Tag: emerging artist

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Meet Mint Artists jeweler and board member Trinity

Trinity Brown at a Mint pop up in Eastern Market, December 2019. (Photo: Vickie Elmer)

Trinity Brown learned wire wrapping herself while on a break from dancing, following tips on a YouTube video.  She had had surgery on her back for scoliosis. She started doing shows at 13 and soon joined Mint, the youngest artist to start in our Learn and Earn program.  

She is a senior at University High School Academy in Southfield, where she’s on the varsity tennis team, captain of the UHSA Dance Co. and the Student Congress.  She worked as a Wolverine Pathways intern for Mint over the summer. And she also has served on Mint Artists Guild’s board of directors for two years.

She sets a goal for how much she intends to sell at each show.  And in 2019, she applied for and participated in the Ann Arbor Art Fair. 

“Mint has taught me everything I need to turn my art into a career…. Mint means everything to me and my art,” said Trinity.

She established the Curved Emerging Artists Show in 2018, with support and coaching by Mint and two of its cofounders. It has grown to almost 50 artists in 2019. 

She is known for wire wrapping during board meetings, Mint events and anywhere. And she’s the artist who wants to create and sell more jewelry – and help other artists sell more of their work too.

Trinity Brown, standing outside the Mint Studios in Palmer Park. (Photo ©Keith Emmerich for Mint)

Fun fact:  She hardly ever wears her own jewelry, because when she does, people buy it from her fingers or neck.  That’s especially true for her best selling copper pendants.

Future plans: Attend a leading business school focused on entrepreneurship and art.  

See her work:  On Instagram at @TrinsWireCreation or many Mint events.  

Hear more from Trinity in this 2018 video.

 

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Success! De’Shaia lands in pro shows with Mint

De’Shaia Ventour, a senior at Cass Tech, started making more elaborate duct tape painting after she joined Mint and sold her work at the Palmer Park Art Fair and other Mint events. 

She still creates beautiful duct tape flower pens and wallets, but her work has gotten bigger, more elaborate and in more venues.

Her duct tape painting Black Roses will be for sale at the All Media Exhibit, beside established artists including Darren Darby, Carole Morriseau, who taught art at Cass Tech, Bryan Tillman and others.

It’s her second time in the Detroit Artists Market. She had a few pieces in the Art for the Holidays show, which just ended.

For the All Media Show, Mint has a second piece at DAM too. The Mint Red Fish mosaic was created in the Mint Creative Summer Jobs program 2018, by a group of artists including Lakiya Ealey, Jordan Johnson and Lia Massey.  Someone who buys  the mosaic fish will support Mint in hiring 12 or more youth in our creative summer jobs program this year.  (All sale proceeds for Black Roses goes directly to De’Shaia Ventour.)

The Red Fish mosaic was created in the Mint Summer Jobs 2018.

The All Media exhibit opens on Friday and is up through Feb. 15 at the Detroit Artists Market, 4917 Woodware Ave., Detroit. The show is curated by Mint co-founder and Vice President Hubert Massey.

Black Rose, a duct tape painting by De’Shaia Ventour.

The De’Shaia video was created by Mint intern Journey Shamily and is © Mint Artists Guild, 2020.

Paint Detroit with Generosity exhibit opening

We invite you to the fourth annual Paint Detroit with Generosity exhibit opening at the magnificent Fisher Building / Fisher Bakery on Tuesday, Nov. 19.

Meet some of the artists in the Mint Creative Summer Jobs program who were paid to create these beautiful pieces and learn more about the wide variety of charities in and near Detroit.

Guests may nominate a nonprofit organization to receive one of the three paintings that were not specifically painted for a charity. The Fisher Bakery will sell baked goods and light meals, and Mint will have greeting cards available for purchase.

Sponsors and partners are welcome to support this initiative. We are grateful to our current sponsors: Blossoms florists, Collected Detroit, the Michigan Council for the Arts and Cultural Affairs, Eric’s I’ve Been Framed Shop and Sherwood Forest Gallery. And we are very thankful to The Platform and The Fisher Building.

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How we are going to win a window on Woodward in 2020, with one minute of your help

Mint has a competitive streak and this time, we really want to win!

We are one of five nonprofit finalists in the Nonprofits in Action: 2020 Design Showcase, created by Co.act Detroit  and Design Core Detroit.   We already see ourselves featured in the Co.act window along Woodward Avenue next year.

Winning could be easy, with a little help from our friends.  Yes, that’s you! All it will take is one minute of your time, or if you’re feeling generous three minutes on three different days. Vote for us in this competition by scrolling to the very end of this voting tally and check Mint Artists Guild.

That’s it.  Just vote – any day and every day through Nov. 13.

Then look for representations of our work and of our creative, entrepreneurial and generous youth to show up at Woodward and West Grand Boulevard in 2020.

Photos: window by Alberto Lucas Perez on Up ; Mark Loeb for Mint Artists Guild

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Advice from a major Italian art collector

Collector Patrizia Sandretto Re Rebaudengo (Photo © Andrea Basile)

Patrizia Sandretto Re Rebaudengo grew up with collectors, and started collecting pill boxes and American costume jewelry.  Now she buys contemporary art – plenty of it.  

Her collection has grown to around 1,500 pieces  since she started collecting in1992, plus another 3,000 photographs, both historic and contemporary.  Among the artists in her collection are Ian Cheng, Lynette Yiadom-Boakye, Cindy Sherman and many others.  Many of her pieces have been loaned to museums, municipalities and curators over the years. (See some of the art in the Re Rebaudengo collection in this article visiting her home in Turin. )

“To begin with my collection grew out of my friendships with artists who were approximately my age. I was interested in the way artists from my generation saw the world in which we were living,” she told Art Fund in 2018. Re Rebaudengo started collecting work after she graduated from Torino University, where she studied business and economics. Since then she has collaborated with shows stretching from New York to Shanghai to Venice.

She started and leads  a foundation to support living artists by commissioning their work.

Re Rebaudengo recently was interviewed, with two other major international art collectors, about the changes buffeting the art market, museums and artists. As part of that wide ranging interview, she gave emerging artists some valuable advice:

“It’s …not good for the artists to join a big gallery when they are too young, because when you’re in a small gallery, you can experiment, you can fail, you can grow. When you’re with a big gallery, you have to constantly prove that you are good,” she told ArtNet News.

The “big” galleries she refers to are mainly the global giants Gagosian, Hauser & Wirth, Pace or David Zwirner.  They are powerful; they collectively run 41 gallery spaces representing more than 300 artists.)

Her son Eugenio Re Rebaudengo  appreciates contemporary art and he developed Atuner, which curates art to sell online and at international pop up shows in “ambitious venues.”

His mother believes the pace of selling art moves faster today, compared to the leisurely pace earlier when she could discuss a piece with her art advisor. “Everything in the art market happens so quickly now,” Re Rebaudengo told ArtNet.  

Emerging artists who want to keep up will heed the wisdom from major international collector Patrizia Sandretto Re Rebaudengo and others who value artists as well as their creations.

Mint uses art and photos with the creators’ permission. Thanks to photographer Andrea Basile for this photo.

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A beautiful fair on Belle Isle; save the date

The Belle Isle Art Fair pops up for one weekend, Aug. 3 and 4, next to Scott Fountain. (Photo: Mint alumni Omari Norman)

Summertime seems better and more beautiful with a trip to Belle Isle. And Belle Isle State Park on a weekend with 100 artists, plus food trucks, tropical drinks and more, sounds like a slice of heaven.

So mark your calendar for Aug. 3 and 4 for the Belle Isle Art Fair, produced by our long-time supporter Integrity Shows. (Mark Loeb, Integrity’s president and founder, is also a co-founder of Mint Artists Guild.)

Mint Artists Guild will be there three times over.

  • Our Learn and Earn artists will show and sell beautiful work: paintings, photographs, jewelry and more.
  • Our Creative Summer Jobs team will lead an arts and crafts project related to gardens.
  • Mint will debut a new greeting card that weekend and will sell cards and prints to support our programs.

So if you cannot face the crowds and hot pavement of Ann Arbor or Wyandotte, come savor a slice of heaven.

Save the date. Mark your calendars. Plan a day with family or friends on Aug. 3 or 4. See you on Belle Isle!

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Why artist Judy Bowman believes in Mint

Artists Charlene Uresy and Judy Bowman at the first Mint Masterpieces.  Judy Bowman will be involved again this year. (Photo © Barbara Barefield)

Judy Bowman’s success as an artist started after she retired from her career as an educator. Yet if Mint Artists Guild had been around when she were a teen, she wonders whether she might have pursued creating and selling art more earlier in her life.

A new video, created by Mint marketing lead and board member Kelly O’Neill, shares Judy’s story – and her appreciation for Mint.

The award winning collage, mixed media and more artist, also shared some advice she would give her 18-year-old self.

“If you keep plugging at it, you’ll get there. … Keep doing it because you’re going to be a success. You’ve got the drive. You’ve got the energy.”

Judy has supported Mint Artists Guild with her time and experiences, her art and more. She serves on the honorary committee for Mint Masterpieces, our party with a purpose on Oct. 19.  Buy your tickets now and enjoy art, music and fine food in a major art collector’s eclectic home. Or please follow Judy’s lead and donate to Mint today!

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Great questions for creative verbal self-defense

Leadership coach Laura Khalil (photo from Khalil’s website)

 

Artists may never have the most admired or respected profession; that goes to doctors, lawyers and engineers, according to the Varkey Foundation.

Yet emerging artists do not need to be berated or disrespected, at an art event or anywhere.  Mint Artists have experienced this, just a couple of times, in what obviously was an illegal and discriminatory hazing based on race or religion.

So they must learn the art of verbal self-defense.
Recently, we heard leadership coach Laura Khalil share her approach to fending off dismissive statements or comments that belittle, sexualize or undermine us.
She has two immigrant parents; “I’m the whitest Arab you’ll ever meet,” Khalil told InterMitten conference attendees. So she may have experienced commentary that minimized her talent or marginalized her.
Her verbal self defense technique is simple, and requires the artist or young person to remain outwardly calm and collected. “When you are stunned by a statement…. Ask a question in response,” Khalil said. Questions such as these:

  • “Did you really just say that?”
  • “Would you speak to your daughter that way?”
  • “Do you know how that makes you sound?”
  • “Why are you so emotional?” (Or judgmental or whatever it is the person has just accused you of being.)

Her approach is simple, direct and worthwhile – and aimed at anyone. Here’s some questions developed by Mint that are specific to emerging artists’ denigrating comments:

  • “Where did you earn your Ph.D. in visual arts?” Say it with a smile.
  • “If you’re going to give me a lecture, could you wait until I enroll in your class?”
  • “When are you moving along to quash someone else’s dreams?”
  • “When you dismiss my work, how do you think that reflects on your attitude and outlook?”

Address the comment head on, and attempt to de-escalate and disarm the person who is saying unkind things, Khalil said.

And count on Mint and the artists around you to build up your courage and confidence and appreciate the beauty of your work.

© Vickie Elmer 2019

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Final four emerging artists at the Palmer Park Art Fair

© Oluwaseyi Akintoroye

© Selene Craddock

Mint Artists will have a full tent at the Palmer Park Art Fair this weekend.  We’ve been introducing you to our emerging artists bit by bit, blog post by blog post.

Here are the final four, who we hope you come buy and buy from in person on June 1 or 2:

Oluwaseyi Akintoroye creates photographs of nature, and increasingly of people and scenes from Detroit and around Michigan. She also sometimes works in water color or acrylic paints and she attends Cass Tech.

Selene Craddock makes felted animals that look very lifelike – from lambs to butterflies and elephants.  Appropriately enough, the CASA and Clawson High School student will work at the Detroit Zoo this summer.

Jessica Fligger is new to Mint, and also lives fairly close to Palmer Park. She creates both paintings and ceramic tiles and pieces, and works with Mint Ambassador Barbara Barefield as her mentor.

Lia Massey is graduating from Cass Technical High School this year. She designs and creates original fashions and gowns (including the prom dress shown) and paintings of women wearing fashion apparel.

Meet all our artists in person – and buy their beautiful work at the Palmer Park Art Fair ! Hours are Saturday 10-7 and Sunday 11-5.

Prom dress by Lia Massey

© Jessica Fligger

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Meet this trio of Mint Artists at the Palmer Park Art Fair

© Eleanor Aro

© Journey Shamily

Today we introduce you to two newcomers to Mint Artists Guild and one artist, who at 16, is a seasoned pro.

Eleanor Aro joined Mint in 2017, and has been going and growing ever since then. She attends Western, paints mostly cityscapes in watercolor and acrylics. Her work has sold at a the Detroit Artists Market gala and many fairs.

Journey Shamily joined Mint last fall, and has been at a couple of Mint pop ups with us with her digital art. Home schooled, Journey mainly likes to depict women.

Kamiri Williams is new to Mint, and is a digital artist who likes cartooning and showing. She attends Arts Academy in the Woods and this is her first fine art fair.

These three are our third trio of artists featured in the blog previewing the Palmer Park Art Fair. Read about Trinity, Anne and Alexis in this post and about our second trio of artists, all from Cass Tech.  And most importantly, come by and buy from all the artists June 1 or 2 in Palmer Park.

© Kamiri Williams