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Drive through the Grand River Corridor in Detroit -- a collection of murals on abandoned buildings -- and you'll spot a funky mural of Abe Lincoln with multi-colored glasses and the words "Four Score."
It's the work of Desiree Kelly, a local artist known for her distinctive urban style of portraitures created with the use of oil paints and spray paints.
Now, the 28-year-old artist is getting special recognition for her work.
On May 5 from 6-9 p.m., the Atom Art Gallery at 522 East 9 Mile Rd. in Ferndale will host the opening for her first solo exhibition, “The Faces of Music.” It runs through May 31.
“I am so excited to be given the opportunity to have my first solo exhibition at Atom Art Gallery," Kelly says in a release. "This is really a dream come true for me. I’ve been a professional artist for more than 15 years now, and to finally get a chance to curate my first solo exhibition is something I will never forget."
A Wayne State University graduate, Kelly's love of art was inspired by the neighborhood where she grew up on Beal Street on Detroit’s eastside. She currently resides in Grosse Ile.
Her works are in permanent and temporary public collections, including at the Coleman A. Young Municipal Building in downtown Detroit (the 11th Floor the office of Mayor Mike Duggan); Farmington Hills City Hall, Dpop, Kuzzo's Chicken and Waffles on Livernois in Detroit and the Royal Oak VFW Building. Her murals are on the side of two Detroit Bus Company buses and inside Spain Middle School's gym.
Abe Lincoln mural on Grand River.
