz actualy receiving money parttime from their computer. . there friends cousin has done this 4 only about thirteen months and by now repaid the loans on there mini mansion and got a great GMC . visit their website SEE FULL DETAIL

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I get ridiculously excited seeing people make things. I just want to revel in the creativity I see in makers. My favorite thing in the world is sharing a maker's story. find me at CalebKraft.com

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