JUNE 20 • 2024 | 59

Caitlin Cartwright, 
Soul Studio community 
projects coordinator, invites 
visitors to experience the 
completed displays. Some 
of the participants observe 
Judaism as practiced by 
the Friendship Circle 
administration, and others 
are observant of different 
faiths.
Mack-o Matlen, 36, a 
Soul artist, does not have 
her name on a beach 
scene displayed in the 
current exhibit, but she did 
participate in developing 
an artwork completed by 
another student. 
“Found objects attracted 
me to art, and I made a lamp 
that includes a seashell,” 
Matlen said. “For my home, 
I made a Statue of Liberty 
sculpture that has a big head.
“At the Soul Studio, I like 
making friends and joking 
around.”

Matlen, who has taken 
part in the annual Friendship 
Circle Walk4Friendship 
that raises money for the 
organization, has a part-time 
job sorting parts for Robot 
Garage in Birmingham. The 
organization specializes in 
LEGO robotics and game 
design classes in person and 
online.
Matlen divides her 
residences between two 
places, one with family 
and another living alone 
with some help from an 
administrative staff. 
Bree Reinke, 20, specializes 
in depicting singers and 
musicians in the works she 
completes. Like Matlen, she 
has shown what she has 
developed at the Birmingham 
Community House and the 
Detroit Institute of Arts.
“I didn’t do artwork before 
I came here two years ago,” 
Reinke said. “Because I have 
a lot of posters in my room, 
I haven’t placed my work 
there, but I’ve given works to 
my grandmother, who shows 
them in her home.”
Reinke thinks the Soul 
program offers great 
opportunities for people with 
special needs and appreciates 

being able to do what she 
wants as she works on her 
art. Her employment time is 
given to the Dakota Bakery.
“I love that Soul Studio is a 
place where artists can come 
and just have a safe, positive 
setting to learn art, develop 
community friendships and 
be free to shine as who they 
are,” Cartwright said.
Shemtov described Soul 
Studio as productive as well 
as social and therapeutic at 
the same time.
“We show the art 
pieces where we have our 

restaurant, and we also 
do quite a bit of outside 
exhibits,” Shemtov said. 
“More people are inviting 
us, and we have had items in 
quite a few shopping centers. 
We’ve had a full window 
display at Twelve Oaks Mall 
in Novi.
“We’re working on getting 
stronger online. That’s 
where one of our efforts 
is because the artwork has 
been elevated. Our next step 
on the plan is continuously 
getting the word out that this 
work is for sale.” 

Details

“Submerged” will be shown 
through the end of July at the 
Soul Studio, 5586 Drake, West 
Bloomfield. Free admission 
10 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday-Friday. 
gallery.friendshipcircle.org. or 
caitlin@friendshipcircle.org. 
Bassie 
Shemtov

Bree 
Reinke

Mack-o 
Matlen

