Author: tvasher

Show event attendee’s Thomas Bell Art studio located at 10229 Joseph Campau Street

Join us during the Hamtramck Neighborhood Arts Festival at Passenger’s new location on Christopher Street, right next to the Fowling Warehouse, where we’ll be hosting a marketplace and live music performances in addition to the opening reception of Ashley Worden’s solo exhibition downstairs at the new Christopher Street Gallery!

Thomas was born in Asheville, North Carolina and became interested in abstract art in 2004 when a teacher gave him an assignment to create a painting influenced by a famous artist. He chose Piet Mondrian and painted a canvas with different shapes and primary colors similar to that of the Dutch painter. The freedom he found within the simplicity of his style became an invitation for him to enter a complex world with infinite dimensions and areas of opportunity open for his honest exploration. That day of artistic realization led him to a place of creative authority, freedom, and further detachment from societal programming, in which escaping aspects of the modern domestication of man has been an interest of Thomas since a teenager. Abiding by intuition, Thomas has strayed away from further classical training after 9th-grade art class in fears he would lose the core authenticity of what he valued most in painting, which is… undomesticated freedom within a mind of pure action flowing with the parameters of what his ability allows.

Thomas’s early paintings featured elementary faces expressing both tension and abandonment felt from the detachment of understanding that close ones had to him as he became involved in expressing himself through his artistic calling. Beyond the figurative aspect of his creations, he became very involved in paint experimentation on all different mediums, including various types of fabrics. Figuring out how large amounts of paint flow and work together when combined with many techniques, Thomas learned how to form aesthetically pleasing and balanced work out of seemingly random but very calculated processes. Creating from a reality that can seem like total discombobulation, he transforms his materials into works of deliberate, organized chaos with a sense of balance and flow that stems from being balanced and in flow with the experience. While the style of his early work departed from the traditional norms he was raised within — so much so that his paintings elicited fear inside of others — he refused to abandon his abstract nature and drive to create.

Finding acceptance from the universe within the worlds of his paintings, his work became more than a hobby, job, or well-connected interest. Painting became a source of life created through the abandonment of all the variables within the perceived norms or rules in which a human should perform while being creative, allowing the conditioned self to escape into pure form of soul and experience, where the root of source expands into his artwork.

Forces attempting to push Thomas to conform to a more conventional way continue to intervene. When intuition calls and one extracts himself from the game forced upon us, one creates realms that do not intervene with any constrictive norms of society and delves into pathways elsewhere.

Constantly innovating and finding the limits of his depths, through the ups and downs of uncertainty, Thomas has grown more strength and bravery to go further into the surface of the unknown.

Join us during the Hamtramck Neighborhood Arts Festival at Passenger’s new location on Christopher Street, right next to the Fowling Warehouse, where we’ll be hosting a marketplace and live music performances in addition to the opening reception of Ashley Worden’s solo exhibition downstairs at the new Christopher Street Gallery!

In the late 00’s, Jerry Downey cemented himself as a staple in Detroit’s on-again, off-again underground warehouse party scene with his “Sexual Tension Detroit” brand and was the mind behind many iconic series, such as “Bathroom Culture,” “Friend’s With Benefits,” and “We Can Get You In Trouble.” In 2018, he even received his first major break as a producer—licensing original music to Big Beat Records—but, despite his accomplishments, Downey had never reached his true potential as an artist due to his lifelong struggle with substance abuse. In 2024, after surrendering to his addiction and some soul searching, Jerry Downey found a new role in the community as a producer and recording/mix engineer working on original music out of his home studio.

Abba Roland is a dynamic and diverse creative artist, musician, composer, and touring singer-songwriter with roots in theatre, dance, and design. She has released two solo albums and has shared the stage with Coldplay, Sia, Bonnie Raitt, and P-Funk. “She is a thought-provoking lyricist with a singular style whose work blurs the lines between sharp comedy and cabaret, providing a unique human perspective.” — Rolling Stone

Abba hosts “Made in Vagina,” broadcasting out of Passenger Recover and Passenger Radio. The show features a range of eclectic artists—from times long ago to new artists—spanning Native American/First Nations, hip hop, classical, country, folk, and psychedelic punk-funk, voicing an empowered, balanced, female- and earth-conscious perspective. The show’s mission is to remind us about community, healing, and fellowship; and although we may all be different, we need the same things (love). “We all come from the same place — Made in Vagina.”

The fashion lines Nowaste Collective and Made in Vagina carry the same message and support recovery and health in our local communities.

Abba has spent much of her time between New York City, Woodstock, NY, and Los Angeles, but now happily calls Detroit home.

River Edwards is a highly regarded, award-winning spoken-word artist who has toured throughout the United States and Europe.

River was the Austin representative on the SlamAmerica bus tour and has opened for many rock acts, including Patti Smith and Ani DiFranco. He has also recently relocated to Detroit.

If “Passenger Recover” was meant to be “Passenger Recovery” or “Passenger Records,” say the word and I’ll adjust.

Step into the world of a computer scientist that fell in love with a costume designer during covid lockdown. Upon approach, it is clear that their home is bursting with creative energy as evidenced by the wildflower garden with a container pond full of fish in their front yard illuminated with landscape lighting for all to enjoy. Inside, visitors are invited to learn about HAM radio, take a tour of the sewing room, meet the dozens of aquatic pets spread through 8 indoor nano aquariums and 2 outdoor ponds, gaze and reflect upon an art collection that features artworks from many local creatives, and if the weather permits, enjoy a hands-on art project in the backyard. Lynn will have some original art pieces for sale and facilitate a free collage creation session. Come hang out with us!

Lynn Blasey is a multi-faceted artist, community worker, and public servant. She uses mixed media collage with paint and markers as a creative tool to process the world around her and partners with clients to develop compelling costumes to enhance their characters and personas for performance art or costumed events. Lynn is also an avid art collector and her collection blends with pieces from Joe’s collection to adorn the walls of the home they share. Joe George is a computer scientist who is passionate about HAM radio, plants, and creating mini ecosystems throughout their home. Joe has also been working to fully automate their home building his own network to operate independently of others and is excited to show it off to anyone interested.

The Hamtramck Night Bazaar is a vibrant evening market that showcases artists, makers, and small business owners from Hamtramck and beyond!

Discover Hamtramck is a platform powered by Hamtramck’s Downtown Development Authority. The DDA is committed to bringing life to our unique downtown, city, and community. The Hamtramck Night Bazaar is one of the ways the DDA empowers small business owners, the community, and artists.