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A new community arts space is getting ready to bloom in Ypsilanti.
Spearheaded by local artists Amanda Moore and Alexandria Daniels, Ypsi Bloom Studio & Gallery has a grand opening set for May 3 with open studio hours, a gallery shop, exhibitions, events, workshops, and other arts programming.
The two artists met in 2022 at the Ann Arbor Artisans Market and soon clicked over mutual interests.
“We related a lot on wanting to create something that gave people the space to not only be creative but if they wanted to make it a career, how do you do that? Where do you go for resources? Who do you connect with?” Daniels says. “Some people don’t take the arts seriously all the time as a career path that’s sustainable and so we just kinda wanna be the pillar to help people find that path if they wanna take it there.”
Daniels has made jewelry out of polymer clay since 2020 and is now a full-time career artist, recently leaving the tech industry to sell her work at boutiques and retail shops across the state. Moore started printmaking around 2019, later leaving her job as a Spanish teacher to focus more on her art, and also working at Ypsi’s Cafe Liv.
Both artists had the desire to open a space but didn’t know exactly what or how. Recently, the opportunity presented itself when the building at 128. Michigan Ave. became available for lease. Now, Moore and Daniels are combining their skills, resources, and visions to serve the community and nurture other creative people.
Courtesy photo
Amanda Moore (left) and Alexandria Daniels (right) are opening Ypsi Bloom Studio & Gallery.
“We’re both self-taught, established, motivated artists, so that’s a different approach,” Daniels says. “If you don’t have that on-the-ground, in-the-field knowledge, you can miss a lot of spots of what the industry requires. Because we do have that ‘insider’ perspective, I think we understand how to connect artists, we know what they need, we know what they want, and we’re literally their friends. We’re gonna make this not only something for us to live our dreams but we want to see you live your dreams. I think being approachable and relatable is something that we have that’s unique to us… I think we have a different flair.”
In addition to a rotating gallery and a shop showcasing local artists’ works, Ypsi Bloom will feature open studio hours, fostering collaboration and inspiration among artists in a way that’s more affordable than a traditional co-working space, yet more intentional than working at a coffee shop or at home.
“People who want to connect with other creatives sometimes just need a landing space to meet those other creatives and then collaborate,” Daniels says. “A lot of good things happen from collaboration.”
The studio will offer printmaking and jewelry-making supplies initially, with plans to expand to other art forms in the future. Membership opportunities will vary based on individual needs, providing both workspace and access to equipment.
“I don’t know anywhere that’s a studio that’s affordable that you can go and work,” Moore says. “Having the resources that you need to be able to create your work to then sell is super helpful.”
Furthermore, the studio aims to facilitate skill-sharing through workshops taught by local artists, and even plans to teach artists who may be afraid of teaching their craft how to run a workshop. “We think it’s a good opportunity for artists to make money, teaching can be a very good way to keep yourself going as an artist because shows aren’t always, so it’s nice to have something else,” Daniels says.
The name “Bloom” represents Moore’s and Daniels’s journies with their own art. “I love flowers and growth and also resilience,” Moore says. “It takes a lot to bloom… it’s the idea of community being able to grow together.”
“I think for a long time we both faced our own individual trials and tribulations,” Daniels adds. “Before a flower blooms, you’re covered in dirt, you’re in the trenches, you gotta push up, and I think we’re finally at that point where everything is gonna bloom.”
Looking forward, the owners don’t just want to grow individually but want to help the entire Ypsilanti community bloom too, hoping to collaborate with local artists and small businesses. The new space wants to get most of its supplies from Ypsi Art Supply and plans to send anyone who comes into the space to check out other spots in the area. Other potential collaborations in Ypsilanti include Riverside Arts Center, 2 West, Embracing Our Differences, and local schools, with hopes to donate art supplies to students and teachers.
“The arts can be looked at last, but art is healing, it’s passion, it’s comfort, it’s an outlet, it should be lifted up higher than it is,” Daniels says. “Children deserve creation and teachers need support.”
For now, the owners are focusing on building their memberships and getting the word out about their mission, while working to create a business that is sustainable and realistic for the community. In the long term, their dreams are much bigger, with hopes to hold retreats and host residences.
“We want people to know that we’re extremely dedicated and passionate,” Daniels says. “We are ready to grind and do all that we can, it’s something that we’re both very aligned about so we’re just excited to give back however we can and hopefully people will join us in the journey.”
On April 5, Bloom hosted its inaugural exhibition with tons of local artwork on the walls for sale. The event, which also served as a fundraiser, had great attendance and showed the community’s excitement for the space to fully launch.
Ypsi Bloom Studio & Gallery currently is running a GoFundMe crowdfunding campaign to raise money to secure the building for as long as possible, plus get insurance, security, supplies, and more.
More information and updates are available on Ypsi Bloom Studio & Gallery’s Instagram page, @ypsi.bloom.studio.
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Layla McMurtrie
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