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Second annual Mini-Maker takes place on campus

Show and tell

OBSERVER Photo by Jade Ramsey Schlich: Lucas Meredith, Tyler Hatfield and Josephine Hatfield all pose with an R2D2 droid made by Sean Moore.

Creative innovators and families celebrated the Second Annual Fredonia Mini Makers Faire Saturday at the SUNY Fredonia campus.

“A maker is anybody who is inspired and wants to be creative,” said Jen Osborne-Coy, producer of the event. “It can be anything from low-tech painting to augmented reality (virtual reality) to 3-D printing. And most of everyone here is local.”

According to Osborne-Coy, there were over 90 Makers presenting their crafts and innovations and nearly 4000 participants. The Makers ranged from 90-year-old wood-workers to 8-year-old artists, who exhibited their creativity in booths and showcases. At least 200 volunteers helped facilitate this major event. There was even a 12-foot robot walking around.

“We’re just really trying to showcase creativity and innovation — how people can really find their passion to learn by using their minds and hands in a different way,” Osborne-Coy elaborated.

Over and over, the mantra of the Makers was to spend a little time every day being creative.

This 12-foot robot was spotting during the Mini-Maker Faire Saturday.

Retired for 24 years, Bill Sutehall presented his wood-works and exquisite hand-made furniture. “I’ve been working with wood for a hundred years,” he joked. He showcased originally designed furniture for laptop computers, printers, and other technology needing a place in the home.

“I don’t work on things steady, you work a couple, two to three hours, then your wife calls you to dinner,” he said about the 40+ hours it took to make a particular table.

There with a full-sized, remote-controlled replica of Star Wars’ R2D2, Sean Moore, delighted the participants with his creation. Moore owns a local computer repair shop, Phantom Computers, and spent a year building his droid.

“It took 4 to 5 hours a day working on him that year, with three weeks of planning him,” he said about his droid-building process.

With their hand-made presses, local Jamestown pastor Bill Blair and Denis Johnson showed participants how to make apple cider. They gave away free samples of what they were making that afternoon, while discussing the benefits and process of the presses.

“I had a friend who’s father passed away, and he wanted to make cider from his father’s apple tree. So I set him up (with what he needed) and he made cider right there in the front yard,” Bill said of an example of the quick process.

Doug Mellors exhibited his wares of wood-works, which included jewelry holders, wood paintings, wood-turned Mason jar lids, magic wands, and even computer-navigated-controlled wood designs.

“Every scrap piece of wood can become something important. Little scrap pieces of wood become hair pins or a magic wand,” Mellors said.

After a thrilling performance from Mario The Maker Magician, participants enjoyed a variety of food trucks and local food vendors, who presented menus of Italian, Mexican, American, and lots of ice cream.

“This is a celebration of real creativity,” Osborne-Coy said. “It’s open to everyone of all ages.”

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