Where the Uncommon is Common.
Ann Arbor and the communities of Washtenaw County have always been catalysts for creativity. Powered by purpose and innovation, the community inspires artists, makers and creators – and it shows up in big ways. So, we commissioned local artists to create public art works inspired by their hometown and the ethos of Challenge Everything. Create Anything. Here’s how they brought that statement to life.
Mary Thiefels and Danijel Matanic
Mural Artists
Mary Thiefels and Danijel Matanic are an award-winning, husband-and-wife team of mural artists striving to create art that inspires. Their mural, centered around the phrase Challenge Everything. Create Anything., is “an expression of pushing the boundaries, creating something so colossal that it builds a new language for what Ann Arbor will want to create moving forward." See the mural near the corner of Main and Huron St. in downtown Ann Arbor.
David Zinn
Sidewalk Chalk Artist
David Zinn has been enhancing Ann Arbor and its surrounding communities with original artwork since 1987. On the statement Challenge Everything. Create Anything. Zinn says, “It reflects how a town with a lot of different minds and a lot of creativity opens doors. We’re all pursuing our own dreams. There’s a lot of freedom to be whoever you need to be in Ann Arbor.”
Ji Hye Kim
Chef and Partner of Miss Kim
Chef Ji Hye Kim grew up in Seoul, South Korea, and is obsessed with ancient Korean culinary texts and the finer points of fermentation. Additional inspiration comes from Ann Arbor area farmers because locally sourced ingredients are the stars of the show at Miss Kim. The phrase Challenge everything. Create anything. resonates with Kim because she challenges the established notion of what Korean culinary traditions are by bringing a fresh perspective – through the lens of Ann Arbor, a whole new view of Korean cuisine comes into focus and a delicious one at that.
