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