lotus 4 Abstract art isn’t random

The Intersection of Creativity and Evolution

ABSTRACT ARTIST

DETROIT SALON

She sits in her power, turning a worn doorway into a throne.

We are responsible for ourselvesAnthony Mottley

WhenI designed Serpa, I wanted to create more than a handbag — I wanted to shape a spark of creative energy you can carry. Its gender-neutral form doesn’t belong to any category; it creates its own, just like people who carve their path with passion.

Serpa’s shape and colors naturally draw in people with curiosity and imagination. It connects the person carrying it with those who feel its energy, often leading to conversations that touch on identity, dreams, and personal journeys.

I crafted it in leather because it holds warmth and emotion. And the opening —hidden magnets that bloom like a flower — reveals a small part of who someone is. That sense of mystery invites connection. For me, Serpa exists to inspire people to walk with their passion, connect through art, and feel seen for who they are.

Abundance is not excess it's balance

hen Geno Harris invokes Pablo Picasso—“I am always doing that which I cannot do, in order to learn how to do it”—it sounds less like a quote taped to a studio wall and more like a lived philosophy. Harris, a Detroit-based abstract expressionist, has built a career not by following prescribed routes, but by creating new ones where none existed.

“I started out completely self-taught,” Harris says. “And I immediately realized that if I wanted opportunities, I was going to have to create them—for myself and for other people in the same position.” Early on, even showing his work for constructive feedback felt like a monumental task.

Rather than internalize those barriers, Harris responded collectively, founding the Poor Man’s Art Collective. “That’s really where my life as a curator began,” he explains.

Those early exhibitions became formative. They werenʼt just showcases; they were laboratories. “It allowed me to build and perfect my skill set,” Harris says, “but more importantly, it gave artists real experience—being in exhibitions, selling work, and connecting with the public.” With a deliberate focus on self-taught artists, Harris was already articulating a vision of art rooted in access and equity.

Geno

Recognition has followed his quiet leadership. In 2023, Harris was awarded the Creators of Culture–Culture Source Grant, honoring individuals who strengthen regional arts ecosystems by increasing visibility and fostering connections between artists and audiences. He was one of just 54 recipients, supported by The Kresge Foundation and the Hudson-Webber Foundation. The following year, he was named one of nine Artist Fellows in the Detroit Arts, Culture and Entrepreneurship Program.

Two decades later, Harris speaks with the confidence of someone who understands the weight of visibility. “Everything that I am as an artist is about self-expression and providing opportunities for other creatives to follow their decided path,” he says. That sense of responsibility has only deepened with time. As a Black, LGBTQ artist, Harris has embraced mentorship as part of his practice. “Itʼs incumbent upon us to show that we have something of value for our peers and our communities,” he adds. “People need to be able to see themselves in you.”

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Yet accolades have never softened Harrisʼs skepticism of conventional advice. “Most people offer these golden words of ʻwisdomʼ about where your life and work should go,” he says, “but they never push you to be the best you that you can be.” His work, bold and whimsical, reflects that resistance. “From the boldest color to the straightest cut of wood, my art is a view of how I see certain things,” Harris says plainly. “With my art, I am exposed.”

As an abstract expressionist, Harris often finds himself defending the discipline. “People say anyone can do abstract art,” he notes. “They reduce it to something a child could make.” But abstraction, he argues, is far from careless. “If the work doesnʼt have balance, it can feel disconnected or cumbersome,” he explains. “Our challenge is to be true to what we create and let it exist—hoping it resonates with who it needs to.”

What truly sets Harris apart is his medium. Using handmade, dyed Japanese Lokta paper and a decoupage technique, he creates works that appear painted. “People think I used a brush,” he says with a smile, “but itʼs all paper.” The richness of color and bleeding edges blur seams into illusion, inviting viewers to reconsider both process and perception.

In the end, Geno Harrisʼs practice —artistic and communal—remains rooted in one belief: learning, creating, and leading in public, without apology.

Be the Light in a Time of Darkness -

Anthony Mottley

A quiet moment where love feels like safety itself.

DETROIT SALON is a Detroit-based nonprofit organization building a new model for how contemporary art can be rooted locally while engaging globally. Founded through years of community listening, collaboration, and research, DETROIT SALON supports Detroit artists and cultural workers by creating sustained opportunities for exhibition, professional development, and international exchange — without losing sight of place.

DETROIT SALONʼs programming unfolds across multiple layers. Locally, the organization hosts year-round exhibitions, talks, workshops, and community programs that support working artists who are committed to living and working in Michigan.

Internationally, DETROIT SALON creates pathways for Detroit artists to engage global audiences through residencies, exhibitions, and partnerships with leading cultural institutions.

These international initiatives are designed not as isolated moments, but as investments that circulate back into Detroitʼs creative economy through visibility, networks, and professional growth.

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In 2028, DETROIT SALON will launch Detroitʼs first major city-wide contemporary art event, activating neighborhoods, museums, studios, and public space across the city.

This landmark moment will be the culmination of years of local engagement and global exchange, positioning Detroit not only as a source of creative talent, but as a destination within the international contemporary art landscape.

Choosing Light Is Self-Preservation-

Anthony Mottley

Bôhten: Where Vision Meets Legacy

We offer a range of wide-fit frames specifically designed to fit comfortably on black faces

Founded with a commitment to craftsmanship and cultural pride, Bôhten is a luxury eyewear brand rooted in African heritage and designed for a global audience. This is a company that sees eyewear not as an accessory, but as an extension of identity.

What truly sets Bôhten apart is intention. Sustainability, ethical production, and representation are not marketing buzzwords here—they are foundational values. The brand champions visibility for Black designers in luxury spaces where they’ve historically been excluded, while creating products that resonate far beyond a single demographic.

Seen on creatives, taste makers, and style leaders, Bôhten eyewear doesn’t shout —it speaks with quiet authority. It’s the kind of brand that feels personal the moment you put it on, as if it already knows who you are.

Bôhten’s designs blend modern fashion with subtle nods to tradition, using thoughtful materials, rich color palettes, and sculptural forms that feel both timeless and current. Each collection reflects a dialogue between past and present, Africa and the diaspora, function and self-expression.

In an industry often driven by trends, Bôhten is building something more enduring: a legacy brand with vision, purpose, and unmistakable soul.

Lower your internal temperatureAnthony Mottley

Keaton FASHION

Dana Keaton-Wilson is not just a designer; she is a multi-faceted creative powerhouse—an artist, educator, and style influencer with a profound commitment to shaping the next generation of fashion. Armed with an MBA, a Cornell certification in Women's Entrepreneurship, and a deep well of specialized studies in Fine Arts and Fashion Illustration, Dana's expertise is both wide and deep, bridging the gap between artistic vision and business acumen.

DANA

As the visionary behind the Dana Keaton Collection (DKC) and its award-winning college prep non-profit, The Fashion Atelier, Dana has become a beacon of fashion education in Detroit. Her programs, a staple in local schools and community centers, have empowered youth aged 8-18, leading to students being published internationally.

This commitment to mentorship is the bedrock of her mission: “I am committed to developing the next generation of creators by teaching, mentoring, and creating accessible pathways into fashion.”

Known for her mastery of one-of-a-kind, bespoke designs, Dana's work emphasizes intentional design, sustainability, and cultural storytelling. Her upcoming Spring/Summer 2026 collection will feature conscious, bespoke pieces, reflecting her belief that fashion should prioritize meaning, craftsmanship, and purpose over fast trends.

DKC

Dana Keaton Collection

Khaliph Young

Long before my journey into television, multimedia, and digital storytelling began, my passion for creative media was sparked in the most nostalgic way flipping through the pages of my motherʼs magazines.

Titles like Vogue, W Magazine, Architectural Digest, and National Geographic filled our home, each page a treasure trove of captivating photos, brilliant layouts, and stunning graphics.

I was mesmerized by the artistry and craftsmanship that brought these publications to life. Those moments ignited something in me, and before long, I was cutting out images, making collages, and immersing myself in the world of design.

This love for graphic design and print has always stayed with me. Itʼs a passion thatʼs evolved as Iʼve grown in my television career by doing motion graphics for TV and video projects, but one dream has remained constant: creating a magazine of my own.

Itʼsbeen an idea that has lingered in my heart, waiting for the right moment to take flight, and now, that moment is here.

Enter Lotus. This digital magazine is a canvas where I can celebrate the creative things and people who inspire me artists, designers, and creative visionaries whose work and stories deserve to be shared.

Lotus isnʼt just about showcasing creativity; itʼs about sparking something within all of us. Itʼs a space for creative rebirth, renewal, and the rediscovery of inspiration through the artistic lens of others.

So hereʼs to new beginnings and creative journeys. Welcome to Lotus, a celebration of art, culture, and the endless pursuit of beauty and meaning. Letʼs bloom together.