We are always amazed at the new and inspiring makers we encounter in Arkansas. In 2015, around 70 makers attended the inaugural North Little Rock Mini Maker Faire. That number grew to over 85 last year, and we are excited to meet the new makers attending this year that we have not seen yet.
Here is our list of the ten new makers to seek out at next weekend’s Third Annual North Little Rock Mini Maker Faire.
O’Faolain Leather
Growing up listening to The Phantom of the Opera with his mother, Bryant Phelan became obsessed with leather masquerade masks. At age 12, he made his own masks from leather scraps, before later expanding into fashioning leather bags and accessories. He then launched the O’Faolain brand at 24. We cannot wait to check out his creative leather cuff bracelets, purses, backpacks, corsets, and more!
Adrian Quintanar Ceramics
“As an artist, I strive to create pottery that will be treasured and used in our daily rituals,” says Adrian Quintanar. He will have plenty of that functional pottery available, including coffee mugs, pitchers, bowls and vases, all of which are hand-crafted in Little Rock.
RepRap HELIOS
Robotics AND 3D printing! Nicholas Seward, who teaches computer science to gifted students in Arkansas, will demonstrate RepRap HELIOS, a robotic arm, 3D printer that can print nearly all of its own parts. The HELIOS fits in a 10-inch cube, but can print 3D objects up to 24 inches wide.
Rock City Thumps
Why settle for mass-produced Bluetooth speakers that look like everyone else’s, when you can have speakers that are more “you?” Jon Hatton can make almost anything into a Bluetooth boom box – from cigar boxes to whiskey barrels, vintage luggage to ammo cans.
Local First Arkansas
Susie Cowan, who works to promote small businesses in Arkansas, launched Local First Arkansas from the Arkansas Regional Innovation Hub’s Co-Work space. Local First Arkansas is dedicated to supporting an alliance of independently owned businesses and educating people on the importance of keeping their money local.
Scratch World
The Arkansas Discovery Network will be celebrating Scratch Day! The Network is a consortium of museums, libraries and STEM Centers dedicated to making hands-on learning experiences accessible to all. Their maker booth will allow visitors to try out simple code with Scratch, a free coding platform and online community created by the MIT Media Lab.
Monstrance Clothing Company
After more than a decade as a litigation attorney, Paul Prater decided to focus on his passions. One of those passions led him to launch Monstrance Clothing Company. At Monstrance, Prater combines religious and dark imagery with geometric aspects to create cool, unique designs for T-shirts and leggings. All designs originate in-house and are hand-printed onto clothing.
Function and Form Design
Jason Duncan believes that good design should tell a story. Especially keen on industrial design, he enjoys combining unusual materials in his work (especially when working on large-scale pieces). We cannot wait to check out his one-of-a-kind, color-changing LED signs, perfect for the office, showroom, or game space.
Giant Settlers of Catan
You have probably heard of the Settlers of Catan board game. At this year’s Mini Maker Faire, you can play it on a large scale! A group of local game enthusiasts have created a giant version of this popular game and will be playing it all day. Anyone can participate – bring a group of friends or form a team of friendly strangers.
CW Arkansas
CW Arkansas’s Street Team, which promotes the local CW affiliate, is setting up a fun display with trivia contests and loads of activities for kids. Plus, they will have amazing giveaways (Superhero capes? Yes, please!) and a cool photo booth to commemorate your Mini Maker Faire experience. Be sure to put on your best look because they have said there is a chance to end up in a CW promo!
Be sure to join us for the North Little Rock Mini Maker Faire, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, May 13 at the North Shore Riverwalk Park in North Little Rock, Arkansas. No tickets are necessary – admission is FREE! A full list of exhibits and more information are available on our website.
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