Artist Success Stories

Mint Artists Guild changes lives – and opens doors to creative careers. Just ask some of the young creatives who’ve learned and earned and grown through Mint.

Espacia Fotiu joined Mint its first year and brought more than 100 watercolor paintings and art pieces to the Palmer Park Art Fair. She sold more than 80 of them in two days and knew she’d found her calling. A senior at Ferndale High School, she previously had no sense of what was next for her. She came back for Mint’s second cohort and joined the organization’s board of directors. She showed younger artists how she used large cellophane pieces to wrap art – and gave advice at a workshop on preparing for a significant event. She sold more art at Mint pop-ups and events. Within a year of that 2015 start, she bought her tent and set up a booth for her first solo art fair. Being an artist will allow her to make a living and traverse the country – which fulfills her passion for travel. Her new white tent stood proudly across the aisle from the Mint Artists tent at the Funky Ferndale Art Fair.

“I’ve made incredible connections with many artists – and I’m always learning something new.” said Espacia.

Now consider the experiences and resumes of Mint Artists Damon FirstBorn, Maisha, and Nur. By 18, they worked at General Motors and the Sphinx Organization, exhibited at the Scarab Club and Noel Night in Detroit, and participated in two or three fine juried art fairs. Hear more impact in these videos of Mint Artists and alumni:

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