THE BEGINNING…..
Starting in the spring of 2012, Downtown Ferndale enhanced its collection of public art with the addition of 11 sculptures placed all around town, which was titled the ART Town (ARTWN) – The Exhibit. This Exhibit celebrated all the art in Downtown Ferndale with special events, ongoing promotion, and continual showcasing of our thriving creative culture. A fundraiser event titled; Art of the Cocktail ran from 2016 to 2019 generating funding to support the maintenance and ongoing collection that ARTWN.
ARTWN- The Exhibit, was sponsored by Motor City Casino Hotel with additional support from community businesses and friends. This temporary installation was in place through the spring of 2014, at which lime the Ferndale Downtown Development Authority (DDA) and local businesses purchased a few of the pieces for the permanent collection. Downtown Ferndale invites visitors to enjoy ART Town – the exhibit and every other piece of art 24/7 /365.
Top Left: “Time Waits for No One” by Kevin Bowen | Top Right: “Urfaust” by John Sauve | Bottom Left: “F9 Monkey” by Sophie Marie | Bottom Middle: “Belier Rouge” by Sophie Marie | Bottom Right: “Dryopteris Dilatata in Steel” by Alexander Probe
The ARTWN Exhibit was an outdoor art exhibition throughout Downtown Ferndale that fosters the excitement and interest in public art, serves as a catalyst for private investment and showcases our community as an art town. In addition to Motor City Hotel, locally supportive sponsors were State of the Art Framing & Gallery, One-Eyed Betty’s & Rosie O’Grady’s, Garden Fresh Gourmet, Flip, The Rust Belt Market, Tami Gleason of Live Love Laugh, Credit Union One, Blumz by JR Designs, Dino’s Lounge & Catering and Minser’s Collision.
Many of artists were involved in this initial launch of a Public Art Program in Downtown Ferndale! Not all of the art works are still available for the public to see but the artists involved are worth mentioning. Richard Gage | Daniel Cascardo | Evan Cissell | Shan Sutherland | John Truex | Yu Chich Hsiao | Jada Schumacher | Kobie Solomon | Exactly Hi-Tops | Tead
Wander around downtown and take in amazing works of art, from a Daniel Cascardo masterpiece lo the Belier Rouge (which you may know as the Red Ram). Have a seat in Downtown Ferndale and you may find yourself resting on a bus slop bench created by Cranbrook Academy of Art students. History becomes art when rendered as historical monuments in the Woodward Avenue median. In 2023, Downtown Ferndale with the help of volunteers launched an Self Guided Art Walk. Click HERE to access the Self Guided Art Map
