Crowdsourcing

Why I Love Michigan

kickstarter.com/projects/2127163824/ why-i-love-michigan

Why do you love Michigan? Art therapist Kate Roos is attempting to gather answers to this question through a collaborative art project on wheels. Roos and a team from the Ann Arbor-based Aartworks Project have begun a 3,000-mile road trip, stopping in major cities in Michigan. At each stop, Michiganders are invited to decorate a blank postcard describing why they love the Mitten State. Roos hopes to compile all of the decorated postcards into a major art installation this fall. Though the project is already underway, money is needed to continue funding the road trip as well as to create the art installation. Roos’ goal is to raise $15,000 by July 25. Donation levels range from $5 to $2,500, and backers will receive anything from pins and bumper stickers to framed original postcard artworks. The project will be in Lansing July 29, time and location to be announced.

Jayell Smoke House BBQ Sauce

kickstarter.com/projects/1759225237/ jayell-smoke-house-bbq-sauce

It’s summertime in Michigan, which means it’s officially barbeque season. And the secret to good barbecue, of course, is the sauce. In 2012, David Leidlein undertook the project of creating Jayell Smoke House BBQ Sauce to honor his late father’s love of barbecue. After a few years of research and expansion, his sauce comes in six unique flavors including coconut, root beer, jalapeño and ghost pepper. Leidlein is raising money to package and sell his products to the public, with a goal of raising $8,000 by July 9. “Right now I have had my six flavors tested by Michigan State University Labs and everything passed,” Leidlein posted on the Kickstarter page. “Currently I am in the process of getting the nutritional facts done. Once this is done, I will be able to get my BBQ sauce out to the public.” Donation levels start at $5, and supporters will receive a selection of Leidlein’s products, including barbeque seasonings, sauces and rubs.

MOCAD Living Canvas Mural Installation

kickstarter.com/projects/mocad/mocadliving-canvas

The Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit, popularly known as MOCAD, has called on prominent artist Andrew Kuo to create a large-scale mural on one of the outside walls of the museum. Kuo has appeared in exhibitions worldwide and is known for his bright and eclectic yet organized designs. The proposed mural, “In Staying/Faces,” has already been designed, and Kuo based the design on his own experiences in cities. “The geometric shapes of the facade proposal are meant to mimic a city landscape, with shifting planes of color that form a series of faces, eyes looking up and down, mouths just about ready to say something right to me,” he said. “The choice of bright colors stands out in an urban landscape.” MOCAD hopes to raise $10,000 by July 14 to fund this public art project. Supporters can receive various creations by the artist, ranging from pins and tee shirts to handmade acrylic monoprints and original framed drawings.