Our Team
Y-Arts is comprised of a team of Artist Educators, professionals who are as committed to our community as they are their art.
MARGARET EDWARTOWSKI—Director of Arts
A local actor, director, improviser, playwright and teacher, Margaret has dedicated the last fifteen years to arts education and cultivation in Detroit. She graduated Wayne State University with a BFA in acting and immediately went on to join the resident cast of The Second City Detroit where she performed/wrote for three years downtown and later another year when the theatre moved to Novi. Margaret created an improv program (Planet Ant Improv Colony) at Planet Ant Theatre in Hamtramck where she has been on staff for over ten years. Joining Y Arts in 2007 as an improv teacher, Margaret gained a passion for youth development through the arts and became Director of Arts in January of 2011.
STEVIE ‘SOUL’ ANSARA – Musician and Designer
Stevie Soul’s shows are filled with more “oohs” and “ahhs” than you can expect to hear at any Las Vegas magic show. His unique and dynamic vocal performance always draws audiences to the edges of their chairs, no matter where he performs. Maybe that’s what happens when you mix live percussion, scat singing, blues, and soul all into the same vocal box. Stevie’s records are equally impressive. Stevie holds a degree in Fine Arts from the International Academy of Design. His music and designs have featured and been published in reputable media outlets such as Fox News, Channel 955, Detroit News, Metro Times and more. Stevie also teaches Music & Movement for the YArts Outreach Program; which was designed for K – 12 and encompasses experiments in rhythm, sound, movement and dance, body instruments and voice. www.steviesoul.com
NATHANIEL MULLEN – photography
Nathaniel attended the School of Art and Design at the University of Michigan. Admitted on a photography portfolio, his studies evolved to include a wide array of media and subject matter, ranging from utility-focused ceramics and social events to printmaking and gender dynamics. After finishing his BFA at the University, Nathaniel enrolled in the Michigan AmeriCorps Partnership (MAP) placed in the Visual Arts Department of the Neutral Zone, Ann Arbor Teen Center. He spent the year redeveloping the digital arts program, expanding the exhibitions program, and broadening community outreach. Two of the largest projects included a week-long service-learning project in Detroit and an exhibition titled Frame of Mind, which collaborated with the Depression Center at the University of Michigan to bring light on issues surrounding youth mental health
BYRON NEMELA—Pottery Artist
A graduate of the University of Michigan Fine Arts Program, Byron Nemela has established a ceramics program in YArts for all ages. He has studied at the New York State College of Ceramics, trained in Germany, and researched Southwest Native American pottery. Byron is also an instructor at the Detroit Institute of Arts.
JOYE OPOKU OFEI—Visual Artist
A native of Ghana, West Africa, Joye Opoku Ofei teaches multi media arts to the YArts after school program students as well as West African clothing design to adults. His works are on display at the Charles H. Wright Museum, Detroit, and at the Palace of Auburn Hills.
JOHN OPIO – Artist and Musician
A native of Uganda, John has been a fine artist and macramé specialist all his life. He is a trained Screen Printer and plays African music. John decorated the tables in the lobby of the BOLL family YMCA and is an honorary member of Y Arts.
BOBBI THOMPSON—Deep River Choir Director
A longtime singer and musician on the Detroit scene, Bobbi Thompson leads the 35 member YMCA Deep River Choir. She has recorded with many of Detroit’s finest musicians and performs at services in Central United Methodist Church.
I’mm an artist/mmusic who paints mmusic – The Language of…
If anyone, two, three or more people, small or large groups consisting of from two to, hundreds or thousands of you would like to collaborate in anything creative i’d welcome you, them and anyone…
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MMs
Hey MMicky! We like what you’re up to! We’re more or less at capacity just at the moment but will definitely be in touch very soon. Thank you for visiting!
THE SAUVE ART FOUNDATION ROLLS OUT THE RED CARPET FOR THE PREMIERE OF THE “CITYSCAPES” DOCUMENTARY
With a goal of “Building Communities through Public Art”, The Sauvé Art Foundation is pleased to present, ”Cityscapes” the Documentary, at the Detroit Institute of Arts.
DETROIT, MI., May 19, 2010 – The Sauvé Art Foundation is proud to announce the world premiere of “Cityscapes” a documentary providing insight into the making of the Cityscapes public sculpture exhibit located in Birmingham, Michigan. This film is sure to touch the hearts of all viewers, including the millions of Americans who suffer from a lack of Public Art. The premiere will take place on Friday, June 18, 2010 at 7:00 P.M. in the Lecture Hall of the Detroit Institute of Arts.
“Cityscapes” traces the paths of the artists, as they install their sculpture and find happiness, while learning the meaning of inner strength,” said film director Lindsey Root. “It is a film about building hope, and it speaks to anyone who has ever been confronted with a seemingly impossible challenge.”
“This film is an opportunity for the general public to get an intimate look at the human story behind the making of the “Cityscapes” exhibit,” said Dr. Robert Takla
Board member of the Sauvé Art Foundation “I feel strongly ‘Cityscapes’ will inspire others to realize that they can overcome significant challenges and live productive lives.”
The Sauvé Art Foundation will be dedicating the Birmingham Cityscapes Sculpture Exhibit at the June 18, 2010 event, featuring a “Cityscapes film and a Cityscapes presentation by Past Mayor of the City of Birmingham, Scott Moore. Following the presentation and “Cityscapes” film, a musical performance by Burkina Electric and reception will be held in the Great Hall. The four musicians and two dancers of Burkina Electric, the first electronica band from Burkina Faso, perform a combination of traditions and rhythms of their West African country with contemporary electronic dance culture.
The Detroit Institute of Arts will be providing discounted DIA Memberships throughout the evening and this is also an opportunity to see theThrough African Eyes exhibit. This exhibition explores the artistic consequences of the variations and dynamics of cultural exchanges between Africans and Europeans over 500 years, making it the broadest analytical overview on the subject to date. Through African Eyes will illustrate how African artists from diverse cultures have used and continue to use visual forms to reflect their particular societies’ changing attitudes toward Europeans, as the latter evolved from stranger to colonizer to the more inclusive Westerner.
ABOUT CITYSCAPES THE DOCUMENTARY
In 2006 the Birmingham Public Art Board accepted John Sauvés proposal to curate the Cityscapes exhibit. The “Birmingham Cityscapes” exhibit is comprised of 10 large scale outdoor sculptures located in Downtown Birmingham. Over the last four years Sauvé have raised over $200,000 in donations for the installation of the Cityscapes sculpture. All funding for this exhibit was raised through the Private sector and through financial support from the Hill Gallery and the Sauvé Art Foundation. In conjunction with the Cityscapes exhibit, John Sauve also provided arts education for the Boys and Girls Club. The Birmingham Cityscapes exhibit is represented by artists, Mark di Suvero, Dennis Oppenheim, John Sauvé, Ken Thompson, Chris Yockey, Nathan Diana, Harry Gordon, Jay Wholley and Gene Heinstein.
ABOUT THE DETROIT INSTITUTE OF ARTS
The DIA has been a beacon of culture for the Detroit area for well over a century. Founded in 1885, the museum was originally located on Jefferson Avenue, but, due to its rapidly expanding collection, moved to a larger site on Woodward Avenue in 1927. The new Beaux-Arts building, designed by Paul Cret, was immediately referred to as the “temple of art.” Two wings were added in the 1960s and 1970s, and a major renovation and expansion that began in 1999 was completed in 2007.
ABOUT BIRMINGHAM CITYSCAPES
In an ongoing effort to promote art in public spaces and enhance the downtown area, the Cultural Council of Birmingham/Bloomfield has reinstated its CityScapes program in collaboration with the Public Arts Board of the City of Birmingham. The program is managed under the terms of the existing Birmingham outdoor sculpture agreement between the City and the Cultural Council of Birmingham/Bloomfield for temporary installation of art on public property. The objective of the CityScapes program is to serve as a launching platform to educate the community on the value of art in public places and enhance the visual character of the community. By inserting the work of artists into City life, ideas can be encountered and explored on a daily basis.
ABOUT THE SAUVE ART FOUNDATION
A nonprofit 501(c)3 which sponsors public sculpture exhibits, film festivals, performances, and educational programs. It establishes close links to the local community and other cultural institutions and universities in the United States and abroad. Started by John Sauvé, the Sauvé Art Foundation provides artists from around the world an opportunity to develop and exhibit their work in a stimulating environment. The Sauvé Art Foundation internship program offers students from a variety of disciplines hands-on experience in project management. The Sauvé Art Foundation produces an annual newsletter, exhibit catalogs, books, short films, documentaries, concerts, readings, and art exhibitions celebrating the Sauvé Art Foundation’s rich history and vibrant present.
http://www.sauveartfoundation.org