A portrait of my great grandparents (on the left) at a family wedding in the late 1920’s.

I’m really excited to be part of a show called Portrait of a Secret, which takes place at The Scarab Club on Tuesday, February 25th.

Literary Detroit and The Scarab Club have been collecting family secrets through an anonymous online form and sharing them with artists, including myself, who have selected some of them as inspiration for an original work of art. These art pieces, as well as the written family secrets, will be shared at the event.

This event is inspired by Post Secret which is an ongoing community mail art project, in which people mail their secrets anonymously on a homemade postcard. Select secrets are then posted on their website, used for Post Secret’s books, or art exhibits. Entries range from admissions of sexual misconduct and criminal activity to confessions of secret desires, embarrassing habits, hopes and dreams.

While researching this show, I fell down a rabbit hole of Post Secret archives, so I thought I’d share a few of the images with you. Some are amusing, some are disturbing, all are veritable statements on the human condition.

The evening will also include a discussion of the book Annie’s Ghosts. Described as part memoir, part detective story, and part history, Annie’s Ghost’s tells of Steve Luxenberg’s investigation into his “secret aunt” who was confined to the Eloise Mental Hospital in Wayne County for many years as her existence was kept from Luxenberg and his generation of the family.

Pivoting off the book, the evening will also include a talk by Mark Bowden, a genealogy expert from the Detroit Public Library’s Burton Collection, who will lead attendees through the process of uncovering stories from their own past.

I mentioned before that I inherited a bounty of family heirlooms after my great uncle passed away. One of the things we discovered in his house was an old trunk filled to the brim with very old family photos, including the one above. Many of the photographs date back to the 1800’s and although I can assume they are pictures of my family members, I don’t know many of their names. I’m interested to hear Mark Bowden speak and hope to gain some new tools for tracing my family’s past.

I’m so excited to hear all the family secrets and to see the artwork they inspired! It should be a fun night.

If  you’re interested in reading the book, copies of Annie’s Ghosts are available locally at Source Booksellers, 4240 Cass Avenue, Ste 105, Detroit, MI 48201 and will also be available for purchase the night of the event.

Event details: 

Free to attend!
6:30pm, Tuesday, February 25, 2014
Scarab Club
217 Farnsworth St. Detroit, MI 48202
More information on this event can be found here

I hope to see you all there!

xoxo

Dear People of my Blog,

Tonight is the closing reception of my latest art show and you’re all invited! I shot approximately one billion Polaroids and this is your final chance to see them before they come down forever.  It’s at Majestic Cafe in Detroit from 8pm to 11pm and it’s free to attend.

And so! Here’s a rundown of what you can expect to see from The Wayward Hussies Closing Reception.

Over the course of the summer I shot all my favorite spots inside the city of Detroit. This heart shaped Polaroid collage is mounted on an old salvaged door from Eastern Market and it’s one of my favorite pieces in the history of the world. I kind of want to see it go to a good home, but I’m also very selfish and want to keep it. But no, I should definitely sell it. But then again, it would look really nice in my living room. No. Yes. No.  Please help.

It was even spotted & approved by The Heidelberg Project!

I also did several Polaroid emulsion lifts mounted onto reclaimed wood from Eastern Market.

Some have already sold, but there are still a few more available! Come buy one and then you can stare at it inside your house and think of me every day. Forever and ever. Until the day you die. Just kidding, you’ll never die.

In addition to my work, there are also paintings from Lisa Marie Krug, Mixed Media pieces from Jessica Brown, and a portrait series by Kim Hoxworth. Below is the photograph Kim took of Mike D and I. It’s a social commentary piece in which we are expressing our feelings about Syria. Or was it Miley Cyrus? I don’t know, pick one.

So come on out and party with me, and maybe pick up a little something to bedazzle your walls. Or don’t, and then regret your life.  YOUR CALL.

Majestic Cafe
4140 Woodward, Detroit

xoxo

Hey Friends!

Cancel your plans and clear your schedule! Tonight is the opening reception of my latest art show. I have over 30 original Polaroids on display alongside the artwork of three very lovely and very talented lady friends of mine – Jessica Brown,  Kim Hoxworth, and Lisa Marie Krug.  All of the artwork is extremely good and very affordable.  For real.

And you guys! Detroit’s own rock star treasure broker Cari Cucksey said my Polaroid collage was, and I quote, “very cool”.

Not sure if you noticed, but she also gave me internet hugs & kisses.  Pretty sure we’re BFF now?

So come on out, say hello, and pick up some new artwork for your home!  And if you still aren’t convinced, then perhaps the delicious snacks provided by Majestic Cafe will entice you? Also, I will be there giving free hugs.

Majestic Cafe
4140 Woodward Avenue, Detroit
Thursday, July 18th 8pm to 11pm.