Professional Artist looking into Detroit

**JosephMagnano** · July-30-15, 07:43 AM

Hello,

This is a long shot, but I am a professional Artist with a business development background. I am currently residing in Texas...doing commissions, public murals and showing Art at various Art fairs, as well expanding into community based projects.

I'm looking to explore moving to Detroit. I know maybe but two people there and other than that I don't know the extent of opportunity, living, etc... Is Detroit the spot. Is it a place looking for good, hardworking people to be a part of its new growth?

I am looking for something a bit different in life these days. Community oriented, collective growing, creative thinking...looking to apply, expand on all my experience and fully emerge myself within an environment on a longterm basis and give my understanding of Arts and life. Its really all about love.

If anyone out there feels like connecting, please reach out. My skills are in Art, business development, art sales, art supply sales, store set-up, merchandising, food and beverage sales, culinary.

For hobbies I enjoy gardening, cooking, making electronic music, working in other mediums besides paint.
Attachment 27591

Its beautiful to be doing Art. So whats up Detroit.

**warsaw7** · July-30-15, 11:03 AM

Originally Posted by JosephMagnano

Hello,

This is a long shot, but I am a professional Artist with a business development background. I am currently residing in Texas...doing commissions, public murals and showing Art at various Art fairs, as well expanding into community based projects.

I'm looking to explore moving to Detroit. I know maybe but two people there and other than that I don't know the extent of opportunity, living, etc... Is Detroit the spot. Is it a place looking for good, hardworking people to be a part of its new growth?

I am looking for something a bit different in life these days. Community oriented, collective growing, creative thinking...looking to apply, expand on all my experience and fully emerge myself within an environment on a longterm basis and give my understanding of Arts and life. Its really all about love.

If anyone out there feels like connecting, please reach out. My skills are in Art, business development, art sales, art supply sales, store set-up, merchandising, food and beverage sales, culinary.

For hobbies I enjoy gardening, cooking, making electronic music, working in other mediums besides paint.
Attachment 27591

Its beautiful to be doing Art. So whats up Detroit.

http://glasstire.com/2014/03/22/an-o...-marfa-vandal/

I like you already.

**JosephMagnano** · July-30-15, 12:06 PM

Ha! Thanks I am glad you found that. lol. Dont judge me now. I swear I'm a good person.

**warsaw7** · July-30-15, 12:33 PM

It's like I always said, only a judge can judge me.

**JosephMagnano** · July-30-15, 12:43 PM

Even that's not fun though, because he works for the law, but they can be flexible...and something I learned the hard way...Laws these days are not meant to be re-interpreted even though laws themself are abstract, some proven to work, and then I had to accept the cold truth from my attorneys mouth "We live in a world of concrete in steel." I still don't accept that as truth though, but I dealt with the consequences like a man. [[what ever that means)

**warsaw7** · July-30-15, 01:46 PM

Originally Posted by JosephMagnano

Even that's not fun though, because he works for the law, but they can be flexible...and something I learned the hard way...Laws these days are not meant to be re-interpreted even though laws themself are abstract, some proven to work, and then I had to accept the cold truth from my attorneys mouth "We live in a world of concrete in steel." I still don't accept that as truth though, but I dealt with the consequences like a man. [[what ever that means)

Word, word.

**1953** · July-30-15, 02:17 PM

We are down more than a million people in the past six decades; welcome my friend, and bring anyone you can on your way to the Motor City!

1953

**Jason** · July-30-15, 03:29 PM

Detroit doesn't want you and I don't think there are any cities that would, although that doesn't stop you from moving anyway. imo stay in Texas where you at least know people [[unless you've been excommunicated). Sorry but what you did is a deal breaker for most people. :/

**JosephMagnano** · July-30-15, 03:39 PM

1953...Yeah, I am doing my research to see whats good in Detroit. Jason, Detroit is going to be the next spot for a public project. Keep yours eye out!!! Lol though, I am glad that you know what most people want...Knowing that you have that knowledge, I'll pay for your consultation... you could make a lot of money! lol Stay tough.

**DetroiterOnTheWestCoast** · July-30-15, 06:52 PM

Originally Posted by Jason

Detroit doesn't want you and I don't think there are any cities that would, although that doesn't stop you from moving anyway. imo stay in Texas where you at least know people [[unless you've been excommunicated). Sorry but what you did is a deal breaker for most people. :/

Interesting; I guess you've heard from "most people"?

**JosephMagnano** · July-30-15, 07:31 PM

I don't ask, i just do. But in this particular situation on this thread, I'm asking about how Detroit is. Is it a city that is open to revolutionary and creative thinkers, or is it caught in nostalgia, banking on the ways of the past to give direction. We all find our way in life, and what i did was an noble act of virtues. I can't convince you of that. You have to understand it.

**gvidas** · July-30-15, 08:26 PM

Eh.

Detroit is especially hard to window-shop from a distance. A lot of what you see about Detroit online is bluster and bullshit. This website is relatively down to earth, but there's still a lot of lips flapping in the breeze. As soon as you're looking for a studio/apartment/house, feet on the ground become extremely important.

In terms of people, my experience here has been about the same as everywhere else I've lived -- people are mostly great, with a few assholes sprinkled in. The ratio that you experience has a lot to do with how you live. Assholes tend to find other assholes.

Find a 1-3 week airbnb or a bed at the hostel and see for yourself.

**JosephMagnano** · July-30-15, 09:09 PM

Originally Posted by gvidas

Eh.

Detroit is especially hard to window-shop from a distance. A lot of what you see about Detroit online is bluster and bullshit. This website is relatively down to earth, but there's still a lot of lips flapping in the breeze. As soon as you're looking for a studio/apartment/house, feet on the ground become extremely important.

In terms of people, my experience here has been about the same as everywhere else I've lived -- people are mostly great, with a few assholes sprinkled in. The ratio that you experience has a lot to do with how you live. Assholes tend to find other assholes.

Find a 1-3 week airbnb or a bed at the hostel and see for yourself.

Yeah, I figure. Window shopping from a distance is joke. I totally get where your coming from, I'm getting skewed by media and what not. Its just such a big place, I don't even know where to start. I prefer no to attract assholes. Just cool folks, doing their things and keeping it hot.

**gvidas** · July-30-15, 09:39 PM

Right. Which is why I suggest you spend several weeks just soaking it in. Most people that I've watched visit [[more so a few years ago, but I think it's still true) spend the first week in culture shock.

http://artdetroitnow.com/ is fairly comprehensive in terms of art openings etc.

I'd say try for 3 weekends encompassing the third thursday of the month. Don't try to visit between october and march, you'll find the whole city is hibernating [[very few public events.)

Rent a bike. Spend any evenings that you can't find an art event at dive bars in the cass corridor or corktown [[presuming you'll end up staying at a midtown/corktown airbnb or the hostel.) Make a point of getting coffee or a meal in the outer reaches of the city [[old redford, jefferson chalmers, etc).

If you can't afford to drop a few thousand on a 2-3 week research trip [[and still plan on spending 3-6 months unemployed), then you may as well just move here [[or not.) Plan on the first apartment sucking, and don't commit to a studio sight unseen or without seriously researching how expensive it's going to be to keep your Texan ass from freezing.

I still think most of this applies to moving to any new city.

**123456789** · July-31-15, 01:36 AM

I don't know why but I wasted some time googling your "work." Looks like your claim to fame is getting fined ten grand for spray painting someone else's "art" lol. What exactly qualifies as a professional artist? I'm sure you're just some dude living in fantasy land. Whether it's in Detroit or elsewhere is probably irrelevant.

**old guy** · July-31-15, 03:48 AM

Originally Posted by JosephMagnano

I don't ask, i just do. But in this particular situation on this thread, I'm asking about how Detroit is.

Huh. I do but I don't except sometimes, in certain situations when it serves my purpose. May I utilize you Detroit.

**southen** · July-31-15, 07:01 AM

http://www.dazeddigital.com/artsandc...alism-arrested

If your goal is as stated in the piece at least execute it well. Just a stunt for attention. I hope if you come to Detroit you decide to stand on the merits of your own work and not the work of others that you decide to deface. That isn't art.

**tycobb9999** · July-31-15, 07:20 AM

Ah, 123456789 and Old Guy, you are being to hard on the poor little misunderstood fella. It was "an noble act of virtues". Just ask him.

Fined 10,000; LMAO. "Professional" means you actually get PAID to do something, not PAY to do it...

A criminal who likes to vandalize property and calls himself a "professional artist" asks if Detroit wants him. That's like Bernie Madoff asking if Detroit would like another "professional financial advisor".

Texas doesn't want him either.

**JosephMagnano** · July-31-15, 07:46 AM

Originally Posted by gvidas

Right. Which is why I suggest you spend several weeks just soaking it in. Most people that I've watched visit [[more so a few years ago, but I think it's still true) spend the first week in culture shock.

http://artdetroitnow.com/ is fairly comprehensive in terms of art openings etc.

I'd say try for 3 weekends encompassing the third thursday of the month. Don't try to visit between october and march, you'll find the whole city is hibernating [[very few public events.)

Rent a bike. Spend any evenings that you can't find an art event at dive bars in the cass corridor or corktown [[presuming you'll end up staying at a midtown/corktown airbnb or the hostel.) Make a point of getting coffee or a meal in the outer reaches of the city [[old redford, jefferson chalmers, etc).

If you can't afford to drop a few thousand on a 2-3 week research trip [[and still plan on spending 3-6 months unemployed), then you may as well just move here [[or not.) Plan on the first apartment sucking, and don't commit to a studio sight unseen or without seriously researching how expensive it's going to be to keep your Texan ass from freezing.

I still think most of this applies to moving to any new city.

Yeah, thanks for all this info and some parts of the towns names. I was up in Detroit this past February. Came up wearing jeans, uggs and a flannel, lol. I was up visiting my fiancee and her parents in the middle of Michigan. It was definitely freezing. So whats everyone do when the weather gets freezing?

**JosephMagnano** · July-31-15, 08:03 AM

For the rest of you, piecing together your assumptions and judgements, thanks for your feedback. I actually do quite well in Texas for the gentleman thinking otherwise. And paying for what I did was a small price to pay. I am happy to gotten y'alls attention and bringing some spark to your life, and something for you to bitch about. Interesting to think how things could have changed in responses if I didn't use my real name as my user name. But equally in doing so, I am able to evaluate the types of humans that source this forum..and it makes me think..do people like you represent the bulk of Detroit. I would never judge a city by a few ignorant souls. Its quite common with the internet, for people to be outspoken over issues they have no understanding of, or giving their opinion as to what is Art.
And everyday you guys/gals that criticize, you behave like a disgruntled blindsman, but the sad fact is that all you I'm sure have to wake up each morning and look at yourselves in the mirror. That's the person you should be criticizing.

I don't need to move to Detroit, I don't need to move anywhere. I never have to show, do art or be a part of Detroit in anyway. I'm a human caught up in the sensation that the media gives of Detroit...and it seems like an interesting place to buy a cheap home, do what I love, meet the new pioneers of life and see whats good. And hitting this thread was a candid way of going about finding out more. So thank you all for your feedback.

**Jason** · July-31-15, 12:19 PM

This just in: A mystery Professional Artist™ has painted Rivera Diego's Detroit Industry mural blue and has glued hundreds of iPhones to it, as a statement about the complex dichotomies between capitalist multinational corporations, mass consumption, communist production, exploitation, systems of control, and the blurring of these roles as Chinese consumer markets political system evolves.

In an open letter, the very important artist wrote, "what I did was a noble act of virtues. I can't convince you of that. You have to understand it." After being ran out of town, the artist who doesn't need to do art stated, "Detroit is too caught up in nostalgia for a revolutionary and creative thinker such as myself. I wanted to immerse myself in the community and use my business development background to grow the city by being a pioneer. It's all about love. Since they didn't embrace my greatness they're clearly not capable of love. They're the ones who have to live with that."

If you and your fiance want to live near her family [[it sounds like this is really what it's about [[and there's nothing wrong with that)) then move to Detroit. Detroit is one of the more exciting cities for art, and it's a major city that is nearby a few other major cities. I honestly think that no matter where you go, you're not going to get very deep into the art community once people learn about your past work. Since that factor is the same for all cities, it doesn't affect your decision. Don't count on saving money, the cost of living in Michigan is actually higher than in Texas, and the desirable areas of the city tend to be expensive, so if something is cheap then there's something bad about it that's making it cheap. For people with the qualities and goals that you described [[not pretentious narcissists) I do think that Detroit can be a good choice.

**downtownguy** · July-31-15, 12:44 PM

Perhaps you should compare notes with Shepard Fairey before you decide to move here...

**gazhekwe** · July-31-15, 12:45 PM

A Detroit business hired famed tag artist to do a full mural on a building. While here he tagged a number of other sites without permission. Guess what happened to him?m It's too bad, but I guess the powers that be don't like renegades.

http://www.detroitnews.com/story/new...irey/29241767/

**JosephMagnano** · July-31-15, 04:42 PM

Originally Posted by downtownguy

Perhaps you should compare notes with Shepard Fairey before you decide to move here...

I actually have taken those recent events into consideration.

**JosephMagnano** · July-31-15, 04:47 PM

Your interpretation is very fanatical. I love how you walk in my shoes. Lol. Thanks for taking the time to develop such a highly creative story, as to why, what, how, where...and why I even want to move to Detroit.