Whitdel Arts galley in Southwest Detroit wanted to kick off its season on a strong note, so it stayed close to home. “We wanted to pay homage to our arts community,” “Detroit Artists Feature” co-curator JenClare Gawaran said, adding, “There were so many high hopes for our season last year, and I think a lot of people are looking to the season this year, so we didn’t want to disappoint.” Gawaran continued to explain that she and the other curators, Lisa Krug and Lauren Montgomery, “handpicked artists that had given a significant contribution to the arts community in metro-Detroit and Detroit. We wanted to promote the gallery and the vast range of work that you can see in the city and in the suburbs, too.” If you didn’t make it to “Detroit Artists Feature,” you missed both established and emerging artists, like Zimmerwoman, Gilda Snowden and Juicy Jacapo. One of the more striking pieces in the show, which recently closed on Sept. 1, was the mysterious “Search and Deploy” by That Evil Mess. The inflated, plastic bubble interrupted the otherwise tidy gallery space and was filled with various objects that one might see at a children’s sleepover, maybe a pretend stakeout. Another work that exuded fun though tackling a serious topic was “Midwest Murder — Process of Production” by Jacapo. It had a fresh hand-drawn illustration style that made my heart melt. It was also nice to see artists Zimmerwoman and Eric Mesko re-envision the more traditional process of printmaking and image appropriation with digital imaging and a dash of humor.

Whitdel Arts is a division of the Contemporary Art Institute of Detroit (CAID) and a professional exhibition space located in Southwest Detroit. It hopes to engage the community through local and international artists. Whitdel Arts is located at 1250 Hubbard St., Suite B1, Detroit. 1250 Hubbard, indicates the entrance to the studio space.

“Detroit Artists Feature” closed on Sept. 1, however, its next show,  the 2011 “Actual Size Biennial” opens on Sept. 10 and runs though Oct. 30, 2011. An opening reception will be held on Sept. 10, from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Please visit its website for more information.