Every day we have a choice. We can support an up and coming podcaster, try a new family-run restaurant, join a boutique gym started by a local fitness champ or we could keep giving away our money to the handful of giants who already control so much of our commerce. Our daily decisions impact the kind world we live in; if we want a world where small businesses are growing and artists and creatives are thriving then we should support them with our time, money and attention. We’re proud to highlight inspiring creatives and entrepreneurs each week in Hidden Gems series. Check out some of West Dallas’s gems below.
Jessica Bang
I am actually currently a senior Baylor student majoring in Psychology, living in Waco. But I travel often to Irving and Austin, TX for my creative ventures. Art has always been a big piece of my life since I was a child. I kind of grew up in my parent’s gas station watching them work hard daily, so I’d escape the mundane lifestyle through creative expression – drawing. It wasn’t until I was around some friends in high school who freestyled over YouTube. Read more>>
Donna Dunlap
Initially, photography began for me as a creative outlet of which I was able to soothe inner emotional pains. A sort of art therapy. Over the last 20 years, I’ve learned that not only is my art a form of therapy for me, but it provides a way for me to give to and bless others. After creating photo art for 15 years, I started my business Picturing Art in 2015 with the initial focus primarily to offer photography and video services. Read more>>
Carmen Foy
I am a child survivor of domestic violence, was bullied in middle school, and had self-image/self-esteem issues. I didn’t have anyone to educate me on social issues back then, so I had no idea what they were; I just knew that it didn’t feel good and was emotionally draining – especially as a kid. When I got to high school, I engulfed myself in sports; so much that I was voted on by my senior class peers as “Most Athletic”. Read more>>
Joshua Mills
I got into real estate immediately after college. I was a broadcast journalism major at Texas A&M, and I was doing an internship at Channel 5 while studying for my real estate exam. Although I was interested in real estate, I was still trying to find my path. I really had no idea exactly what I wanted to do. I was so distracted, that I passed the National section, but failed the state exam with a 69. 1 point. Read more>>
Dennis Connor
A brief summary of my life includes a young boy who grew up in ft worth raised by his grandmother, a father in and out of prison a distant but loving mother. A close-knit family, with great history among us. As far as my career, it started unknowingly when I was in high school. I didn’t have access to top facilities or equipment so I had to improvise. Read more>>
Abby Bagby
’ve been in Dallas for ten years–basically my adult life. I moved here from Tulsa, OK in 2010 to attend art school at the University of Dallas. While there, I spent four months in Rome, which was pivotal in shaping my worldview. After finishing my BA in sculpture, I began assistant curating and eventually curating and directing Umbrella Gallery in Deep Ellum from 2014 through the end of 2017. Read more>>
