Arts & Entertainment

'The Best Art Show in the Michigan Area'

Orchard Lake Fine Art show celebrates 10th birthday with awards and benefits.

For the 10th consecutive year in the Greater West Bloomfield area, the united artists from various areas and different mediums this past weekend.

More than 160 artists were selected to participate in the juried show — painters, sculptors, potters, jewelry and clothing designers, and other artists came from around the globe — as well as from around Metro Detroit.

Fenton native Sally J. Bright was arguably the biggest winner of the weekend, coming away with the Best in Show award in her first try as an exhibitor. Bright, who produces contemporary sculptures using traditional basket-weaving materials as palm and rattan, joked that she could hardly believe she had won.

Find out what's happening in West Bloomfieldwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"I was like, 'Really? Me?'" laughed Bright, whose work can be found at sallyjbright.com. "It's exciting. I've done shows all over the country and it's wonderful to know that one that I like so much is so close. The artists here are spectacular and the show gets better each year."

West Bloomfield native David Frank said that he was thrilled to receive an award of excellence, but perhaps even more glad to be among friends and family in his hometown. Frank, now living in Livingston, N.J., explained that the setting means the world to him, both in exhibition and in practicing his art of photography.

Find out what's happening in West Bloomfieldwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"I'm proud to be in this group," said Frank, who had been in the show for two years previous to this year. "You always want to feel like you're in an appropriate setting."

"I take pictures wherever I can ... there are beautiful things all around us. A lot of people seem to think you should go to somewhere famously beautiful to take photos, but I have developed my eye."

Many of the artists expressed appreciation for hotworks.org, the events company which hosts the Orchard Lake show in addition to shows in Indiana, Florida, and North Carolina. As such, many artists brought themes of the Southeast United States in their art.

Jeweler Kristin Holeman was one such artist, a Fort Lauderdale native who touted bracelets made from an oak tree right outside of her studio. Holeman, also a first-year artist in Orchard Lake, won an award of excellence for her effort.

"It's excellent, I'm honored. It seems like the best art show in the Michigan area," Holeman said.

The Chadwick Group’s Youth Art Competition, designed for children to display an original piece of art for the weekend, awarded students Briana Powe of Belleville, Natasha Rose Roth of Wixom, and Elyssa Daguanno of Northville with awards. student Veronica Liu took the top prize by utilizing drawing and mixed media.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

More from West Bloomfield