'Faces Of Music’ Exhibition Spotlights Up-And-Coming Artist

FERNDALE, MI — Detroit muralist Desiree Kelly will hold her first solo exhibit called “The Faces Of Music” at the Atom Art Gallery in Ferndale. The exhibition will run 6-9 p.m. May 5, showcasing artworks in Kelly’s distinct urban styles of portraits created with oil paints, spray paints and collage on canvas.

Kelly’s work can be seen and appreciated all over metro Detroit already. Some of her pieces can be found in permanent and temporary public collections including at the Coleman A. Young Municipal Building in downtown Detroit (the 11th Floor the office of Mayor Mike Duggan), Farmington Hills City Hall, Dpop, Kuzzo's Chicken and Waffles restaurant on the Detroit Avenue of Fashion, the Royal Oak VFW Building, as murals painted on the side of two buses for Detroit Bus Company, and inside the Spain Middle School Gymnasium - commissioned by talk show host Ellen DeGeneres.

“I am so excited to be given the opportunity to have my first solo exhibition at Atom Art Gallery. This is really a dream come true for me. I’ve been a professional artist for more than 15 years now, and to finally get a chance to curate my first solo exhibition is something I will never forget,” she said.

Kelly earned her B.F.A from Wayne State University, studying graphic design and was introduced to oil painting there. Her love of portraiture was inspired by the neighborhood where she grew up on Beal Street on Detroit’s eastside, she said. She then developed her style and passion for urban portraits.

Her art works have been exhibited at several galleries in metro Detroit including, Red Bull House of Art (Eastern Market), Inner State Gallery, Ann Arbor Art Center, Scarab Club, and Crooked Tree & Contemporary Art Institute of Detroit. Her work has been featured at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American Art, and was awarded a residency for 5th cycle of Red Bull House of Art in 2013. In addition to gallery showings, her art works can be see in public space along Detroit’s Grand River Creative Corridor and mural works for sneaker shoes conglomerate Converse.

“Last October I was part of a group showing at Atom Art Gallery, and when the gallery owner approached me, and offered me an opportunity to have a solo show, I was blown away,” she said. “ Up until this point, I had not considered ever doing a solo show – however, I did get a chance showcase my art at a cool location at last year’s Art Basel in Miami Beach. Since then, I have been really fortunate because my art works are in demand. Now, I am just grinding, painting and working hard coming up with ideas and the theme for my solo show – a collection of iconic music figures.”

For more information on Kelly’s solo exhibition “The Faces of Music,” please visit online at DesireKelly.com or call Atom Art Gallery at (248) 677-6740. Atom Art Gallery is located at 522 East 9 Mile Rd., in Ferndale.

Photos courtesy David Rudolph

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