By BTL Staff
Dorothy Rutkowski, "Purple Radiation"
"PRIDE 2016!," an exhibition featuring the fine arts and fanciful creations of 14 rainbow artists, is in place at Affirmations' Pittmann-Puckett Art Gallery space and scheduled to run through Pride Month (June) and Hotter Than July.
The exhibition officially gets under way with Ferndale's Annual Pride Celebration — an eagerly attended event dating back almost 20 challenging years — on Friday, June 9, at Nine Mile, between Woodward Avenue and Planavon Street.
Says Affirmations Community Resource Manager Kelsey Hug, "Response to our art committee call for artist participation and submission in 'Pride 2016!' is outstanding. However, due to space limitations in Affirmations' exceptionally inviting and sought-after art gallery space, submission was limited to two juried art pieces.
"It is, nonetheless, an outstanding showcase of talent and pride of LGBT and allied artist participation. The past several art exhibitions have also been noteworthy. Our second Trans Visibility Art Exhibition in April/May was well attended at its opening, and favorably commented upon by the media.
"Our upcoming July Affirmations exhibition will be the gay, historic drag show photography of Detroiter Bruce Harkness."
Participants in "PRIDE 2016!" are Charles Alexander, Heather Aymer, Harley Cummings, Karen Dorgan, Jenn Frazier, Alexandria Gibson, Kelsey Hug, Josephine Jamison, Malachi London, Bern Merlo, Ron Parent, Vy Reed, Dorothy Rutkowski and Jack Summers.
Affirmations Art Committee members are Kelsey Hug, Jack O. Summers and Charles Alexander. Summers is a well-known artist, and a frequently chosen planning member of art organizations. Alexander has been the Affirmations volunteer art juror/coordinator for the past nine years. He received the Jan Stevenson Recognition Award in 2008.
For details about the June 2 "PRIDE 2016!" opening reception, call 248-398-7105.
