Mini Maker Faire issues final call for makers

Thursday, August 28, 2014

Today, Aug. 28, is the deadline for creative types to sign up for Chattanooga's first Mini Maker Faire. This celebration of invention, creativity and resourcefulness will take place Saturday, Oct. 11, at First Tennessee Pavilion and will showcase a regional version of the Burning Man project.

Tech enthusiasts, crafters, tinkerers, hobbyists and artists of all ages are encouraged to submit projects to be included. Organizers are seeking interactive exhibits that highlight the process of making things. Some of those submissions may include automated electronics, sustainability projects and large-scale art. The daylong event will feature projects, performances, competitions and workshops.

The roster of makers is already diverse - from a dad who crafted a tool to teach his children how to ride a bike to a young entrepreneur who created electronic clothing to react to the environment.

Two makers expected to draw a crowd are Andrew Nigh and Conrad Tengler.

Nigh, who owns Winter Sun Studio, is a woodworker who built his business on nature-inspired furniture design. It was his interest in sculpture and two-dimensional art that led him to design larger-scale pieces. But, unlike the pieces in his studio, these works of art are burned following their completion.

Nigh has designed and burned four displays in Chattanooga. More than two dozen of his pieces have been displayed across the nation. He currently serves as regional spokesperson for Burning Man, a weeklong event held in Nevada.

"Maker Faire's character is similar to that of the Burning Man: participatory, communal, interactive," he says.

Nigh is working with blacksmith/builder Conrad Tengler and a team of local artists to craft the 15-foot sculpture they plan to burn at Maker Faire.

The project team includes Kate Warren, Steve Terlizzese, Ed McMahan, Bryan Dyer and Mike Harrison. The group's containable metal sculpture will be fueled by propane and designed to burn without ash or sparks.

To submit a project, visit www.makerfaire chattanooga.com.