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Waxing Detroit
Among the plethora of imaginative, resourceful, artistically creative people, one might be somewhat surprised to stumble across Carl Allison’s studio space in the Russell Industrial Center — but then again, perhaps not. Allison’s art is not just of the visual variety … but also of the olfactory. Walking in to the home of Motor City Candleworks is a pleasant experience — Allison, much like the beautiful candles he creates, is warm and inviting, but also carries a certain spark … a spark that was ignited by a passion he stumbled upon a few years back.
“I started off [making candles] in my apartment — I just sorta had this idea," said Allison. "See, I started making them one night after I was burning a cheap candle and I turned around an hour later and it was just a puddle of wax and I thought, 'well that’s simple, there must be a way to put it back together and burn it all over again — I mean, it’s just wax and string.'”
The labor that Allison puts into each and every candle is definitely one of love, but not just a love for the craft — the city also inspires him. “My candles are all named for something that’s Detroit,” Allison said while we perused the assortment. “I have the Cup of Joe Campau, Henry Model Tea, Renaissance Scenter and Bayberry Gordy — they also come with a 300-word history that tells you who or what it’s named for, like the Bayberry Gordy tells the story of Berry Gordy and Motown and why he is important.”
Art you can use — history you should know. What a cool duo, eh? Carl Allison’s Motor City Candleworks is quite unique — exemplary of the Russell as well as the city we love.
Looking for some new candles … or perhaps the perfect gift for Detroiters or out-of-towners?
Not anymore. | RDW
More info or purchases: motorcitycandleworks.com or visit Bonnie’s in the CompuWare Building and online. Half of the proceeds from online sales go to non-profit charities.
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