Net proceeds from art purchases and beverage sales will benefit the New Center Council, Inc., producers of the annual Comerica CityFest.

FEATURED ARTISTS

Maurice Greenia
known for his murals at the now demolished Hudson’s department store in downtown Detroit.  His paintings and performances, he plays in a few bands and also performs puppet shows, are surreal and upbeat often bringing a smile to the viewers of his work.

Carl Oxley III
a painter whose childlike paintings of animals are humorous and bright.

Tracee Miller
a local singer and musician in the American gothic country group Blanche.  Her paintings depict a lyrical and quiet world nostalgic of a time past. 

Lucila Caro
a graduate student at Cranbrook Academy of Arts whose energetic pieces often use psychedelic imagery of animals and women.

Nina Friday
a self taught artist from St. Petersburg Russia whose inspiration comes from film noir, depression era photographs and images from her subconscious.  Her subjects always have wide brooding eyes and a dark quality overall.

Taurus Burns
a graduate of the center for creative studies and has mastered the art of painting urban street scenes. 

Josh Band
a popular Detroit photographer whose work has appeared in Spin Magazine, Real Detroit, Ambassador Magazine, Hour Magazine and other publications.  He has shot various bands such as The Go and The Silent Years.

Gwen Joy
a painter who often paints women and uses her one of a kind toys, these are called joytoys as subject matter. Her work paints an alternate reality beaming with moxy usually a fun one too.

Shay Spaniola
currently an Art and Design student at the University of Michigan concentrating on painting and photography.  Her abstract paintings involve organic shapes and use an earth tone palette.  She will also be showing woodcut prints of Detroit and photojournalistic work from her travels in Africa.

Kelsey Shultis
a rising artist currently studying at the University of Michigan’s School of Art and Design.  Shultis’ work, although mainly figurative, extends far beyond the human form to access inexplicable relationships between shape and color.

Michael Segal
an artist whose influences range from popular culture to cartoon imagery like Hanna-Barbara.  He is well known for his blunt and clever drawings and paintings.

Elise Mesner
a local artist who creates very detailed orientated paintings and drawings. Her eco-friendly textiles are adventurous in their scale and colors.

Chris Kro
a rock poster artist who also designed the Comerica Cityfest 2008 poster.

The Motor City Am Jam will take place Friday, July 4 – Sunday, July 6 in the Fisher Building parking lot at the corner of West Grand Boulevard and Third Avenue.

The Motor City Am Jam schedule includes practice sessions and demonstrations on July 4, a skateboarding competition on July 5 and an in-line skating and BMX bike competition on July 6. There will be “mini ramp” and “street” competitions for each sport, each day.  Contestant will be placed in beginner, intermediate and advanced categories and can register for $10 per contest on www.modernskate.com. To compete, contestants must be 6 years of age or older. The top two winners in each category will receive prizes and be invited to the finals taking place this September at the new Modern Skate Park in Royal Oak. 

Top Midwest pros on hand will include pro skateboarder, Garold Vallie, star of ‘Underground Vallie’, a new cable TV show, as well as top BMX and Inline pros.