Posts tagged gabriela baginski
Bright Ideas: Creating Art with Sunlight!

These past couple weeks Open Studio at Inside Southwest Detroit has been led by Gabriela Baginski who welcomed youth participants aged 4 to 16 for a hands-on exploration of art and nature.

Through the use of sunlight, plants, and a bit of chemistry, the young artists created their own lumen prints and cyanotypes, turning everyday objects into beautiful compositions.

The process is captivating: everyday objects like leaves and salt transform into beautiful compositions, all guided by the sun. But this workshop isn't just about the final product—it's about the joy of experimentation and the creative journey.

How do you make art from sunlight? Gabriela encourages the youth to find out for themselves. “The sun is taking the picture for you,” she explains, as participants arrange plants and other items for their prints.

As they explore the world around them, their confidence grows, connecting art to nature and unlocking their potential in the process.

Throughout the workshop, mistakes become part of the process, and each unique creation is celebrated. Whether they’re painting cyanotype liquid or blowing bubbles for texture, the young artists discover that there’s no one right way to create—only infinite possibilities.

As a bonus, the students are learning about composition and artistic decision-making in an intuitive, playful way—gently preparing them for more complex darkroom techniques without feeling like they’re in a classroom.

As they explore the world around them, their confidence grows, connecting art to nature and unlocking their potential in the process.

We Made A Zine Together!

The project, a special limited edition run of The Southwest Detroiter featuring Zoë Villegas’s ‘Standing In The Shadows of Love’ with photographs by Erik Paul Howard, was hand-assembled during Gabriela Baginski’s weekly Photo Arts sessions at La Sirena Studio on The Alley Project.

She led the group through a series of hands-on book making lessons.

More than a dozen hands helped put it all together over several weeks—measuring, sewing, and learning how to make books along the way in a community setting.

And now they’re done. The limited edition of 25 zines will be made available to the public and proceeds support youth and community development through the arts as well as your local artists.

Pop Up Community Portrait Studio

Gabriela Baginski facilitated portrait sessions together with mentee Pedro Aguilera at Detroit Southwest Pride’s annual Southwest Detroit Community Christmas Party at Grace In Action this year.

Each family photographed received prints of their portraits on the spot to commemorate the holiday and the spirit of giving—part of the tradition of how the annual event comes together each year, with partners sharing their talents and creativity.

The collaborative portrait session was done as part of her Porch On TAP artist residency in a temporary studio they built the morning of the party.

The Annual Southwest Detroit Community Christmas Party

Each year Detroit Southwest Pride goes hard for community. The holidays, especially, provide a unique opportunity to impact the community through individuals and families. And their annual Christmas party is no exception.

This year’s Southwest Detroit Community Christmas Party, held at Grace In Action on Lawndale, saw more than 100 attendees of all ages show up to celebrate the season and one another with music, food, and a variety of gifts for the community, from the community.

Neighbors and organizations nominate families to participate and, if they accept, each has opportunities to participate, giving and receiving in ways that meets each where they are. A collection of organizations, neighbors, and local artists willing to share hands, heads, and hearts get it all done… together.

DJ Skipz and two young DJ’s he mentors in weekly sessions provided the soundtrack for the party. Other youth in attendance were inspired by what they saw and brought questions about craft along with their requests. Skipz took the opportunity to inspire the next generation showing them around the board while spinning their songs.

Families enjoyed a meal from El Nacimento on Vernor as they received toys, clothes, groceries, gift cards, family portraits, and other items they self-identified as needing this holiday season. Stitching Up Detroit printed shirts on the spot featuring local artwork.

Gabriela Baginski facilitated portrait sessions together with mentee Pedro Aguilera as part of her Porch On TAP artist residency in a temporary studio they built the morning of the party. Each family received prints of their portraits on the spot to commemorate the holiday and the spirit of giving with their talents and creativity.