RECENT ARTICLES

Hyperallergic // A Detroit Bartender Paints Portraits of Heavy-Drinking Patrons

Painter Thelonius Bone says his new series, called “Alcoholics Anonymous,” is about “wanting to be unknown and unseen, rather than about recovery.” DETROIT — A particular tenet of the recovery group Alcoholics Anonymous is that the label of “alcoholic” cannot be applied to a person from an external source. Put another way: only you can […]

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ClickOnDetroit // Playground Detroit aims to help artists, make city better place to live

Detroit offers unique opportunity for young artists By Karen Drew – Reporter/Anchor, Derick Hutchinson Posted: 6:00 PM, September 11, 2018  DETROIT – Over the past few years, Detroit has been luring artists from all over the country. With the city’s affordable housing, more attention and financial initiatives are being brought to Detroit to award artists. Two Detroit women realized what […]

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Hour Detroit Magazine // State of the Arts

PHOTOGRAPHS BY JOSH SCOTT, Published: August 31, 2018 2018 KRESGE PANELISTS FROM LEFT: LISA ROSE LAMARRE WILMOT, ARA TOPOUZIAN, BILLICIA HINES, JUANITA ANDERSON, BILLY MARK. PHOTOGRAPHED IN EASTERN MARKET In the past few years, Detroit has been nationally recognized as an ideal setting for creatives to thrive. Outstate artists are envious over the region’s affordable housing, […]

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Knight Foundation // KNIGHT FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES 53 FINALISTS IN 2018 KNIGHT ARTS CHALLENGE

DETROIT—Aug. 23, 2018—The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation today named 53 Detroit Knight Arts Challenge finalists, who are all vying for a share of $3 million. The community-wide initiative funds ideas that engage and enrich Detroit through the arts. The finalists propose a range of projects that tell unique Detroit stories, bring the […]

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SEEN MAGAZINE // 20 Questions with Neiman Marcus Fashion Director Ken Downing

Published August 14, 2018 by Rachel Schostak SEEN got the scoop on all things fall fashion and the upcoming 2018 Fash Bash with Ken Downing, Neiman Marcus senior vice president and fashion director. By Rachel Schostak 1. Tell us about your professional career: As the senior vice president/fashion director for Neiman Marcus, I determine the taste, the trends, the attitudes and […]

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Artsy // 8 Detroit Galleries Fueling the City’s Creative Community

Detroit certainly hasn’t had an easy decade since the financial crash of 2008 and subsequent housing crisis—indeed, the city filed for bankruptcy in 2013, and has since struggled to get back on its feet. But both its residents and recent transplants are resilient. Detroit’s tight-knit art community, in particular, has banded together to create a […]

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MetroTimes // Why Paulina Petkoski and Samantha Bankle Schefman decided to go all in on Detroit artists

The Curators By Jerilyn Jordan @JerilynJordanC Noah Elliott Morrison, Featured image credit Fate played a role in Playground Detroit founders Samantha Bankle Schefman and Paulina Petkoski’s eventual partnership which has, since conception, resulted in close to $200,000 a year in the pockets of local emerging artists. Formed in 2012, Playground Detroit operates as an independent gallery and […]

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Detroit News // Detroit Art Week invites world to Motor City

Get ready for the city’s newest cultural festival, Detroit Art Week, which kicks off Friday. Arts entrepreneur and marketing professional Amani Olu conceived the idea over a year ago as a way of getting the word out on local artists. “Our vision is to help establish Detroit as a global destination for contemporary art,” said Olu, who moved […]

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SEEN Magazine // Playground Detroit Uplifts Emerging Artists in the City

The new gallery Playground Detroit gives artists a space to share their work and be recognized. By Stephanie Steinberg Photography by Justin Milhouse Paulina Petkoski and Samantha B. Schefman have one goal: to attract and retain artistic talent in Detroit. To accomplish that, the two friends from Metro Detroit launched a creative agency called Playground […]

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DETROIT FREE PRESS // Detroit Art Week launches hoping to draw attention to city’s art scene

Ryan Patrick Hooper, Special to the Detroit Free Press Published 7:00 a.m. ET May 10, 2018 | Updated 8:50 p.m. ET May 10, 2018 Is the rest of the world paying attention to Detroit’s contemporary art scene? The organizers behind the inaugural Detroit Art Week are curious to find out. Detroit Art Week (DAW), which […]

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Curbed Detroit // Playground Detroit debuts first solo exhibition in new gallery

Amerixan Notion opens February 16 Playground Detroit opened their new gallery in November 2017 and since then, have featured dozens of Detroit artists. The first solo exhibition in the new space—Amerixan Notion by Detroit artist Nic Notion—draws inspiration from the city, including its flag and its changing landscape. Notion uses mixed media—paintings, photography, and sculpture—throughout the […]

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Detroit News // Artfully reframing perceptions

The framed images adorning the gallery on Detroit’s east side could have been the work of artists years into their career. The vibrant pastel skylines, kaleidoscopic street scenes and detailed depictions of local landmarks such as Eastern Market all resulted from hours dedicated to perfecting techniques and honoring traditions. But those behind the pieces are […]

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