The Menacing Hue Returns
Nearly two years ago we turned to Kill Taupe (aka, Jason Driscoll) for a 2010 cover story devoted to the People's Arts Festival. He delivered – and also threw in a superb interview for good measure. KT and his equally talented colleague Matthew Ryan Sharp have now put together a visual TKO for LIFT Detroit called Purveyors of Firewater & Opiates, an exhibit that just might be the safest and healthiest synthetic hallucination around at present. We've been told by Jason himself that this joyful kaleidoscope on the walls will have "vagabond clowns, booze-chugging bears, Victorian drunkards, and other hedonistic folk." 6/16. LIFT is located at 228 W. 4th St. in RO.

Like Caterpillars They Are! And Some Are Even Cicadas!
We're indebted once again to Lisa Marie Krug for keeping Whitdel Arts on our radar screen. We're also pleased to announce that the WA has inaugurated an Emergence series of exhibits devoted to new Detroit artists. We checked out the first show featuring Tim Powers and are now eagerly anticipating those focusing on Tony Collias (6/15) and Hiroko Lancour (7/29). 1250 Hubbard and whitdelarts.com

Ray Bradbury RIP
"When we reach the city..."

These Pagliacci Are Not Vagabonds
An accomplished artist and an eclectic practitioner of both traditional and outre circus antics, Ringmaster Zeb is also adept at cracking the whip over the heads of his equally talented peers. On 6/15, the Hastings St. Ballroom will be the big top for The Clown Party!, a festive jamboree produced by Octopus Umbrella Circus. In addition to the official release of the Circus Music CD, the menu of mirth and magic includes (and THIS is just a note or two from the calliope!): The Starfish Fantastica, an epic aerial performance by our beloved Weird Sisters; contact juggling by Jade Ashekerra; unicycle wonders from Rufus the Dufus; a Punch & Judy play from Jamison Boudreau; dancing and sword-swallowing courtesy of Elissa the Broken Ballerina; a Hungry Caterpillar Parade; and best for last – a "clownoff" at midnight between Zeb and Satori Circus. $10 at the door. Located at 715 E. Milwaukee in Detroit.

Glass is Technically a Liquid? Nice!
Several of you who attended 15 Minutes of Flame at the Russell Industrial Center (by the way, thanks for not burning the place down) emailed us and inquired if there were any additional glass galas and events to enjoy. Well, now you can prepare for the impressive and ambitious Michigan Glass Project, a three-day celebration with glassblowers from across the country collaborating in the creation of aquatic-themed pieces to benefit the Belle Isle Aquarium. Everything kicks off on 6/14 with liquid refreshments and a pleasant Meet & Greet inside Foran's Grand Trunk Pub downtown. 6/15 marks Main Event Day 1 and will feature live music, great food, and live demonstrations of glassblowing – all taking place at 2431 Orleans in Detroit (note: $20 for weekend pass or $15 for the day). The Aquarium Reception on 6/17 will have live music by Frank Raines and Eastside Jon. More: michiganglassproject.com.

Let George Do It
An exhibit or retrospective devoted to the technical expertise associated with both architecture and design is always a rare and welcome delight for any student of art – especially since it puts a human face on created works that, although admired, seldom prompt a viewer to investigate their origins. George Nelson is almost universally regarded as one of the most influential talents of the twentieth century, and for decades his works were the aesthetic jewels at Herman Miller, a manufacturing firm based in Zeeland, Michigan. He was also an inspiring presence at the Cranbrook Academy of Art, where he succeeded in bringing many young talents to the commercial marketplace. No less importantly, Nelson was one of the principal figures in the Modernist approach – a style that dominated the design disciplines for years. This cumulative experience will be profiled at the Cranbrook Art Museum starting 6/16 with George Nelson: Architect / Writer / Designer / Teacher. This overview (which has already wowed audiences in Europe and at the Bellevue Art Museum in Seattle) includes almost everything from office furnishings to Nelson's then-revolutionary concept of a "storagewall" for the home. Warmly recommended. And a bonus! The Nelson review is complemented nicely by Vision and Interpretation: Building Cranbrook 1904-2012, a tribute to both George Booth and nearly a century of creative energy. More: cranbrook.edu. | RDW