no-grease lightning

Colin Stanley of Casa View likes hot rods. He’s always had an affinity for cars, but as an architect, he is drawn to “disruptive technologies.” That is, technology that changes the way everything is done in a discipline. And for automobiles, the disruptive technology is the electric car. Stanley is making plans to build an electric car, and he is a finalist in a contest to win $20,000 toward creating the car he is designing. Stanley’s plans call for a kit car, made of fiberglass. “It’s extremely important for an electric car to be lightweight,” he says. For design inspiration, he’s looking to the 1950 Mercury, which has always been his favorite hotrod. “I want to address the hotrod community and demonstrate to them that the electric vehicles are a viable alternative to the hotrod hobby in the future,” he says. The ideal forms of transportation are foot and bicycle, Stanley says. “But I have this love of automobiles, and I would like to see them go cleaner.” He hopes his project will get people involved and excited about electric car technology. The $20,000 contest is through evtv.me, a website hosted by a couple of guys who post a video every week related to converting vehicles to electric. Evtv.me was expected to announce a contest winner during an electric car convention in Missouri Sept. 24. But even if Stanley doesn’t win the money, he’s still building the car. “It will just take longer,” he says. “I was on a build plan of a year and a half, and it will take about two or two and a half years to build it myself.” That would be OK, though, because the battery technology for electric cars is constantly improving and getting cheaper, the way iPods once sold for $400 and later generations were better and less expensive. “It’s a very exciting time for this technology,” he says. —Rachel

Stone

A Second Shot

“I didn’t know what to expect, and I went crazy when I saw the beautiful photos I was getting.” That’s how photographer Kathleen Wilke describes her first underwater photo shoot. The mother of four and former children’s portraiture photographer is now fully immersed (pardon the pun) in underwater fine art photography, a genre that produces stunning, surreal images. Wilke, who studied photography and illustration at the Art Academy of Cincinnati and the Art Institute of Boston, made the transition to fine art photography after suffering a stroke. “With the children’s photography, I was constantly busy and always moving, but after I got sick, I couldn’t work and was on the computer all the time,” says Wilke. During this time she explored industry-networking sites such as Flickr, where she met other photographers and discovered fine art photography. She learned about composition and editing, and soon gained the knowledge and confidence to start entering contests. In 2008 Wilke’s Lady of the Lake images won top spot at the W Hotel’s “UnSeen” photography contest for emerging artists. ”We did the shoot in my swimming pool using nothing but the pool light,” she says. Several underwater shoots later, Wilke is still searching for other creative avenues to explore. “I believe underwater fashion work would be perfect for me. I really want to get designers under water.” And she’s doing just that. She just photographed the fall collection from jewelry designer Stephanie Anne for Neiman Marcus. Next up, Wilke is shooting the Love is a Bungalow dress line from designer Nadja Bern. She would like to explore underwater children’s portraiture too. “I am always looking for other ways to make a living from photography, which is a job that makes me happy.” —MEGHAN

RINEY

SEE MORE:

Wilke’s images appear in the article on page 28. Visit her website, photographystudiok.com.

WHAT GIVES? Small ways that you can make a big difference for neighborhood nonprofits

BUY A T-SHIRT from Katydid Collection’s breast-cancer awareness line in October, and $10 will be donated to the Dallas County affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Katydid Collection is an online retailer founded by East Dallas resident Katy Mesersmith. Mersersmith’s company has given more than $150,000 to charities in the Dallas area since 2009. There are three styles in the breast-cancer awareness line. Short sleeves cost $30, and long sleeves cost $33. katydidcollection.com to the Exchange Club of East Dallas’ Coats for Kids campaign. The club has been donating coats to the children of East Dallas every winter since 1986. Drop off new or gently used coats to any of the following locations through Nov. 1: Comerica Bank, 2311 Abrams, 6260 E. Mockingbird or 11155 Garland; Ellen Terry Realtors, 2311 Abrams; or For the Love of the Lake, 1152 N. Buckner.

DONATE A COAT ...

OR BUY A TUBEOFLIPSTICK ... ... at TrueBeautyRX, where all October 100 percent of the proceeds from the sale of 2Shea Cosmetics Pink Perfection plumping lip gloss will go to Susan G. Komen for the Cure. During Breast Cancer Awareness Month, TrueBeautyRX will also donate 10 percent of all cosmetic sales to the foundation. Visit TrueBeauty at 6224 La Vista in Lakewood or online at TrueBeautyRX.com. Visit Komen.org for more about Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

KNOW OF WAYS that neighbors can spend time, attend an event, or purchase or donate something to benefit a neighborhood nonprofit? Email your suggestion to launch@ advocatemag.com.