Exhibition will be on display in City Hall through December 17, 2025

Mayor Kenson Siver and the Southfield Public Arts Commission will host Matter & Metaphor Resonates: Artist Exhibition and Opening Reception on Thursday, September 25 from 6-8 p.m., featuring 8 artists at the Southfield City Hall Main Lobby, 26000 Evergreen Road.  The event is free and open to the public.

The Exhibition will be on display in the main lobby of Southfield City Hall until December 17 featuring the artworks of Nina Ashraf,  M. Saffell Gardner, Cheryl Haithco, Micherlange Francois-Hemsley, Jonathan Kimble, Robert Shefman, Mark Schlussel and Dr. Rachelle Warren. The Opening Reception will feature an Artist Talk and Hors d’Oeuvres sponsored by CK Mediterranean Grill and Culvers in Southfield.  This exhibit is curated by the Southfield Public Arts Commission’s Exhibition Committee, SPAC Chair Delores Flagg and support from Southfield Cable 15 Producer/Director, Gary Watts.

“This special exhibition, featuring 8 uniquely diverse artists is something the Commission has envisioned to celebrate Southfield identity as a city rooted in creativity, culture and to promoting local artists,” stated Southfield Public Arts Commission Chairperson Delores Flagg. “We know that there are a lot of great artists in the city of Southfield and the metro area, and we are providing a unique public platform for them to showcase their work. We know the importance of showcasing art and artists. It a win-win situation for everyone.”

Art has been a big focus of Southfield over the past several years, and Mayor Ken Siver stated that the city has made great progress with its public art displays and new installations.  

All exhibited artworks are available for purchase, excluding those marked not for sale. 

Nina Ashraf

Website: https://www.ninacreativearts.com/

Nina Ashraf is an award-winning artist whose work centers on drawing as a means of exploring shared humanity and the deep interconnectedness between people. Originally from South Asia, Ashraf migrated to the United States 30 years ago and has since exhibited widely, including at the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit and the Detroit Historical Museum. Her honors include the 2021 Medal for Drawing at the Florence Biennale in Italy and a nomination for the Sovereign Asian Art Prize in 2022.

Ashraf’s practice is rooted in drawing from life, favoring the expressive potential of line—poetic, hesitant, confident, and wandering—over photographic reference. Her use of geometric symbols draws from Eastern philosophical traditions, evoking unity and spiritual connection. She works with traditional materials, embracing the tactile simplicity of chalk and tools used by artists for centuries, seeking both continuity and depth in her minimalist approach.

M. Saffell Gardner

Website: https://saffellart.com/

Wilson Sarkis is an American citizen who is part of the Chaldean Assyrian community in Detroit and has roots in the communities of Iraq. For 30 years, Sarkis has worked to make a name for himself in the photographic world, and all that experience is reflected at “Wilson Sarkis Photography and Cinematography.” His impeccable use of lighting has gained national attention, and he has been booked out for years in the metro Detroit area. His knowledge of the subject, posing, lighting, and focus all combine to create the most beautiful photographs. He has perfected his cinematography, creating trailers for engaged couples that follow naturally through to the wedding. Sarkis does commercial work as well. Corporate and nonprofit stories are brought to life with a specific style that stems from his creativity and imagery, capturing the brand’s essence. Sarkis has been slated to photograph Iraq for a future documentary. He is committed to making an impact in the future of photography and to helping the people in his homeland not only survive but thrive. The winner of the Plowshares Theatre Company Sankofa Arts Award, Calloway’s work has been featured in numerous solo and group exhibitions with such organizations as the Detroit Institute of Arts, Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, Arts Extended Gallery, Delta Sigma Theta, Liberal Arts Gallery, and National Conference of Artists Gallery. Calloway currently lives, creates, and exhibits at his home on W. Grand Blvd as part of the Irwin House Gallery arts estate.

Cheryl Haithco

Website: www.cherylhaithco.com

Cheryl Haithco, a Detroit native, discovered her passion for art as a child through early visits to the Detroit Institute of Arts and encouragement from her mother. Her acrylic paintings, inspired by nature, travel and human expression, are known for their vibrant color and emotional depth. She views her work as visual meditations—snapshots of everyday life that invite reflection and appreciation. After nearly two decades in nonprofit fundraising, she returned to painting in 2010 and committed to her craft full-time in 2016.

Haithco’s work has been featured in juried exhibitions including the Birmingham Our Town Art Show and Farmington Spring Art Exhibit, and displayed at venues such as the Charles H. Wright Museum, Detroit Historical Museum and ArtPrize in Grand Rapids. Haithco serves as gallery director and artist in residence at Blackbird Gallery in Farmington Hills, and is a member of several arts organizations including the Scarab Club and Detroit Fine Arts Breakfast Club. Her paintings have been acquired by institutions such as Henry Ford Health Systems and Blue Cross Blue Shield, and are held in private collections across the U.S. and Europe. She continues to support arts education and nonprofit causes, using her work to inspire youth and promote creative engagement throughout metro Detroit.

Micherlange Francois-Hemsley

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/micherlange_photography/

All exhibited artworks are available for purchase, excluding those marked not for sale. The Opening Reception is free and open to the public.
Micherlange Francois-Hemsley was born in Saint-Michel de l'Atalaye, Haiti and was adopted when she was 18 months old. Raised in Southern California, Hemsley grew up training in various dance styles including classical ballet. In 2019 she won a medal in photography in a regional NAACP ACT-SO competition for photos of dancers backstage before a performance. In 2021, Hemsleyworked with an UC Irvine research project covering the impact of COVID-19 on the AAPI community which was featured in the LA Times’ Daily Pilot. Her work has also been seen in The Haitian Round Table's art exhibit in 2022 and 2024, The Scarab Club's 2025 Annual Gilda Snowden Memorial exhibition, and is currently available on Double Dutch. In 2021, Hemsley was commissioned by The Oakland Community School Project to document community and former Black Panther Party members interacting in art, fellowship, and educational programming during the BPP's 55th anniversary events. As a result, her photography became the focus of the 2022 multimedia exhibition Art, Power, and Community: A Black Panther Party 55th Anniversary Retrospective. Hemsley is a recent graduate of University of Michigan's School of Information Masters program and resides in Downtown Detroit. She is also a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated.

Jonathan Kimble

Website: https://www.jonathankart.com/

Detroit native and BFA graduate of College for Creative Studies (2020), Jonathan Kimble is a fine artist, art collector, and mentor whose work demonstrates the chaotic yet harmonious complexities of the human soul. Kimble’s style can be characterized as expressive with fun shapes and mark-making through mixed media. Kimble has exhibited work in major notable galleries in metro Detroit area such as MOCAD (Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit), Detroit Historical Museum, Liberal Arts Gallery, and the Baltimore Gallery, and has been featured in multiple local art showcases, and auctions.

Robert Schefman

Website: www.robertschefman.com

Robert Schefman, a native of Detroit, has work in numerous private and public collections including The Broad Museum of Art, The Mint Museum of Art, The Detroit Institute of Arts, The Boca Raton Museum of Art, The 19th District Court, Dearborn; Ford Arts Center, Dearborn; Wayne State University, Detroit; The Cooley Law School, Lansing; The University of Iowa, and private collections in Detroit, New York City, Boca Raton, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. His work has been exhibited widely including exhibitions at The Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery, The Detroit Institute of Art, The Orlando Museum of Art, The Ackland Art Museum, The Fort Wayne Museum of Art, Midland Center for The Arts, The Krasl Art Center, Oakland University, Foley Square/ Federal Plaza, New York City, David Klein Gallery and Manifest Research Gallery.

Mark Schlussel

Website: www.markschlussel.com

Mark Schlussel is an abstract artist whose work is a combination of the cerebral and the emotional, delving into the world of color and texture over a quarter-century ago.  
 
Schlussel and his wife Rosie have lived in Southfield for over 50 years. He served as a member of the City Council 1972-73. In addition to his legal/business career Schlussel has served as president of the Jewish Federation of Detroit, as the vice chairman of the Detroit Medical Center and as a board member and chairman of Oakland University.
 
Early in his art career, Schlussel worked exclusively in pencil, developing drawings in the abstract. Those drawings were a reflection of his thoughts. As Schlussel’s creative endeavors moved from pencils to acrylics and from paper to canvas, his work began to present more evidence of both the emotion of the heart and the discipline of the brain. Over these past 25 years, Schlussel evolved and has developed a unique style that expresses the power of emotion through his use of texture, shape, and color. Schlussel loves to use the power of color, or in many instances, the absence of it, to express his inner soul in his works. A group of Schlussel’s paintings are presently exhibited at the Oakland Center of Oakland University and at the Jewish family service building in West Bloomfield Michigan. In addition, a number of his works are in private collections.
 
Each of his works speaks differently to the observer allowing the viewer to experience the painting from his or her own unique life experience. The vitality of each piece is that as the observer grows in their life experience; interpretation and meaning of the painting will grow with them.

Rachelle Warren

Website: https://thewwandag.wixsite.com/my-site-1/gallery

Dr. Rachelle Warren is a Michigan-based educator, visual artist and writer whose work explores the intersection of art, literature and abstract themes such as faith, love and nature. A lifelong creator, Warren began drawing and painting as a child and later expanded her practice to include writing and graphic art. Her mixed-media pieces often incorporate charcoal, oil and watercolor, and reflect a deep commitment to cultural enrichment and creative expression. Through her gallery exhibits and educational outreach, she aims to inspire audiences to consider the powerful connections between visual storytelling and literary narrative.

Warren’s recent series, “Sketching the Sculptures and More,” was inspired by her students’ curiosity about Renaissance artists, particularly Michelangelo. The project features pencil sketches enhanced with digital color, including interpretations of iconic works such as David and Pieta. By reimagining these masterpieces, Warren hopes to make classical art more accessible and engaging for younger generations. She continues to produce and exhibit her work while encouraging others to explore the possibilities of combining visual and literary arts.