Review of “The Quiet Life” at The Butcher’s Daughter Gallery

Walking into “The Quiet Life,” a solo exhibition of Canadian artist David R. Harper’s multimedia work that opened last week at The Butcher’s Daughter Gallery in Ferndale, feels like entering the home of an eccentric 19th Century biology enthusiast. The color is predominantly white, not cold, antiseptic white, but the white of god-light, the kind [...]

L. Brooks Patterson and the Love of Sprawl by Andy H.

A couple of weeks ago, I was on a K-12 education kick, reading as much research and commentary on hot issues in school reform like teacher evaluation and tenure, charter schools, school choice, and testing.  This week my obsession has been sprawl:  what causes it, and ways to address it.  In [...]

Culture Wars, Ruin Porn, and Re-enchantment

I was sitting at a picnic table in Sam’s Club the other day waiting for my boyfriend. I love going with him to Sam’s Club; everything you ever dreamed of in bulk quantities fit for a giant’s pantry at low prices, and lots of free samples too. It draws an interesting crowd, Sam’s Club. College [...]

Cranbrook MFA vs. Nolan Simon/CCS Students vs. BBAC vs. Chris Riddell

What works resonate with you? Work that inspires you to make you want to get into the studio? Work that makes you so stimulated that you want to grab your friend to come and stare at it with you? Work that makes you lose your side blinders and begin to see art everywhere? Or is [...]

Another DAM good show: Northern LIghts – By Colin Darke

Rich Branstrom – Deer

Rick Kolb – Harbor Town

Rich Branstrom – Duck

In producing a voyage to the unique beauty of Up North, the Detroit Artists Market’s latest show falls short. Perhaps because of its limited scope (a showcase of northern Michigan artists), co-curators John F. Korachis and Rebecca Glotfelty failed to produce (as promised) a coherent [...]

“Unhooked from Time” at Gallery Project

Gallery project puts together shows with themes that are broad, relate-able, and always slyly zeitgeist. The ideas presented are ones you find have been swimming around in your head for a minute, given expression. When that happens, well, it’s like being hooked up to an IV of the culture. It’s an eerie, great feeling. The [...]