Artist of the Month

Artist of the Month

Jasmyn Gina Swindall

April 2025

My name is Jasmyn Gina Swindall. I am a 28-year-old model, actress, wife and mother of 2. I identify as a multi-hypenate creator. My art flows from my body through movement, sound, and written expression to track the events of my life and upbringing. I started modeling in college as an outlet for the beauty I still felt inside despite the subliminal messaging telling me differently. I graduated with a BFA in Music Dance Theatre from Brigham Young University in 2022 and signed with an agent quickly after to start my professional career in acting. 

Art - whether through modeling, singing, acting or doodling - has been my key to embracing the emotional landscape of my daily life. I enjoy the idea of being an art/creative director and have worked hand-in-hand with several photographers as a freelance model in both New York and Utah. Some of my favorite projects highlight the natural beauty and struggles of Afro-Latina women in all their glory and shed light on political injustices I have experienced in my own life. 

Storytelling through modeling has always been an essential aspect of my artistic expression. I am not a “point-and-shoot” type of model, instead I am often referred as a model who “models from her head through the point of her toes.” All the poses you see here are original, inspired by the artists that I have been so privileged to work with. As an independent thinker, I see beauty in all emotions and I believe every emotion (and image) should be doused with meaning and intentionality. Emotions are the key to the soul. 

To see more of my work now and in the future (and for more credits), check out my Instagram: @thejasmyngina

Stiliani Espino

March 2025

My name is Stiliani Espino, and I am 53 years old. I live in Detroit and I was born in New York City. I've been in Detroit since I was 3 years old.

I am an arts and craft artist. I get my inspiration for my mother. She was an artist, she has done watercolor painting, acrylic painting and sculptures. She had taught me everything that she knows as an artist and I have learned from her. I am so grateful for the things that I have learned from her to become the artist that I am.

I have done a little bit of watercolor painting, acrylic painting, and some sculpture, but what I love the most is doing arts and crafts pieces.

Every piece of mine that I make is different and unique, not one is like the other, and they are all seasonal pieces. I will keep on making my arts and craft pieces, but one day I might go back to painting or sculpturing.

Christine Wilson-Leavell

February 2025

Christine Wilson-Leavell is a visual artist based in Southfield, MI, where she has lived for the past 13 years. Originally from Chicago, and having spent 25 years in Detroit, Christine's diverse cultural experiences have deeply influenced her artistic journey. Working primarily with oils and acrylics, she explores the world of abstract expressionism. Her vibrant use of color captures raw emotion and energy centering on personal and universal themes. Christine has been honing her craft for over seven years, studying through various art classes that have helped shape her distinctive approach. Her work emphasizes spontaneity, texture, and color, with each piece reflecting her evolving perspective on life and creativity. Inspired by both her urban surroundings and the abstract expressionist movement, her pieces invite viewers to explore emotional depth and movement, encouraging introspection and connection. As she continues to evolve as an artist, Christine’s work is a testament to the power of creative exploration.

Esperanza Vizoso

January 2025

I was Born in Oakland California in 1955. Moved to Detroit Michigan in 2021. I started art school in 1972 at The Street Academy learning how to silkscreen and painted murals around the Community in the City of Oakland and Berkeley Ca. Berkeley University program at The Community of the Arts in Berkeley Ca. Taking classes in 1976 in photography and basic art. Worked at Solano Parents Network nonprofit organization. Working with Special Needs Children as a provider for 18 years in 1998. As an Artist! I had the opportunity teaching our clients with their Social Skills through Art therapy. And build up their confidence and the challenges they would face in life! Still working as a single parent. I decided to continue my education in Art in 1995 at Solano Community College in Solano County. Took classes in ceramics and the fine arts. Now that I’m retired I’m able to continue my Art career once again after 45 years. Can be challenging for me after being away from my Art. Here are some of my latest projects. Since I’ve moved to Michigan I have the opportunity to be part of the Art Community of Fine Arts.

Munera Ziad Kaakouch

December 2024

In a constantly evolving cultural and social landscape, artists contribute by articulating the unspoken narratives of our world. As a creative, it’s second nature to contextualize the world around me through color and imagery, innocuously becoming a vessel for visual expression. In my practice, I explore identity and reference the experiences and stories of those around me to inform my work. These anecdotes act as a reflection of history. This is what it’s about- to record history with an unerring sense of gusto and collaboration. This is freedom, and how I have found my contribution to the community the most valuable.

Cheryl L. Haithco

November 2024

My original acrylic paintings are created with the intent to relax the viewer as they enjoy the colorful paint strokes dance across the canvas drawing them into the scene.

I'm influenced by the beauty of nature, the simple contrast of shades from light to dark, the slight tilt of the head, or the expression on a child's face bring many emotions to light.

My paintings allow me to relive my travels, experiences, and feelings. I want to allow those feelings to spread to you.

Patricia Baker

October 2024

A sassy senior citizen who enjoys learning new skills and meeting new people through her travels.   A creative who enjoys the art of beaded jewelry design, in 2018 she joined the Detroit Fine Arts Breakfast Club and began exploring the visual arts.   She now draws and paints using acrylics, watercolor and mixed media.   She enjoys switching up, not wanting to be boxed in!   A free spirit.   Once in a cocoon, now a butterfly!!

Senghor Reid

September 2024

Senghor Reid earned a BFA from the University of Michigan (Ann Arbor, MI); a Masters of Teaching in Art Education from Wayne State University (Detroit, MI) and attended the internationally recognized Marathon Program at the New York Studio School of Drawing, Painting and Sculpture (NY, NY).  He is currently Chair of the Fine Arts Department at Cranbrook Kingswood Upper School (Bloomfield Hills, MI) and is a National Board Certified Visual Arts Educator.  Reid is a practicing visual artist.  He has received many awards including the Kresge Foundation’s, Kresge Arts in Detroit Visual Artist Fellowship prize and the prestigious Governor’s Award for Emerging Artist (Michigan). Reid’s work has been exhibited in the U.S. and abroad in galleries and museums including the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit, Kentler International Drawing Space in New York, St. Catharine Museum in Canada and the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture in New York.  His work is in many private, public, and corporate art collections.

Joya Rush-Keli

August 2024

 I work with collage, paintings and drawings with mono printed elements, acrylic paint. I have made stamps and stencils to enhance my work. My works are about color, contrast, and freedom. For me, they are puzzles with no preset boundaries, games with problems to solve, and tests at every stroke, of how much I trust my inner intuition. It is the push and pull of light and dark, round and angular, spiral and the linear, full and empty, pale and intense, that keeps me constantly fascinated by the work. My intent is to fill the viewer’s eye with paths, points of interest, and texture. I love to capture the subtle interplay of lines and shapes, where emotion is created by the clash of opposites and the comfort of connections. I am enthusiastic about exuberant color, paint ed paper collage, and abstraction. I grew up in Detroit, and went to Fisk University in Nashville, Tenn. The Carl Van Vechten Gallery at Fisk University, has a piece of my art in their permanent collection. I have art patrons in a number of cities around the country. I enjoy talking about art, and enjoy supporting fledgling artists in making art. I have taken people to art openings, in Detroit, Grand Rapids, and Chicago. My community involvement to the arts, was as President of the Detroit Society for Women Painters and Sculptors, during the turbulent and uncertain year of the pandemic, 2020. I have been a member of and / or shown my work at: Ellen Kayrod Gallery, at Hannan Center, National Conference of Artists, Detroit Fine Arts Breakfast Club, Torch of Wisdom, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Detroit Artist Market, Down River Arts Council, Visual Arts Association of Livonia, Grosse Pointe Arts Association, an Art Association in Ann Arbor, Downriver Campus at Wayne County Community College, Wayne State University, and Center for Creative Studies.

Nina Myers

July 2024

I am a woman of many hats and I love each and every one of them. A sister, mother, grandmother, daughter, and friend who has been classically trained as a chef lovingly creating and displaying food that provides nourishments to the body and soul. An activist always working for the underdog. A Gardener who created a curbside arrangement for the world to see as they pass by. A published poet in the book University of hard knocks. A scholar graduating with a degree in Culinary and Fine Arts. A caregiver providing limitless care for those in need. In 2009 I was blessed to have found friend Sharon E Williams-Dean, and she lead me on the path as a Artist and helped me along the way. I will be ever grateful for the help that I received and I thank god for the ability to create artwork and have another avenue as a career.

               I am Nina.

Debbie LaPratt

June 2024

Debbie La Pratt began her art career over 35 years ago creating beautiful original ceramic Dickens-Style Villages. Attending her first craft show started her love for working in clay designing the villages. Each piece of her Dickens-Style Villages could be personalized at the art show to fit the family that purchased it. Over the years with growing interest of her work, Debbie started her quest with handmade buildings of historical Michigan lighthouses from throughout our Great Lakes as well as historical homes and buildings throughout the Metro Detroit area. This began her love for Detroit's amazing architecture.

Debbie's one of a kind hand-crafted pieces is inspired by the "hidden treasures" throughout the city of Detroit. Each tile is handmade and glazed to give it that effect that is very organic and resembles the original artifact. Tiles are placed in a kiln of over 2,000 degrees which can take up to 24 hours from start to finish. Debbie authenticates her work by pressing her fingerprint as a trademark on the front of each piece along with her signature.

Keto Green

May 2024

Contemporary, Keto Green painted doors that relate to evictions and oppressive poverty conditions. He showed “Golden View,” “The Artist Within,” and “The Familiar.” His art is created from found objects. The doors were painted bright and rich colors, some featured Pac man images, figurative and scenic images from a tragic childhood where his brother was lost to a suicide following an eviction. Some doors he calls “the door of no return.” Keto has participated in programs at the Detroit Institute of the Arts and Inside Out. He received recognition from Brad Pitt’s “Make it Right Foundation.” In a photo of Keto, he is featured in what appears to be an “art world,” a room, maybe a basement, full of murals, paintings, object d’art, a mattress, upon which sits a pensive artist. One is reminded of artists like Basquiat and the railroad teeth.

Tami Van Pelt

April 2024

Tami Van Pelt was born in Belleville, Michigan and raised in Detroit, the oldest of five children. Her art journey began in her early years creating and sewing clothes for her dolls. In her early teens, she created mini houses, wishing wells and furniture from popsicle sticks and toothpicks. Throughout the 1980’s, she ran her own small business where she created silk flower arrangements for weddings, homes and offices. In 2014, after being diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, her art took new turns.

No longer able to work as Certified Surgical Tech for Beaumont Hospital, she began experimenting with art again; clay, mosaics, mixed media collages {particularly enjoying mixed media}, painting and stained glass. She was a vendor at craft shows and art fairs as her health permitted. She eventually joined the Detroit Fine Arts Breakfast Club, finally finding the right forum for her artwork. She has had artwork in galleries like Umoja, Zab Cultural Collective and The Secret Garden Gallery Detroit.

Some of her favorite artists include Carolyn Bell-Strayhorn, Robin Strayhorn, Lynn Strayhorn, Sherry Strayhorn, Kirstie Strayhorn, Laura Harris, Anna Dabrowska aka Finnabair, Frank Morrison, Elle Jae Art, Annie Lee, Paul Goodnight, Rivera Diego, Anthony Quinn, Rosemary Summers, Marta Carvajal and many, many more.

Chanel Beebe

March 2024

Through the lens of an artist, engineer, educator, and researcher, Chanel Beebe embraces the journey of self-discovery and human connection. A Native Detroiter, Chanel’s creative odyssey spans across the realms of abstract multimedia art, where acrylic and oil paints fuse with digital elements to forge a unique tapestry of expression.

At the core of her artistic vision lies a relentless pursuit of capturing unspoken nuances, illuminating the intricacies of human experience through the prism of symbols and vibrant colors. As she ventures into the vast expanse of imagery, her intention is to imbue each stroke with action, meaning, and the essence of our collective existence.

Chanel’s artwork has been featured in galleries and showings across the Midwest: the Arts Extended Gallery (2015), the Tippecanoe Arts Federation (2016), the Purdue Black Cultural Center (2017), Detroit Unity Temple (2020), the Hannan Center (2020), The Congregation Detroit (2021), Irwin House Galleries (2022), Design Studio 6 (2023), Swords and Plowshares (2023). Chanel will also be featured at the Carr Center this may 2024!

Chanel aspires to inspire others to embrace their own creative path, inviting them to traverse the realm of self-expression more effortlessly. In doing so, she hopes to spark conversations, initiating dialogues that illuminate innovative ideas and solutions capable of elevating our collective existence.

Learn more about her artwork at beebearts.com

Rose Summers

February 2024

Artist and Designer Rose Summers started her career as a Special Education Teacher in Detroit, Michigan. After retirement in 2011, she decided to follow her heart's passion to become an Artist. Rose's art is now collected and cherished by art collectors worldwide. Her unique technique of telling stories through color, line, patterns, and design created in acrylics, oils, pastels, and inks has been featured in publications, juried art exhibitions, art galleries, and museums and promoted on the radio, television, and social media.

Rose also sells her art online at rosemarysummers.com and umojafinearts.com. Her social media presence on Facebook and Instagram has garnered a great following of collectors worldwide.

Rose's Figurative Surreal Style expresses authentic and provocative imagery that's colorful and exciting and tells a story. She hopes to stimulate the viewer's mind in a way that invokes a sense of awe and peace as they ponder the many styles and images of her unending imagination hoping, they will discover within themselves the unlimited power of creativity no matter what the subject.

Michael Horner

January 2024

Michael (“Mike”) Horner, artist, musician/percussionist, hair stylist, amateur golfer, philanthropist, creative spirit. Mike has painted extraordinary original works of art for more than half a century. Naturally gifted, Mike got his start at the age of 7 when he began drawing for his own pleasure. His talent was quickly noticed and he was often asked to create special pieces for family, friends and neighbors.  A community activist and teacher’s attention resulted in Mike’s acceptance to the prestigious and highly competitive Cranbrook Institute at age 19. Michael was not able to take advantage of the opportunity due to family obligations. He chose, instead to remain close to home to help his family after an older brother was called to serve in Vietnam. Mike honed his skills on his own by immersing himself in painting, drawing creativity and artistic expression from the fabric of daily life.

​

 Myriad family and life experiences have shaped Mike as an artist. Mike is one of 12 children raised by a loving widowed mother on Detroit’s eastside following his father’s untimely death.  Prolific with acrylic, charcoal, pastels and mixed medium, he stopped painting for five years after his brother’s murder on the streets of Detroit…the same brother who had survived a tour of duty in Vietnam. Family members surprised and encouraged Mike with blank canvases of all sizes knowing he would not resist releasing his feelings and telling his story through his craft.

Shirley Woodson

December 2023

Woodson earned a BFA in 1958 and a MA in 1965 from Wayne State University.   She has been painting for over 60 years and her portraits and figurative paintings depict her life, environment and African American History.

Her epic painted stories are represented in private and public collections throughout America, such as The Detroit Institute of Arts, Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, Madison Madison, Studio Museum in Harlem, Toledo Art Commission (Ohio), The White House and The Walter O. Evans Collection of African American Art. 

Since her debut in 1960, in a show of Michigan artists at The Detroit Institute of Arts, her exhibition record has been meteoric. Woodson has participated in an exhibition at the Academy of Arts and Letters in New York, the Oakland Museum in California, and other venues as diverse as Dakar, Senegal, and Lagos, Nigeria. Woodson has been featured in over 30 Solo Exhibitions.

She is the recipient of MacDowell Residency, Creative Artists Grant, Detroit Council or the Arts and the New Initiatives for the Arts Exhibition Grant, NCA Award for Artistic Excellence, 1977, The DIA Alain Locke Award, 1998, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Lillian Benbow Award and numerous other awards and honors. Honored in 2021 Kresge Eminent Artist Award Recipient! She has an Extraordinary Solo Exhibition: 2021 Shirley Woodson: Shield of the Nile Reflections.

I have known Shirley Woodson for over 20 years and have been a member of her programs; National Conference of Artist; She is truly remarkable and talented and has been a force that has pushed many artists forward in their careers. I just wanted to take this opportunity to thank her for all she has done for me and so many others. That is why I choose her to be the Artist of the Month of December, 2023. I guess I saved her for last this first year of the DETROIART.COM website because I had to save my favorite and best inspiration for last. Thank you for all your support. I will be sending you whatever she wants me to exhibit.

Geno Harris

November 2023

I am always doing that which I cannot do, in order to learn how to do it, (Pablo Picasso). Starting out as a self-taught artist I immediately realized that it was necessary to create opportunities for myself and other creatives that found themselves in similar circumstances. The difficulties I experienced in showing my work to even get constructive feedback proved to be a monumental task. Not having any experience at all, I gathered other artists together to form an artist collective called Poor Man’s Art Collective and my life as a curator began.

The early exhibitions really set the stage for who I am today as an artist/curator. It gave me the opportunity not only to build and perfect my skill set but I think most importantly it allowed me to connect with and provide a platform for artists to gain experience being a part of exhibitions, selling their work and connecting with the public while having a decided focus on self-taught artists like me. 

Everything that I am as an artist is about self-expression and providing opportunity for other creatives to follow their decided path. With two decades of creating under my belt I have become much more conscious of my role as a mentor and leader not only to my fellow artists but more specifically to the artists in the black and LGBTQ community who can see themselves in me. It is incumbent upon us to show that we have something of value for our peers and communities.

In 2011 I was approached by the Heidelberg Project and was given the opportunity to do my first gallery sponsored solo show which gave me the much-needed confidence to push beyond the boundaries of Detroit and show my work in different states such as; Chicago, Washington, Ohio and California just to name a few.

This year I was awarded the 2023 Creators of Culture – Culture Source Grant which was awarded to individuals who play an essential role in increasing the visibility of creative activity in the region strengthening ties between artists and audiences, recognizing their critical role in enhancing a flourishing, local arts ecosystem. I was one of 54 selected for this honor. The grant was funded by The Kresge Foundation and the Hudson-Webber Foundation.

I find that most people often offer golden words of “wisdom” as to the direction your life and work should go and never pushing you to be the best “you” you can be. From the boldest color to the straightest cut of wood my art is a whimsical view of how I see certain things. With my art I am exposed! 

“Don’t wait to be discovered, go out there and make yourself be discovered!” (Cherrie Woods)

Geno Harris

Kenneth T. Williams

October 2023

Artist Kenneth T. Williams born in October of 1967. Educated in the Detroit school system is a very detailed expressionist who tends to make every brush stroke and pencil mark count. He was very popular in his high school as a figurative artist. He enjoys the peace that art brings to the mind and soul. He is one who paints and takes a hiatus returning just as detailed as ever. He is the son of Artist SEWD. So it looks like the gift of art is a family trait.

Stephanie Hill-Ross

September 2023

As a native Detroiter, artist Stephanie Hill-Ross has been participating in the creative arts since early childhood. A graduate from Detroit’s Cass Technical High School’s art department, Stephanie was offered a scholarship in Fashion Design to the prestigious Parsons School of Design in New York City.

While attending Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan, Stephanie majored in Fashion Design and was a dual recipient of the Marji Kuntz Memorial Fashion Scholarship.

Stephanie has done work for Barry Manilow, various local Detroit retailers, newspapers, taught calligraphy, cartoon and fashion illustration, and was a contributing artist for a fashion design textbook for Howard University entitled: African American Dress and Adornment: A Cultural Perspective. She has also participated in various art exhibits across the country including the International Hotel/Motel & Restauranteurs trade exhibition in November 2006 at the Jacob Javitz center in New York City, the Las Vegas Art Expo in September 2007 and was named Black Artist of the Month for Black History Month for Wayne County, Michigan in February 2009 and the Mercedes-Benz annual art exhibition at their North American Research and Development Headquarters. Stephanie also has her own artwear and home accessories lines with Shopvida.com and Society6.com.

Although watercolor is her favorite medium, Stephanie likes to work with pencils, markers, crayons, and digital illustration. In her spare time, she is also a free-lance art tutor and mentor, giving back to her community.

Joyce Barnett

August 2023

Exodus 35:31-32 (NIV):
"and he has filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills— to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze."

Joyce D. Barnett, a native of Detroit, Michigan, has always been drawn to the world of art. Throughout her formative years, Joyce devoted herself to drawing, painting, and nurturing her imagination. Her creative journey led her to explore the documentation of personal experiences and intimate moments, which became a profound interest for her.

Joyce is undeniably an artist at her core. Her artwork serves as a vivid portrayal of her pain, joy, spirit, soul, sacrifice, and unwavering passion. Through her paintings, she invites others into her world, sharing her unique perspective.

Prior to pursuing her artistic calling, Joyce worked for and retired from the Internal Revenue Service. Alongside her professional endeavors, she is a devoted mother to four children, a proud grandmother to eleven grandchildren, and the loving wife of Pastor Roger Barnett from Be of Good Cheer Christian Ministries Church.

Joyce's life story resonates with the process of painting itself. Just as she begins with a blank canvas and seeks divine inspiration through prayer, she is able to manifest her visions into breathtaking works of art. Her creative process not only allows her to express herself but also establishes a deep connection with those who encounter her art. Additionally, Joyce has generously shared her knowledge by teaching art therapy to individuals struggling with their emotions and anxiety, offering them a therapeutic outlet for self-expression.

Joyce D. Barnett's artistic journey encompasses both personal growth and the profound impact she has on others through her art and teachings.

Adwoa Muwzea

July 2023

Adwoa Muwzea is a native Detroiter, an African American woman, a practicing Visual Artist, Educator and non-fiction Writer. Muwzea is also a member of the Detroit Fine Arts Breakfast Club. Muwzea takes an interdisciplinary approach to teaching Applied and Fine Arts, Art History, Communication and Media Arts at the university, community college and K-12 levels. Adwoa says as a young child she discovered an emotional rush that accompanies creative self-expression. 

“The day I looked into a mirror, and created a contour drawing of my face, I knew I was an Artist, and I have been devoted to being creatively expressive ever since.”

She says she has studied and been influenced by various genres, styles and master artists. As a fine artist Muwzea adds,

“Early on in my creative journey I chose to pursue works on paper.”

Her original passion began with drawing, watercolor and collage techniques. She is more experimental now, investigating printmaking, ceramics, and sculpture. She describes the development of her worldview, saying:

“My mama, TL was what I consider a Folk Hero and a Warrior Woman. She would organize youth and senior citizen programs and publish political ideas for children.

As a teenager, I was her protégé.”

This Artist has a background in Journalism, Film Production, Animation, Fine Art History and Culture, which has a distinct influence on her creative endeavors. Soon after her graduation from Wayne State University (WSU), Adwoa Muwzea began to study as much as possible to learn, ‘What have Black folks done in film and art?’ That’s when she discovered African art, culture and religion, as well as American Fine Art pioneers, such as Mary Edmonia Lewis, Romare Bearden, Charles Burnette, and animator, Leo Sullivan. That’s also when she came under the influence of the late Gilda Snowden, her design teacher at WSU.

Muwzea earned a Master of Fine Arts in Radio, Television, Film, from the Cinema and Media Arts Department at Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. While she was editing her thesis film, Bean Bus, Rescue Boat, Temple’s Film Department granted her a fellowship to study film animation in Los Angeles, California. She became a Gary Hendler Fellow at the American Film Institute in Los Angeles (1991), and was selected as a Summer Intern, at Fox Children’s Network, through the Academy of Television Arts and Science (1992).
 

Wayne State University conferred Muwzea with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism; but she is the first African American woman to serve as a tenure track, Assistant Professor for WSU’s Department of Communication (1993 to 1998). There she taught Writing for Media, Electronic, Field and Studio production to graduate and undergraduate students. She developed course content for the first Animation History, production and film courses there as well. Muwzea says she was proud to serve also as advisor for student’s graduate theses and doctoral dissertations during her time at WSU. Her extensive service to the university included academic research, writing, film and video production, national publications, and the presentation of her work overseas as well.

Muwzea’s community involvement extends from the Great Lakes Council, Boy Scouts (Detroit, MI 1998-2010), to the Detroit Parent Network, Lotus Press and the National Conference of Artists-Michigan Chapter (NCA-MI). She has served as a board member for the latter three organizations. Muwzea is a longtime advocate for children and youth, especially those with special needs. She serves her community in a variety of other projects and programs, but continues to pursue her life as a Fine Artist. Her current Fine Art memberships include NCA-MI, ASIFA-Central (Animation), the Scarab Club, the Detroit Institute of Arts, the Charles H. Wright Museum and the Detroit Artists Market.

Muwzea currently teaches across curricula, as an Adjunct Professor of Humanities on various campuses of the Wayne County Community College District, and exhibits her Visual Art works in public venues throughout the U.S.A. and in Canada.

Deborah Brown Cage

June 2023

Judy Bowman

April 2023

Judy Bowman is a mixed-media collage artist who was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan. Her art practice centers on exalting America’s Black culture. Bowman’s use of vibrant hues textured paper, and acrylic paint illuminates’ narratives that move beyond institutional racism and disparaged perspectives of the Black experience–a view in which America too often limits the full picture. Considering herself a visual griot, she sees her job to tell stories that are reflective of her coming-of-age in Detroit’s Eastside and Black Bottom neighborhoods. Scenes in her vibrant collages depict love, community, and a type of fellowship that resides in jazzy nights, the sway of young Black women and the swag of young Black men, church on Sundays followed by family dinner, family outings, and cultural dignity and richness. 

Bowman’s work appears in private and public collections–nationally and internationally–including Institutional and Permanent Collections of the Detroit Institute of Arts, Detroit Historical Museum, Mack Alive, Sarasota African American Cultural Coalition, Sarasota, Florida; The Free Press building, Detroit, Michigan; R.W. Norton Art Gallery/ Museum, Shreveport, Louisiana; Georgetown University Library, Booth Family For Special Collections, Washington DC, US Department of State, Art Bank Program, Washington, DC; and the Flint Institute of Arts, Flint, Michigan.

After Bowman retired as principal of Detroit Academy of Arts and Science in 2008, she rebooted her career as an artist. She lives in Romulus, MI. 

Master of the aRTs

aCRYLIC Fusion aRTs Medium™ founder and innovator Walter A. Bailey worked well over fifty years, Doing aRT. He has experiences spanning two centuries and over five decades as a multi-disciplined aRTist in pen and ink, painting, sculpture, and advanced design. He is known for his Avant Garde approach to non-traditional new creative horizons in multimedia. His work transitioned from early experiments in design, and mediums during the 1960s social and Cultural Revolution; into pioneering awardwinning multi-dimensional 21st Century aRT genres he christened aCRYLIC Fusion aRTs Medium™.

Fusion aRT techniques for creating aRT on reverse sides of acrylic panels’ fuel his march into 22nd Century conceptual design genres. After moving to Detroit in 1994, his aRTistic achievements, awards, exhibitions, and public aRT installations include two book covers, the Bombay Sapphire Mid-West 2014 Finalist, Charles H. Wright 2008 Legacy Award, and the International Institutes of Metropolitan Detroit 2019.

His aRT has appeared in shows and exhibitions from the East Coast to the Midwest. Walter's Black History supplement is in Public Schools and secondary institutions, private collections, museum exhibits, the City of Detroit municipal office installation, city parks, and a police precinct. Today he seeks to pass aRTlife experiences to emerging Next-Gen Visionary aRTists of this century and the next.

Visual Artist | Educator | Creative Expressionist

Ida Hawkins is a creative expressionist and visual artist based in Detroit. She earned a BFA from Queens College in New York City in 1976 and a master's in art education from Wayne State University in 1994. In 2020, she retired from being an art educator after 45 years. Ida emerged into a new chapter which has allowed her to find various opportunities to explore her creativity. Ida is committed to living creatively and has exhibited her artwork in numerous art shows in multiple states.

Membership Associations
Detroit Art Teachers Association (DATA)
National Conference of Artists (NCA)
Detroit Fine Arts Breakfast Club (DFABC)

Artist Statement
"I love to give viewers a chance to lead their eyes over my artwork. This allows viewers to explore different moods, emotions, and dominant illusions from the painting. I have a great love and passion for art to which I have dedicated my life. I believe creativity is about living with an open mind, accepting new ideas, and implementing them. It's very gratifying when I'm creating and making one-of-a kind masterpieces. I want to give viewers a wider range of feelings and emotions throughout my artwork. My goal is to lead their eyes onto the paintings creating emotion, interest, and love for the arts."

Artist Sharon Williams-Dean, who uses the pseudonym SEWD, is both a fine artist and a craft artist. She is a painter who also enjoys creating jewelry, working with clay, and using various unconventional materials. She says while attending grade school, her mother introduced her to the beauty of art, and she has "never forgotten the healing and comforting effect that it can bring."