detroitkind

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Mint Artists Guild uses improvisation to build confidence and collaboration, loosen up nervous artists and more. Read more about our success statistics in this Mint blog post written by me.

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This Paint Detroit with Generosity painting, by Mint Artists Guild’s Bryanda Washington, now is up at the Michigan State University - Detroit Center. It’s an appetizer portion for our Paint Detroit with Generosity exhibit, which opens Nov. 1 and has an opening reception on Nov. 17.

 Mint will donate all the paintings to local nonprofits; guests may nominate a nonprofit to receive one.  I’m proud of my role as the co-founder of Mint and as the creator and curator of our Paint Detroit with Generosity initiative.

[detroitkind]

We need to be deliberate about presenting examples of brilliant women to boys and girls as young as five....

Sarah Eddy, Florida International University, in The Atlantic’s article about “heartbreaking research” showing gender stereotyping developing in girl’s thinking by age 6.

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If you are walking into the labyrinth of artists and creative fellowship applications, you are in for quite a journey, one that could be difficult, delightful and daunting. 

So bring along a guide and possibly a co-pilot, and read the instructions and rules carefully.

In Detroit, dozens of artists and writers are hurrying to finish their Kresge Artists Fellowships application by or before the Jan. 17 deadline. They are lured by the opportunities for professional development, to be in the spotlight -- and the $25,000 no-strings-attached stipend.  

More than 500 visual artists will apply and between 200 and 300 literary / writing creatives. Kresge Arts judges choose nine winners in each of the two categories.

Applying is time consuming and yet the process may reveal some things about your goals or yourself, said Christina deRoos, Kresge Arts in Detroit director, at an information session. After you’ve finished the application, she said, “make a commitment to yourself - that’s a little bit of a stretch.”

Here’s other advice that may be useful for applying to Kresge and other artist fellowships this year:

The work really matters.  Your work samples, up to eight pieces, are crucial because in the first round of Kresge Arts evaluation, panelists may look only at the samples and descriptions. (Some may choose to go deeper but that doesn’t seem like it will be the norm.) “Use description fields really well,” said Christina deRoos. Give context and “make the connections” in those descriptions, added Nicole Peterson, Kresge Arts operations manager.

Choose work carefully.  If your work spans decades, share “your pivotal work” and be sure that plenty of pieces current, from recent years, said Peterson.  Kresge will accept work in progress, but it needs to be presented cleanly and be sure to include competed work as part of the samples too. It’s up to the creative applicants to submit either a cohesive body of work or to select a wide and eclectic range of pieces.  In some cases, it may make sense to create a “composite image” showing the entire work with an inset detail shot. 

Know your why and show your passion.  With your work and the details on your artist resume, know the reason you’re sharing a detail. Think about the readers and judges and ask yourself: “What do you really want them to take away?” said deRoos at a Kresge Arts question and answer session.  Ask  “Why is it important? Why is it relevant?”  And definitely include the fun, the “passion and energy” you have for what you are doing.

Here are my two suggestions for artists and writers, based on my years as an editor and judge for a number of competitions and my work helping artists with this year’s Kresge application:

Peel the onion.   Almost every creative person has layers to their personality and work. So take time to reflect on those hidden aspects to your work, and consider who you are and who you are becoming. Create a journal or jot down notes or sketch your observations. Pull out your goals or work from three years ago to see what seems important and how you’ve changed.  Take time to understand yourself and you will reflect yourself more completely and authentically in your application. 

Find fresh eyes.  Get a second and  a third person to review the key parts of your application. One way is to work with another artist or creative and help them as they help and read your application. Choose someone you respect, someone who will read and understand the details on the application, so their advice is targeted to what the foundation or group is seeking. (I offer this service for artists and creatives occasionally, though I am full for the current Kresge Fellows. I am willing to take on new clients starting in March.) Choose people with a background in arts or culture - or whatever area your fellowship is in - or find an editor or someone who has judged the competition in the past. Then make sure you finish your application in time to make adjustments and improvements based on their feedback.  

My last bits of advice are:  Play to your strengths and edit yourself relentlessly. Cut down and clean out unnecessary items. Shorter really can be better. (And read the rules. Read the Kresge FAQs for more information and Kresge staff are willing to answer questions by email too.). Good luck!

- © Vickie Elmer, 2019

(Photo credits: MorgueFile )

[detroitkind]

The company Ugly Christmas Sweater Inc. is growing, thanks to the creative designs, licensed sweaters by influencers / gamers PewDiePie and pop culture references - and plenty of risk taking by its owners.  It is co-owned by siblings Vanessa Hajjar Askar, Fred Hajjar and Mark Askar. Read my story in Crain’s Detroit Business about its strategies and success.

[detroitkind]

This sounds like a dream job - and some would say it is.

The final deadline to apply to Grow Detroit’s Young Talent, our partner for our creative summer jobs program, is Saturday, March 17.  You must have a birth certificate and other documents so don’t wait ‘til the last minute.

We are recruiting talented Detroit teen artists to work for Mint this summer, so after finishing with GDYT, please email us at mintartistsguild@gmail.com - and include at least one example of your work and a statement on why you want to work for Mint.

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If you missed Gloria Steinem’s talk about #metoo and inclusion and more in Detroit, I’ve written a short article on it. Just published it on Medium - so please read and clap and share!

[detroitkind]

How kind of Mark to allow that bird to perch on his head! We give visiting family of Detroit's most elegant and beautiful buildings - The Fisher Building. Designed by architect Albert Kahn and built in 1927 -1928, it was named after the seven brothers who ran Fisher Body Co. and sold to General Motors. #bestlife #detroit #fisher #bird #artdeco #architecture #magical #loveit #mosaic #mosaicart (at Fisher Building)

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Each habit is like a vote for the kind of person you want to become.

author James Clear, on CBS This Morning, talking about tiny habits. His best habit, he says, is leaving his phone in another room until lunch. “It gives me three to four hours of productive time.”

[detroitkind]

On Sunday, I’ll spend much of the day at the Lexus Velodrome for the SCRAP Charity Art Auction. The event benefits our nonprofit Mint Artists Guild.  Read more about it in Mint’s January e-letter - written by me!  Or check out the Facebook event - and invite your friends!

This beautiful piece was created by artist Kelly O’Neill, a Mint Ambassador. 

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Visit the new Lexus Velodrome on Sunday - and buy some awesome art!  

The SCRAP Charity Art Auction benefits our nonprofit Mint Artists Guild and three other local nonprofits.  There will be face painting, arts and crafts activities - and a silent and live auction of art including this sculpture by artist Kelly O’Neill, a Mint ambassador. It’s among a dozen large pieces that will be sold by an auctioneer.

Also, food and a food truck and lots of fun. A bicycle race will end the afternoon.

Doors open at noon Sunday. More details in our Facebook event.

[detroitkind]

Very proud to see Mint Artists De’Shaia Ventour featured in Connected Woman magazine. This Cass Tech artist previously was featured in a television interview before the Funky Ferndale Art Fair. She runs a small duct tape company and acknowledges that it may be rough at times. “Look back on why you are doing this...to make a difference. You have to put your heart and soul into it our you are just wasting your time,” she told Connected Woman.

[detroitkind]

The Mint Artists Guild board of directors is a diverse group - entrepreneurs, artists and one lawyer and experts in finance and strategy. And then there’s me, an editor and writer and creative coach, who serve as its president. Here we met at Art in Motion, a creative shop on Livernois in Detroit. If you want to join us as a volunteer, please raise your hand - or check our current volunteer openings.

[detroitkind]

If you have a stage or a platform, take the microphone and tell that story.

Skillman Foundation’s David McGhee in my Crain’s Detroit Business story on how nonprofits develop connections with foundations. The advice is especially good for smaller charities and nonprofits without development staffs.

[detroitkind]

Mint Artists Guild, the start up nonprofit in Detroit that I co-founded, celebrates its first anniversary.  Mint works with young visual artists to share business, career and life skills and opportunities to show and sell their creative work.  We hold workshops, circles and meetings in a variety of Detroit creative venues and galleries from Galerie Camille to Eric’s I’ve Been Framed Shop. We are an all-volunteer organization and in one year we have started a creative summer jobs program, held many workshops for teen artists, developed our Paint Detroit with Generosity campaign and participated in three art fairs and around 10 pop up events.  This month, we deliver around 17 paintings, created by young people this summer, to local nonprofits - our Paint Detroit with Generosity partners. And we’re just getting started. Please donate to Mint Artists, which is a 501c3 nonprofit.

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I'm worrying we aren't focusing on: 'How do we make people rich?'

Jamie Bennett, executive director of ArtPlace America, at the Creative Many Summit, discussing gentrification, development and affordability for artists and small business people.

[detroitkind]

The world needs kindness, today, tomorrow - and every day. No matter what our political persuasion or religion or race, kindness suits us - and brings us together.