The People's Arts Festival!

Lest you think all we do is eat around here, today we took the kid to the People's Arts Festival at the Russell Industrial Center. The Russell looks, from the outside, like just another one of Detroit's many abandoned buildings, designed in 1915 by architect Albert Kahn it was once home to the Murry Body Company. Following a Bare-Bones renovation, it is now home to more than 150 artists and creative types.  It's someplace I want to get back to, and eventually have a studio of my own if I ever figure out what the hell I'm going to do with my life.

Anyway, on to the Arts Festival. We had a pretty good time.

There are fantastic murals all over Detroit, but this one is really something spectacular. 

Sailor Jerry Rum was selling cocktails for 2 bucks. They were really, really Dangerous.  

There were about a billion local artists selling everything from knitting to metalwork to funky t-shirts, to beer-cap earrings. Pottery, clothes, used TV's, ten dollar haircuts, perogies, bad art, good art, baffling art and art so good it held the power to take your breath away.

A few observations about the scene, in no particular order:

• The amount of raw creative talent in Detroit is absolutely staggering.
• The enthusiasm, love and passion for Detroit as a city almost brought me to tears. I have never seen such a beloved, yet maligned city before, anywhere in the world. 
• Goth Chicks make terrible art. Maybe this is why they are so sad? 
• (from Stone) When did all the Goth chicks get so fat?  
• It seemed like almost everyone who owns a dog brought their respective Dogs to the festival. I hate most dogs with the passion of a thousand fiery suns, but it was cool to be able to let the kid test drive like 40 different types and breeds of dogs. We think we will get a Great Dane/Lab mix eventually. 
• Again, what is it with Detroiters and Pit Bulls / Rottweilers / Dobermans? Really, guys, you are already from Detroit and that makes you Hard-Core enough to own a Poodle and still roll with swagger. 
• And on a related note, can I tell you that it scares the shit outta me that two separate Pit Bull owners told me earnestly that Pit Bulls are fantastic with children? Really? 

I could have spent thousands of dollars on amazing art, and not regretted a single purchase, except we are kind of broke right now. Despite our brokeness, we did manage to spend a couple hundred bucks on some stuff we decided we couldn't live without.

Stone bought this for the Kid's Room: 2' x 3' 

I bought this, because I Love it.  It's just 12" x 12"

 This artist is Laura Macintyre. She had a lot of other stuff I want to buy, but can't afford. She does amazing pottery, and fantastic super realistic paintings. her website is www.detroitgroundzero.com Go buy some stuff I can't afford!

Stone bought this 10"x12" photograph of street art because it resonated with him, and was only 12 bucks. 

More tomorrow. Stone is working on a post about how we cooked the Lamb Shanks!