OH NOOO! There goes the Lakewood Theater!
Lyn Caudle has his amazing photo prints here at the store. Come check them out soon!
From this great piece http://www.faithistorment.com/2015/06/war-of-worlds-photos-by-lyn-caudle.html
Photo manipulations by visual effects supervisor Lyn Caudle using toy models which he photographed on locations in and around Dallas. Based on the War of the Worlds movie, Caudle used Photoshop to make the scenes as realistic as possible adding smoke and fire to portray the destruction caused by the Martian war machines.
These models were photographed at the same time as the locations, that was a mandate that I was unwilling to compromise on. That way the light is correct, that’s the single most important thing for work like this. Then I would remove whatever was holding the model via Photoshop and add smoke, fire, debris, etc. A fair number of people who have seen these asked where I got the images of the war machines, suspecting that I found them on the web and just Photoshopped them in to existing pictures. Nope I’ll have none of that! I wanted a considered approach. I wanted to travel around a look through the lens and see the model in the frame, at the location and see if it told a story or had impact. This was a much more fun way to do this.
This one scares me the most… over White Rock Lake!
Also be sure to check this article too for a visual step-by-step progression of Lyn’s process. http://www.diyphotography.net/battle-zone-photographer-recreates-war-of-the-worlds-using-scale-models/
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At one of the homes featured in last week’s White Rock Home Tour 2015 (http://www.whiterockhometour.org/html/details.html) several of our artists’ work were chosen as décor for the mid-century modern re-done home. Architect D’Jelma Perkison of Studio Perk came into Makers Connect and hand-picked these items. We are so grateful for the exposure! What a gorgeous home she has created.
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Dallas Morning News Feature Article, Saturday “Life” Section, Nov. 28, 2014
For Dallas entrepreneur, ‘handmade’ is magic word
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Chris Unruh has long been a maker, even before popular culture embraced the concept. Everything from jewelry to concrete, she’s done it.
Now, the Dallas woman has turned her focus to building a community that celebrates all things handmade and local. Whether they do the creating themselves or just appreciate the end result of others’ creativity, there’s a place for them at Makers Connect, Unruh says.
“The idea is that everyone can be a part of the local and handmade movement,” she says.
Her Lake Highlands shop and studio are stocked with designs and projects from North Texas artists, crafters and designers. Unruh also gives people an opportunity to make something of their own in Makers Connect classes.
Since the Northwest Highway storefront opened last spring, artists, shoppers and students have developed relationships, Unruh says. She hopes to foster that sense of community further with trunk shows, parties and workshops.
Works by nearly 50 people are showcased on the shelves, offering a “modern, bright and colorful” inventory, says Unruh. It’s not just professional artisans; many vendors make their wares when not at their full-time jobs in noncreative fields, Unruh says.
She says that she always has an eye out for North Texans who make bright and unique pieces to add to the collection — novelty aprons, quilts, handmade soaps, terrariums and more.
Makers Connect has quirky (crocheted squirrel mounts), classic (tea towels), practical (furniture) and decorative (art glass).
Local people are making and selling stuff “that I didn’t even know even existed — like dog hats,” Unruh says.
Unruh works with the vendors, who sell their items on consignment, to offer an affordable selection to shoppers. Many of the handmade goods are less than $30.
The selection is ever-changing; on average, two vendors are introduced each week, says Unruh, who started Makers Connect after years of lugging her merchandise to weekend shows and sweating it out in the heat at outdoor markets.
Reid Barnhart’s hats and jackets are among the available items. The Oak Cliff woman says Makers Connect offers something different than the other North Texas shops where her pieces are sold.
“There’s a different vibe. It’s somewhat of a gallery, but people can experience being a maker, too,” says Barnhart, who has also been a teacher and student at the shop.
Makers Connect hosts workshops and classes for those ready to try new projects and learn new skills. Students have made paper succulents, fashioned upcycled jewelry, stamped key chains, antiqued and embellished mirrors and more.
Shop, sell, learn
For more information about how to become a vendor at Makers Connect, to enroll in a workshop or get more information about upcoming events:
Makers Connect, 10242 E. Northwest Highway and Easton, Dallas (Lake Plaza Shopping Center)
Tuesday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.
972-803-8890, makersconnect.org
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Lake Highlands Advocate nominated us for Best Local Gift Shop
November, 2014 Pretty cool, huh?
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Dallas Morning News Briefings: Shay Ometz’s column
“East Dallas shop connects creators with customers”
Published Thursday, 9.04.14
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http://lakewood.advocatemag.com/2014/04/07/unique-new-shop-makers-connect-open-east-dallas-area/
Makers Connect, a shop that sells local handmade wares, is now open at Northwest Highway near Ferndale. As we reported several weeks ago, the unique boutique carries a collection of gifts and goods made by local crafters, artists and designers.
The owners are Steve Dickson and Chris Unruh, who was featured in the East Dallas Advocate in 2012.
Makers Connect featured artists, Mike and Shelly Clem’s story is in this month’s issue. They make artist block letters.
The store hosted a grand opening over the weekend. They are located at 10242 East Northwest Highway.
– See more at: http://lakewood.advocatemag.com/2014/04/07/unique-new-shop-makers-connect-open-east-dallas-area/#sthash.S3Qnemtg.dpuf
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http://lakewood.advocatemag.com/2014/02/24/makers-connect-open-northwest-highway-white-rock-area/
Makers Connect to open on Northwest Highway in White Rock area
Makers Connect, a shop that sells local handmade wares, is on track to open in March at Northwest Highway near Ferndale, close to The Cake Ball Company.
This promising new business will carry a collection of gifts and goods made by local crafters, artists and designers.
The owners Steve Dickson and Chris Unruh, who are new to the retail business — via their in-the-works Makersconnect.org website — voice excitement about obtaining a certificate of occupancy .
“We do kind of need to take a moment to celebrate,” note the owners via the blog. “After all, this has been quite the uphill learning curve for folks who’ve never opened a store before … or created an LLC … or negotiated the world of commercial electricity, brokers, water, carpet, paint, security, insurance … blardy blardy blarg … the list is seemingly endless … we’re pleased and scared as all get out! We know it’s all going to come together and be fabulous, but there is still quite a lot to do before we are there.”
The owners also note that they are accepting applications from potential vendors, so if you are one of East Dallas’ talented artists — and we know from Advocate’s 2009 and 2012 stories about neighborhood-made gifts that you are among us — visit the site for a vendor application. [Unruh herself was featured in the 2012 story].
“If you are an artist with wonderful quality handcrafts, do please go and fill out our vendor form,” invite the owners via the shop’s the Facebook page.
“We already have about 25 artists signed up, many of them we’ve met at White Rock Local Market, Deep Ellum, and other [markets] and we consider them good friends. We would like to gather another 20-30 artisans who fit the stores’ sensibilities,” Unruh says.
“We are approaching this in an organic way, taking time to try to get our ducks in a row properly,” Unruh adds. “That’s why we’ve not announced an opening date. It may be that we have a soft opening by mid-March but a proper opening party — complete with music, food and drinks, etc. — by April 1.”
Makers Connect also will provide classes in flower arrangement, terrarium and jewelry making and paper crafts, to name a few, Unruh notes.
“I will also be offering a pick-and-pot bar where one can choose a handmade pot, and plants and gravel — we pot while you wait,” she says.
Bigger picture, the whole Northwest Highway-Ferndale/Lake Highlands shopping centers, to the east anyway, are flourishing. To the north we have Tuesday Morning, Ra Ras Closet, Gecko Hardware, Dutch Art Gallery and The Store in Lake Highlands.
South of Northwest, in addition to the new Makers Connect, we have Quesa-D-Yas, Cake Ball Company and Lake Highlands Acupuncture, to name a few.
Says Unruh, “we hope to cross-promote with Quesa-D-Ya’s next door, as well as the other businesses in the area. So we can say, ‘go ahead and order a quesadilla or check out George the rooster over at Gecko while we get your pot planted up!’”
– See more at: http://lakewood.advocatemag.com/2014/02/24/makers-connect-open-northwest-highway-white-rock-area/#sthash.dNIv9axN.dpuf
MakersConnect 