A New Beginning...

Good Afternoon friends,

To the whole world, this situation, the fire, is only a new beginning for me. I understand that in the real world you must put on the whole armor God (Yahweh) and today all I know at this point is, I won't quit or stop! What is art today in the vortex of what we don't understand or the unknown of what we think we know? Socrates said one thing I know for sure, “I know nothing.” I woke up today with a greater desire to carry on. Tomorrow will take care of itself. The Heidelberg Project is a medicine for the soul and a beacon for the weary at heart. Keep your eyes open and know that the best is yet to come. I walk by faith and I trust the power that is in me to do the Impossible.

The Darkness

A spell is over the city but the people are in it for the long haul. The everyday ordinary people here are taking quantum leaps of faith, holding on to what they have for now and making the best out of the worst of today. 

Today, Detroit is a city of under one million people and a emergency manager had to be called in with the hope of fixing the problems. Many of us still live in fear paralyzed by racism. One thing is sure, the arts are playing a very important part in helping to transform the city into a city of art and color; Art on the eastside and westside where there are no lights. Houses are being transformed into works of art right in front us as we try to make sense out of this phenomenon of art becoming a medicine, even in the darkness of our consciousness. 

As I drive around at night, I see the ghost of the past and hear the voices of those who were once part of this city. The darkness is thick. How do you train yourself to see the light when there's so much darkness in the minds of many here in the D? The real light is in the people with a thirst for truth and knowledge of self. God help us to see the light even in your darkness here in the hood.

In the Spirit of Tyree Tuesday: A Q & A with Tyree Guyton

Jan Morgan Niekamp: I want to say thank you, because when I came across the hp, I was sad, and you made me smile because of your art. How long have you been doing art since a kid?

        Hi Jan. I've been working on the HP for 27 years—and I am only 26. My grandfather inspired me and gave me a paintbrush at the age of nine. Since that time I knew I wanted to be an artist.




Ken Marzorati: Love you Tyree! Quick art question: what's your favorite medium to work with?

        Hey Ken, I love it all. I don’t really have a favorite medium—I need and love it all!!




Erika Lea: How many countries have you visited to talk about or make art?

        Hello Lea, I have visited about 14 countries to speak and/or create artwork. But more importantly, I have had over 140 countries to visit the Heidelberg Project in hopes of learning more about the art.

The Movement

Yes, there is an art movement going on here in the city and the million dollar question I continue to ask myself is, what is art today? People are flocking here from all over the world to experience this energy from a city that most have given up on. How do you define beauty in the NOW of what we don't understand? 

The city is like a war zone in some parts, and at times, it appears that the world is coming to an end. Where do we run to now and can we fix the so-called problems by changing an infrastructure that has been broken for many years? The movement has been going on for years here in this city and around the world too. What's remarkable is you can't hide from what's coming and that is change. Change is needed!

I believe the best is yet to come now! We can learn from the past if we open our minds to the present. Nothing is over until it's over. Then when it's over, over is only a new beginning to what’s possible today. The movement that is present right now is indeed an art movement. Art is popping up all over the city and I personally welcome this new way of transforming Detroit back to life.

tyree

In The Spirit of Tyree Tuesday: A Q&A with Tyree

Nick Mayner: Mr. Guyton, thank you for art and the inspiration you have given to many. Have you ever felt that if your artistic abilities are not excellent, that people wouldn't accept your work as art and do you have any advice for anyone feeling that way? Thank You.

     Hi Nick. Early in my career I had feelings like you describe. However, it’s important that you believe that your work is great to you and that you believe in what you’re doing. You can‘t trust the world because the world will tell you that you are great today and tomorrow you are not great. Trust you, only then is it good for the world.

Lisa Hathaway: What originally inspired you to start HP?

     Hello Lisa. It was a vision from God. I was chosen to do this.

Mark Sweetman: Do you ever have performance art at the HP?

     Hey Mark, yes we do have performances all the time. Would you like to come and perform for the public?

Home

I came home on the 25th  of September and I'm so glad to be back in the city. It's hard to believe that I was gone for a year. I truly missed this city and the energy of all wonderful people here in the big - D. During my time abroad, I thought a lot about the city and the challenge to push myself to the outer limits of my imagination here in Basel. My work here at home has prepared me for the world and Switzerland helped me to see the greatness of Yahweh in nature.

I left on the18th of September for my opening in Bern Switzerland. The title of this exhibition is, Two Countries, Two Cities, One Spirit. Everything is connected to spirit Law from my estimation. Switzerland is a different country and the culture is what is so dissimilar but art is universal and so is God, if you believe.

As I leave, take care all you wild ass folks here in the - D. Stay in trouble please and let's transform our City into a work of art that shows what we are made of here.

Leaving

All week I've been running around like a chicken with no head because I'm getting ready to go home. Time went by so fast and it's hard to believe that my residency is coming to an end. I came here afraid - nervous and not sure about any of it at first, but time settled me into place. I see the importance of me coming here now. I was reborn. This was a mental medicine and very therapeutic in terns of me being exposed to European artists and philosophers of the past.


Two weeks ago, Jenenne and I went to visit our friends in Stuttgart, Germany. Klaus and Cathrin live in the
mountains of Stuttgart where there are lots wine vineyards and it was like being on top of the world looking down at the city of Stuttgart. What a view! They fixed a birthday dinner for myself and Jenenne, who was also celebrating her birthday. We stayed the night there. I personally love the artwork that was in our bedroom, painted on the walls.


We turned in early because we had a big day planned for tomorrow plus a special surprise in store for us.
I rose early. I'm more or less an early bird. I like the morning sky. We had breakfast and then we were on our way headed for the autobahn. Klaus drove and I rode shotgun. On the way, to my "BIG" surprise, we made one stop, to check out a folk art museum. The work at the museum was great and it reminded me of grandpa Mackey's artwork. My "BIG" surprise was having Klaus and Cathrin and a friend of theirs take Jenenne and myself to Heidelberg, Germany!

Heidelberg is a college town and students come from all over the world to attend school there. We had lunch
on one of the Heidelberg boats and after lunch we strolled up and down the city streets. The grand finale was taking the cable car to the top of the mountain. And there it was, the Heidelberg castle. Big, powerful, a fortress of the past. It was a city in itself.


The castle was built in 1271 and still stands today as a tourist attraction. It was damaged twice by lightening storms and partly destroyed during the France war. This was a wonderful birthday present, to go back in time and see this magnificent artwork on top of a hill over-looking the city. The Heidelberg castle lives on, on top of that mountain and the Heidelberg Project lives on and on, on Heidelberg street.