This Saturday night the Detroit contemporary home store, Mezzanine, is hosting an exhibition featuring the artwork of Todd Patrick. It’s a benefit for Art Road, a non-profit organization that works to bring art classes into Detroit elementary schools that currently have no art education whatsoever.

Todd is a local Detroit artist and architect who paints in intense colors on glass. He back-paints the glass and builds up his paintings in layers in reverse, a very complicated process that yields work that looks very polished - it’s almost luminescent - but very complex. The work features organic shapes that range from abstract to vaguely representational; it is boldly graphic but sophisticated.

The show runs from 6 - 10 PM. For directions and more information, call Mezzanine at 313 442 9000. I’ll see you there.

The College for Creative Studies will be holding its annual student show and sale starting Friday, May 16th. It’s always an amazing and popular event - the best work gets snapped up in the first couple of hours, but the sale runs for a week. I’ll be posting a preview next week. Oh, it’s also a fun party. 

But it’s more than just a sale. You’ll also have a chance to view the creative work from other departments. Automotive design always gets world-wide acclaim. Of course, the interior design department turns in an excellent work. Be sure to take some time to view the animation films. They’re fun. 

You can buy tickets at the school, through the mail, or at the door. Early admission begins at 5:30 pm and tickets are $350. Regular admission costs $50 and begins at 7:00 pm. The show is free of charge after opening night and runs through May 30th. The art stays up until then, so you get to see everything. 

If you’re interested in buying artwork be sure to bring checks. All proceeds from the sales go directly to the students and checks are written directly to them. For more information, call the school at 313-664-7464. See you there!

ETSY Shop, Annechovie, is having a buy one get 1 free sale starting now until the end of the month.

The sale includes everything in her ETSY store. For example, if you buy 1 print, you get 1 free. Buy 1 box of notecards, get one free. The only stipulation is that the free item claimed must be of the same type and of equal or lesser value.

Check out her paintings of chairs. :)

Talented Michigan Artist, Heidi Marshall, has a show coming up in Charlevoix in a few months. I spoke to her recently about the show, which she’s preparing for at her beautiful, lakeside home in Harbor Springs (that’s at the top of the Michigan mitten).

“I’m working in pastels for this show,” says Heidi. “My work will feature people, animals, and landscapes. I try to interpret a bit of who and/or what they are - the essence and individuality that is unique to a person, object, time and place. Capturing this spirit in natural light is exciting. There’s something about being in light and color while you’re painting it. When things go well, it’s sublime.”

The show will be held at The Cycling Salamander, a fine art gallery just outside Charlevoix, Michigan. The show is called Pastels, by Heidi A. Marshall. It’s mostly Plein Air, and will include about 24 pieces.

The opening reception is June 28, 2008 from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm.