Art Reception at MM517 Steph Joy Hogan

Hooray for Spring

Spring is close. I’m looking forward to vibrant colors, warm breezes, and sunny weather. If you are too, you won’t have to wait until spring. Metro Melik 517, an art, apparel, and gift boutique (that doubles as an art gallery) is hosting Steph Joy Hogan, an award-winning mixed-media painter from Lansing, Michigan, for the month of March.? Metro Melik talks about why the combination of art, apparel, and gifts is so important to him, “I wanted to have a space that celebrates what’s great about the 517 area. One of the first things people mention when they talk about what they love about the area is the people. Highlighting artists from the area is a great way to combine art with wearable fashion as well as gift giving.”

Steph Joy Hogan's art can be described as bright, textured, whimsical, and easily accessible. Though she studied art at Michigan State University and the University of Iowa, she considers herself a primarily self-taught artist.?She credits her family for developing her love of visual arts, her overactive imagination, and her incredible sense of humor.

???????????“I’m excited to showcase my friend’s art here. It’s actually an honor to do so. I’ve watched her craft excel as she continues to rise through the ranks of the art world. It’s a real treat to be able to see her stuff up close and personal. You’ll want to see this showing”, continues Metro Melik.

Steph was voted Top Artist in the 2021 Lansing City Pulse Top of the Town contest (Top 3 in 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022). Her recognizably vibrant and whimsical artwork has been featured in several Michigan galleries and many exhibitions with Mid-Michigan Art Guild. Her artwork is currently featured on her second Art in the Sky billboard, as well as a bus stop in Downtown Lansing. Her commissioned mixed-media paintings can be found permanently installed in Impression 5 Science Center, the Susan and Jack Davis Nature Pavilion and Gallery at Fenner Nature Center, and the beautiful new headquarters of The Davies Project.

A special treat for this showing of Steph Joy Hogan's art at Metro Melik 517 will be the debut of the latest painting in her Lion series. You’ll have a chance to speak with Steph at an artist reception that will be held on Sunday 5 March 2023 from 1:00 to 4:00 PM, located at 513 E César E. Chávez Avenue, Lansing, MI 48906. Her art will then be displayed through Friday 31 March 2023. Viewings are during normal business hours of Metro Melik 517, which are Tuesdays through Fridays from Noon to 6:00 PM, and Saturdays and Sundays from Noon to 4:00 PM. Special viewings can be booked through the store. For more information please visit www.metromelik517.com or call 517.999.4800 during normal business hours.

Steph speaks about her Lion Series, “Since 2018 I have created one bold Lion portrait each year.?These large-scale paintings serve as a wild and energizing creative break from the tiny, meticulously detailed work I typically create.?My lifelong love of cats, large and small, inspires these paintings, as well as the respect I've gained for these majestic felines while educating guests of both Potter Park Zoo and Disney's Animal Kingdom.?The newest edition to the series is Lion No. 5 and he is truly special.?Throughout 2022 visitors in my studio had the opportunity to make their mark on the early layers of this painting, adding color, texture, and energy to the canvas.?Dozens of community members signed the canvas after adding their touch, making the back as exciting as the front of this painting!”