Maker’s Hollow is a home and a community of like-hearted families, creatives, and small business folks. Enjoying Grace Story Co. is an art business and the market-place for Don Shorey's podcast, drawings, stories, reflections, and conversations.

Photography courtesy of Elizabeth Baxter & Caroline Ruth

 

Maker’s Hollow is full of family-life, lingering conversation, house-keeping, really good food, beauty, tumbling kids, and creative industry.

From this happy, hopeful, and thriving place; we are sharing our joy and vision through the partnered podcasts of Kristen Morris (“Good Things Run Wild”) and Don Shorey (“No Mere Mortals). The two crossed-over (and hope to again in the future) to also offer a set of “Maker’s Hollow Conversations” with Kristen and Don exploring together favorite governing dynamics of life: On Wonder, On Thinking, On Home, On Home-shaped Living, On Song, On Grace, On Rest, and On Places (all available in Seasons 1 and 2 of the No Mere Mortals podcast page at the podcast app and Spotify). We treasure real life conversation — with a delightful vision for grace-filled, joy-hungry Christian living, generational family life, creativity, home-based industry, and so much more — all with an orientation toward story-telling and story-making.  

Life in Maker’s Hollow is thriving with creative business endeavors. The music of Cal Morris Music, the photography of Elizabeth and Caroline at Elizabeth Baxter Photography, the art of Don and Caroline, the film-making and editing of Grant, the music and craftsmanship of Bill through Stone Table baking and brewing, the rehabilitation nursing of Lisa, and more — all serve others and live to make and share beauty and goodness. The media, writing, educational, and event endeavors of Don, and all of us here, aim to reach out and engage the larger community of any folks with similar hopes — offering fellowship, encouragement, and (when helpful) counsel and mentorship.

Beyond this local village of Shoreys and Morrises and Baxters and Bossoms, our increasingly-connected network includes movie-makers, writers, artists, musicians, teachers, photographers, and those doing creative industry in a variety of ways in many places.

Why Places?

Places — homes, wedding venues, family or childhood vacation settings, churches, schools, grandma & grandpa's house — have all been the set and stage for the lives we have lived. Read more HERE about Our Places, Our Dream Place & Your Places to glimpse our vision for the goodness of nostalgia and the happiness and hopefulness of our holy places.

Carolwood

Realistic Whimsy

My unapologetic mission is to provoke the emotion, memories, and profound nostalgia deeply connected with the Places our lives have been. I draw structures (both simple and complex), with an eye to portray them accurately, while also injecting into each portrait a touch of magic — infusing the picture with the warmth and wonder with which we see our own holy places.

Santa Barbara Bikes

Don's life

Loving life with my Lisa and our happy flourishing clan. Artist. Wordsmith. Storyteller & Speaker. Wanderer, Wonderer & professional Wool-gatherer. I have never met a mere mortal. I am cheerfully sacrificing normal for the better, the relational & the restful. Read more than you could ever possibly want to know about me, my people, and my plans HERE.

Getting Started

Message me through the inquiry form at the bottom of this page, with any questions you have or to get a House Portrat, Family Tree, or Other Custom Art commission rolling!

We can discuss all of the factors involved in your project, determine pricing, and estimate delivery time.

 

Gift Certificates

Christmas (and other event) Gift Certificates available! These allow a portrait to be a gift at any time and makes it possible for the gift receiver to be involved in the process—providing photos and other preferences.

 

Pricing for Family Trees & House Portraits

If cost is an issue, please at least contact me!

There is a lot of time invested in each of these drawings, but I never want the price to be an unnecessary obstacle.

Family Tree Wall-hangings

Order through the simple Commissioning Form Below!

9x9 print, matted for a 12x12 frame — $75 ($20 Valentine’s through Father’s Day discount)

10x10 print, matted for 13x13 frame — $95 ($20 Valentine’s through Father’s Day discount)

11x11 print, matted for a 14x14 or 15x15 frame — $115 ($20 Valentine’s through Father’s Day discount)

Extra Prints — $25 each

$10 Shipping

Upgrade to Giclée prints, 200 year Museum Archival quality — $25

Larger Images are available — add $30 for special printing requirements.

Special Mat sizes are available upon request.

Futures Updated Versions — with additional family members or simple changes —

will be sent to you, upon request, for $50

Simple House or Structure Portraits

Matted $275

Order through the simple Commissioning Form Below!

Highlight Portraits — A door, a porch, a tree, a gazebo, a doghouse, etc. — starting at $95

$30 for Framing (at cost, no profit)

$15 Shipping (in most cases)

More complicated Portraits (public venues, churches, schools, detailed landscaping, etc.)

& Larger Sizes — Mutually Discussed Price

Additional Options:

Additional Prints — $35 each

 

The Ideal Photos for the Best Home Portraits

It will be my pleasure to draw the best and most compelling portrait that I am able, from ANY available image you have

— even that tattered, faded, black and white, newspaper-clipping from Grandma's hope chest in the attic —

BUT there is no denying that the better the photos, the easier it is to create a beautiful portrait.

If you are gathering existing photos or taking new ones, consider the following:

 

5 Tips for Gathering or Taking the Most Useful Photos for a Portrait

1. Choose the Angle of the building that is most beautiful or nostalgic to you or the ones who will own the portrait.

2. Take up-close photos, that show the whole building (porches, roof, everything), but also show the details (even of what is hiding behind trees and such).

3. Take photos from the same angle but from farther back to show the whole profile in the context of its surroundings.

4. Take photos from a low perspective, looking up at the building. The upward angle adds a grander, more atmospheric look to any building.

5. Don't hesitate to send lots of photos! Every one may contribute an important perspective or detail.

 

Enjoying Grace Story Co.

2712 Powell Lane

Tarpon Springs, FL