by
Lindsey Harnish

This is the second in a five part series featuring five platinum blond Detroiters, who stand out in a crowd for their original talent, diverse creativity, and daring to be distinctive. Each week, Lindsey Harnish will catch up with a new one. This week she features actress and artist Mare Costello. In the coming weeks, look for photographer/musician Alicia Gbur of the Nice Device, author Lee Runchey, and punk rocker Queen Bee to get their thoughts on their artistry, their city and their ever so distinctive hair color. Last week she caught up with journalist/burlesque dancer Sparkly Devil. Check it out here.

Mare Costello is a vibrant mixer of media—so adept at it that she’s made a business out of it: Free MultiMedium, Inc. Under this name, she does creative work from installations to performance art. An accomplished artist who has produced her own visual art exhibitions for the last decade, Mare is equally dexterous in materials as flexible as laminate or as rigid as steel. Perhaps it’s her background as a sculptor that helps her to manipulate the many dimensions of her talents and the talents of others, creating exhibits and productions that engage the senses.

Mare is also an actress, currently playing a lead in two Thought Collide films, both set in Detroit: a feature film, “The Passenger,” revolves around the underground art scene, and inZero, a post-apocalyptic sci-fi series.

LH: What are some of the things you do with Free Multi Medium?
Mare: Doing business under "Free Multi-Medium, Inc." allows me the freedom to work in several different mediums as one person. A few of these mediums are acting/performance art, fine art & pop art (my LAMINATION), photography, graphic design, writing, event production and now I'm even getting back into some singing.

What projects are you currently working on?
I have a lead role in a local twelve episode sci-fi series called "inZero" playing "Marilee" a courier in a post apocalyptic world who moonlights as a jazz singer.

I am also overhauling my website, which has become quite the project. Essentially it has turned into redesigning eight sites within one.

Also, I am continuing my training at the Second City here in Novi. I'm a little B-level student. It's awesome. Everyone should take a class no matter who you are before you die.

What are the most exciting things about your work with Free Multi-Medium?
It gives me the ability to share myself, ideas, aesthetic, humor and at the same time entertain, educate, as well as learn. I'm afforded a luxury […] to connect with people on a deeper or you can say spiritual level. [,,,] Being able to transcend the superficial on a daily basis is pretty exciting.

What has been one of the greatest challenges of your work?
Seeing problems as opportunities and that no opportunity is too small to take advantage of.

How do you juggle all of your interests and commitments?
By staying positive, giving back and remembering it's all about having fun and being myself. Sticking to this attitude I can manage an extremely full work and performance load combined with an active social life - everything I've ever wanted.

What is one of the boldest things you've had to do to make your projects happen?
Believing in myself when people have no clue what to make of me.

Ten or twenty years ago, where did you imagine yourself being?
20 years ago I imagined or should I say fantasized I would be married to Simon Lebon of Duran Duran. 10 years ago I thought by now I would be sitting on top of a hill of money swatting away fans. I'm so glad neither came true. One, my husband Simon would have been arrested due to our gigantic age difference and secondly, if I would have got what I wanted 10 years ago I wouldn't have known how to handle it and would not have appreciated it.

Who are some of your greatest influences?
Mom and Dad, of course. I've always found inspiration from people who were and are passionate in their beliefs and do not give up on their dreams. I've always like multi-talented forward thinking, mavericks such as Einstein, Leonardo da Vinci, Mother Theresa, Jodi Foster, Madonna, Andy Warhol, and Jim Morrison. I could spend a good part of this week finishing this list. Sufficient to say now a days when I am open every person can be my teacher.

How does Detroit inspire you?
…the resilience of its people. It has a certain tangible energy that draws me in. We Detroiters can make some of the most beautiful and profound experiences come alive even when we may be surrounded by dark alleys, dumpsters and miles of nothing.

I always see an image of a phoenix rising out of the ashes when I think of all those who came before me and everyone now who is trying so hard to rise above the stigma attached to the town that was once the center of the universe. Alas, I could write a book about my love affair with Detroit.

What would you say are the best things about Detroit?
Mare’s Top 10:

1) You can create art in this city with less funds then say New York, Chicago or L.A.

2) Tight knit, extremely supportive community of artists of all backgrounds and disciplines

3) The diversity in the scene

4) The bold, youthful energy

5) All the new galleries, shops, networking systems, restaurants, artistic schools, architecture and theatres

6) Bell Isle soccer and bicycling

7) You can put shows on here as a budding or virtually unknown established artist that you couldn’t do else where

8) The opportunity to introduce new ideas and concepts to people for the first time since Michigan for the most part is so insulated and conservative (this is not a judgment but my experienced observation).

9) Our neighbors are Canadian and my Dad was born there

10) The spirit of the people

Where's your favorite place to get dinner in the Detroit area?
I can’t just say one, it’s impossible because I love to eat and the right ambience is key. This is in no order of importance here: “Vinces”, Italian on Springwells (old school great home made with Momma in the kitchen), “La Dolce Vita” Detroit (great brunch on Sunday, too), “The French Gourmet” in Ferndale (great crepes and cafe au lait), Anna’s Coffee shop Pleasant Ridge (it’s in 40-50’s vintage condition, great for quickie breakfast and Marian is a hoot).

If you wanted to have a rockin’ night on the town, where would you go?
Oslo, warehouse parties, 2500 Club is swing’n. I’m on the cusp of checking out our jazz scene and I’ve just visited Bakers Keyboard Lounge which was divine.

Who are some of your favorite Detroit talents?
Classics: Aretha Franklin, Jeff Mills, Richie Hawtin, Carl Craig. On their way to becoming stars: Ben Cyllus (singer songwriter), Gypsy Strings of Detroit (30-40s style jazz band), Rai (singer songwriter), Hard Lessons (rock & roll band), Jonny Victor (actor/comedian/musician), Ron Zakrin (painter/musician), Steven Reaume (graphic designer/visionary).

Did anyone in particular inspire you to go platinum with your hair?
I was born blonde and had that white blonde hair as a child. Then it got darker by my teens when I started to see the likes of Jean Harlow, Marilyn Monroe, and Madonna. I liked their look so I let my best friend bleach me up.

What¹s your level of commitment to your hair?
Like any other part of my body I try not to take it for granted and by that I mean it’s not going to magically take care of itself. I need to maintain it so I don’t have it platinum all the time that just destroys it. I¹m coming off a serious platinum from a movie I was in and let me tell you I¹m waiting a while to go back to that.

What would you tell other people who want to do what you do?
MAKE SURE THIS IS SOMETHING YOU LOVE if you are serious about making it a career (artist, actor, DJ, dancer, singer, writer, etc.) Make sure your motives for attaining this dream are honest. Be ready to take on jobs that have nothing to do with your art. Surround yourself with brilliant people who want you to succeed. Always keep your eyes and ears open no matter how small an opportunity may seem at first it may be the thing that eventually gets you to your dream.

And finally, what’s next?
Getting some agents for acting local and international. Continuing my improv classes at Second City. Exhibiting my “LAMINATION” works locally and nationally (maybe even globally). Expanding my singing and getting involved with a local band. Keeping my eye out for that next big thing.

Thanks for the chat!!!! Good luck to all who read this.

Check out episode screenings of inZero at the Royal Oak Main Art Theater on the first Tuesday of every month.

Also, to find out more about Mare, visit: http://freemulti-medium.com

Top photo - "Methanie" character from "The Passenger," 2005 (photo by Boswell, Boswellcreative.com

Check back next week for an interview with Nice Device’s frontwoman, Alicia Gbur!

Lindsey Harnish is a recovering English major and former Library Assistant. On very good days, she’s working on her novel or finishing up a painting. She has been published in The Huron River Review of Washtenaw Community College and is an Associate Editor for The Communiqué Journal (http://www.communiquejournal.org/). She lives in Ferndale with her husband, two house rabbits and a partially bald cat.