“We Are Art”: Inside the World of Detroit Artist Miriam
Detroit has always been a city fueled by creativity, but lately its art scene feels louder, more intentional, and impossible to ignore. From underground fashion shows to independent galleries and experimental creative spaces, Detroit artists continue finding new ways to tell stories rooted in emotion, identity, and culture. One artist helping push that conversation forward is Miriam, a Detroit-based painter whose work captures black life in a way that feels both deeply personal and universally understood. Through paintings centered around black joy, grief, memory, and authenticity, Miriam is creating more than visuals — she’s creating preservation
May18th . Written by Ryan Packer
A Different Type of Artist
There’s a certain type of emotion you can’t fake in art. You either lived it or you didn’t. And when you look at Miriam’s work, you can immediately tell she’s painting from somewhere real. The gold teeth. The dark skin. The stars over people’s eyes. The quiet softness mixed with strength. Her paintings feel like memories pulled directly from Detroit’s spirit instead of images created for attention online.
Originally from Highland Park, Miriam explained how both Highland Park and Detroit shaped the way she creates today. During our conversation, she described Detroit creatives as people who “go hard” no matter the circumstances, and honestly that energy feels embedded into her work. Every piece carries this sense of resilience, pride, and emotional honesty that feels uniquely connected to the city.
Before The Paintings
Interestingly enough, painting wasn’t even where her creative journey originally started. Before becoming known for her artwork, Miriam was heavily involved in makeup, modeling, and fashion culture. She worked at Ulta, experimented with makeup artistry, and modeled for Detroit-based streetwear brand Not Sorry Apparel years before ever seriously touching a canvas.
Then the pandemic changed everything. Like many creatives, 2020 forced her to slow down and reevaluate what she truly wanted to create. She initially started painting custom jackets with cartoon characters just to make extra money before eventually deciding to experiment with canvas work. What began as a side hustle quickly evolved into something much deeper emotionally and creatively.
Painting Black Emotion
As Miriam continued developing as an artist, her work naturally became more intentional. She explained that many of her paintings are inspired by everyday emotions — grief, exhaustion, love, joy, family, and the overall black experience. Instead of creating work that simply “looks good,” she focuses on telling stories that feel emotionally honest and culturally grounded.
One of the clearest examples of that perspective came through in her now-recognizable piece Thee Star. Featuring a smiling black subject with gold teeth and a star over the eye, the painting quickly became one of the standout visuals connected to Detroit’s current creative scene. But for Miriam, the piece represented something deeper than aesthetics. “I wanted to paint about black joy,” she explained. “I feel like the most gangsta, the most rockstar thing is black people being happy.”
The Process Behind The Work
During our conversation, Miriam described her creative process almost like a spiritual experience. Before beginning a piece, she spends time grounding herself emotionally and mentally. Sometimes that means listening to vinyl, studying films, researching historical references, or simply sitting quietly and allowing ideas to naturally come to her.
“It starts off pretty quiet,” she explained while describing how she creates. “Being grounded, being present, and being a student are my main principles.” That mindset feels visible throughout her work because nothing about her paintings feels rushed or forced. Every detail feels intentional, like each piece carries layers of thought, memory, and emotion behind it.
More Than Social Media
At one point during our conversation, Miriam became especially passionate while talking about how social media has changed people’s perception of artistry. She explained that many people view being an artist as a trendy aesthetic or quick way to gain online attention without understanding the emotional weight that often exists behind creative work.
“People think being an artist is this cool little Instagram thing,” she said. “But it gets deeper than that.” That honesty feels refreshing in an era where so much creativity feels centered around algorithms instead of vulnerability. For Miriam, artistry isn’t just content creation — it’s emotional labor, storytelling, discipline, and preservation all happening at the same time.
Looking Toward The Future
Even while her work continues gaining attention, Miriam explained that she’s currently entering a quieter and more intentional creative era. She described her upcoming work as “hood folklore,” blending real-life black experiences with symbolism, mythology, and emotional storytelling. The direction feels different from her earlier work while still remaining rooted in the same emotional honesty that defines her style.
But beyond exhibitions and recognition, her biggest goal feels much larger than personal success. She spoke passionately about wanting to create spaces that preserve black stories, black emotion, and black Detroit culture for future generations. “I want to immortalize us and keep us here forever,” she explained. And honestly, that mission might be exactly what makes her one of Detroit’s most important artists to watch right now.