Here's to ending 2025 and starting beginnings in 2026!

The Creative Voice Crew kicks off a winter episode from a studio home visit with artist, illustrator and teacher Steven Shik about his new solo show, The Tourist, on view at Detroit Shipping Co. Frequent themes in his work explore the Asian American and Korean adoptee experience, shown through symbolism, self reflection and critique about the cycle of cultural connection.

The Tourist - a new solo show by Steven Shik

Disconnected from a culture while being designated by its absence is a struggle many Korean Adoptees experience. What does it mean when you’re told that you don’t belong to your country of origin, while the country you reside in wants to modify if you even belong there? Demarcating our identity as a Korean Adoptee is an exploration of truth and trauma. It means understanding the choices we had no part in making, while experiencing the repercussions.

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Visit Detroit Shipping Co. on 474 Peterboro Street for a look at the work and let us know your thoughts. Prints and paintings are also available for sale online via https://www.stevenshik.com/

You can also follow Steven Shik on IG for news about upcoming shows and artwork: https://www.instagram.com/steven_shik/

This #womenshistorymonth - we sit down with @edeninthemitten of @reelcleverfilms, a two-time EMMY® award-winning Filipino-American immigrant multimedia producer and director based in Detroit, Michigan.
Join us this episode to hear about how it all started and the focus on capturing authentic, immersive human interest stories, especially from underrepresented perspectives across media, non-profit and education sectors along with Fortune 500 companies, the local creative arts and small business communities, and leading political and civic advocacy organizations.
Her recent projects include the Emmy-award winning and Webby-nominated "Senghor Reid: Make Way for Tomorrow" for the second season of PBS American Masters' and Firelight Media's "In The Making" Series; “Into the Sugarbush,” an official selection for the TED Countdown Summit in Detroit; and “WELL,” a narrative-documentary hybrid film funded by Black Public Media, which is an official selection for the 2024 BronzeLens Film Festival in Atlanta.

#artistinterview #filmmaking #documentaryfilm #filmdirector #womendirectors

Happy 2025 - The Creative Voice Crew is back in the studio with local visual artist Amadeus Roy as we discuss how to create conceptual work and find your audience in a gallery setting. From balancing commissions versus personal exploration to experimenting with wood sculpture, he has steadily crafted his vision into themes about abstract issues like overconsumption and existential conflict.

Amadeus Roy's work blends contemporary pop, abstract styles and constructivism. Applying holistic psychology, environmentalism, and prehistoric anthropology, he employs various colors and motifs to emphasize hope from nature's resilience towards a more sustainable future.

You can check out his work via https://www.amadeusroyart.com/ and also sign up for his newsletter mailing list for more updates on upcoming art, shows and more!

Hey folks, the summer is in full swing!

This episode is a feature on the downtown concept gallery/store, Robyn which has a rotating pop-up of artists and creative events hosted throughout the year, having just opened up for spring in Detroit.

Sitting down with Jason Sachse, we learn about the origins and retail experience of the space along with recently featured artists in store. For those interested in being shown at Robyn, you can connect via email [email protected] and also their IG, @robyn.us.

Robyn's 2nd popup highlighted the work of five emerging artists in the city -

India Solomon | Art
@indysolomon - abstract artist that makes you think and feel. A painter, curator, singer, she doesn’t stop!
Anthony “Filipino Spaghetti” Smith | Clothing, Art,
@filipinospaghetti - come meet Ant’s new character “Boo” in store! 😈
All Motion Studio | Clothing, Accessories, 3D Printing
@allmotionstudio @joereilley - there’s nothing Joe and his team can’t do. They’ll make any garment or object look dope!
LilyÃnnã “BossCupid” | Art, Clothing, Accessories
@boss.cupid - not just those products in store, but if you need nails and tattoos…BossCupid.
Foreign Objects | Leather, Clothing
@foreignobjectsdetroit - Fernando is the original Jacket Purse creator! And you gotta see his signature indigo/rust clothing.

We've got a few opportunities for new guests on the show beginning in the fall, so hit us up via IG or email for details!

We're finally back! For this Summer/Fall series, our first guest is Jon Dones of Haute to Death.

Founded in 2007 by artists and DJs Ash Nowak and Jon Dones, Haute to Death is Detroit’s most spirited, stylish and respected nightlife institution. More than a party, Haute to Death has grown into a tight-knit network of passionate creatives and pleasure seeking bon vivants who gather monthly under the glimmer of the Marble Bar disco ball to satisfy their appetite for an artfully administered dose of hedonism.

This Friday before the Movement Festival starts Monday, H2D will host their annual dance party, Cruise Control! RSVP via Resident Advisor:

ra.co/events/1909241

Check out even more H2D:

IG @hautetodeath

IG @jondones

https://www.h2dsocial.club/

To kick off this year's Month of Design, we interviewed design teams and advocates in the annual inclusivity-driven hackathon, Design Jam. Over the course of several years, the two day event has evolved to address accessibility in a variety of products that merge fashion and function. Hosted in partnership with the A. Alfred Taubman Center for Design Education on the College for Creative Studies campus, Bonnie Fahoome, co-executive director of Design Core Detroit shows us what the design teams are working on in this year's design challenge: Adaptive Products for Outdoor Recreation.

We also get an opportunity to chat Chris Casteel, co-owner and manager of Anew Life Prosthetics and Orthotics, LLC, a local prosthetic and orthotic practice located in the New Center area of Detroit, Michigan. Right inside the historic Albert Khan building is a full-service provider from head to toe, pediatric to geriatric, underhoused to CEO’s and Veterans, also hospice. This business also provides home and clinic visits for people unable to travel to their office and fabrication laboratory.

Welcome to Part 2 of our studio chat with with Ivan Montoya, a Detroit-based painter & muralist. As a first-generation immigrant (b. Chihuahua, Mexico '95), he creates work connecting the folklore and symbolism of Mesoamerica, Mexico and the United States with his experiences. He is a recipient of the 2022 Emerging Artist Fellowship supported by the Knight Foundation, and has been featured by Spectrum, 3x3 Mag, The Society of Illustrators along with artwork in the Guillermo Del Toro Bleak House Collection. Ivan has worked with Murals In The Market (Eastern Market), Playground Detroit, Coca-Cola, Detroit Riverfront Conservancy, Rocket Central, McKinsey & Co., 1XRUN and the City of Detroit.

His "Back in 5" Duo show with Michael Polakowski (@michaelpolakowski) is on view September 9th at 5-50 Gallery, NYC (@550gallery).

See more of his work on social: @imontoya_ or on his website: ivanmontoya.art for more info about his work and art for sale.

Today, we have a studio chat with with Ivan Montoya, a Detroit-based painter & muralist. As a first-generation immigrant (b. Chihuahua, Mexico '95), he creates work connecting the folklore and symbolism of Mesoamerica, Mexico and the United States with his experiences. He is a recipient of the 2022 Emerging Artist Fellowship supported by the Knight Foundation, and has been featured by Spectrum, 3x3 Mag, The Society of Illustrators along with artwork in the Guillermo Del Toro Bleak House Collection. Ivan has worked with Murals In The Market (Eastern Market), Playground Detroit, Coca-Cola, Detroit Riverfront Conservancy, Rocket Central, McKinsey & Co., 1XRUN and the City of Detroit.

His upcoming "Back in 5" Duo show with Michael Polakowski (@michaelpolakowski) opens September 9th at 5-50 Gallery, NYC (@550gallery).

See more of his work on social: @imontoya_ or on his website: ivanmontoya.art for more info about his work and art for sale.

Further Reading:

Detroit Art Review: Ivan Montoya @ Playground Detroit

Shout Arizona: Meet Muralist Ivan Montoya

SEEN Magazine: Ivan Montoya Paints the Immigrant Experience

Looking to hear from local artists, designers, photographers, writers and more? Want the scoop on a printing technique or freelance advice? In partnership with AIGA Detroit, Elizabeth Mays and Danni Wu co-host The Creative Voice - a refreshing take on fireside chats with talented people in the city on how the professionals work in the creative industries.

Our first upcoming episode this month will be with Ivan Montoya, a local artist that focuses on bringing cultural connections to the immigrant experience and Mexican-inspired folklore into his work. Check out his latest De la Tierra series with M Contemporary Art here: https://www.mcontemporaryart.com/artwork/de-la-tierra-ivan-montoya

As the official podcast for Design Core Detroit's Month of Design this year, we will be streaming coverage of events around the city in September. Stay tuned on our social media for the latest news!