At Marquette Branch Prison there was a water tower and a powerhouse. I decided to draw them both. One of the visitors to the art exhibition commented that my drawings almost made prison seem peaceful. I was able to sell two works at the “Outside the Lines” exhibition. The first was a screen print of the lobby of Detroit's Fisher Building. The purchaser said they thought the piece captured the spirit of the architecture featured in the Art Deco skyscraper. The second piece that sold was a drawing of a guitar inside a cell at Marquette Branch Prison. The purchaser said they liked the story described in my artist statement.

During the install some of the other artists were willing to help me make my artwork more presentable. One of the tricky parts was getting the wire to stay behind my art pieces. I think writing my artist biography and having it displayed helped with the sales. During the exhibition opening many of the visitors were interested in hearing about screen printing and what the process was like. I described the process to them so they were able to understand the concepts. 

During the install it was important to have everything spaced neatly and to have everything hanging evenly and at eye level. Adjusting the light fixtures also was a key to making my artwork look its best. It is amazing how things look better in good lighting and hanging on a wall. The wire hanging system at Silver Maples suited my smaller drawings well. The larger prints required two wires to hang.

While installing my artwork in Gallery One-Hundred I noticed there was a piano in the next room. I decided to bring one book of sheet music to the opening reception: The Complete Rachmaninoff Preludes. On the day of the reception I arrived about an hour early. The curator saw me waiting and invited me to try the piano. It was a beautiful Steinway. I used the extra time to warm up and practice.

In April 2009 I auditioned with my teacher by playing Rachmaninoff's Prelude in C-Sharp Minor(Opus Three, Number Two). My teacher told me I had talent but I had a lot of work to do. My teacher was a student of legendary Detroit Symphony Orchestra pianist Mischa Kottler. Kottler had the privilege of meeting and playing for Sergei Rachmaninoff in person.

Rachmaninoff became instantly famous when he wrote his Prelude in C-Sharp Minor. He grew to hate the piece because he felt it overshadowed his other works. I have a similar relationship with the piece. I learned this piece while I was a student at University of Detroit Jesuit High School. I have played Rachmaninoff's Prelude in C-Sharp Minor for many years on many different pianos.

During the “Outside the Lines” opening reception at Silver Maples I played Rachmaninoff's Prelude in C-Sharp Minor. Everyone seemed to enjoy it and there was some applause afterward. I joked with everyone there that I should have brought more music. I am very happy that I decided to bring sheet music for at least one piece. I chose to bring my music of the Prelude in C-Sharp Minor because I know the piece well and it is reliable. I have found that as long as I practice a performance will go well.

One of my dreams is to play Rachmaninoff's Third Piano Concerto. I still have a long way to go. Right now I am almost exclusively practicing skill-building pieces. My morning practicing routine features plenty of scales, arpeggios, Bach, and Czerny. When I have pieces ready I try them out at Crossroads Clubhouse in Warren, Michigan on their Baldwin upright piano. The only way to get better is to practice.

Music is a very important part of my life. When I was an undergraduate fine art student at Wayne State University I had access to the music department practice rooms. I would wake up early to be there when the music rooms opened in the morning to practice before class. I have not missed a day of practicing in over a year.

With each performance I take another step toward achieving my goal. Trying out my pieces on different pianos is an important part of preparing for performances. Playing at the “Outside the Lines” reception gave me valuable experience. Hearing feedback from audience members provides insight and encourages me to keep practicing. Every performance is a little bit different. Even after playing a piece hundreds of times there is always something that can be improved. Playing at the “Outside the Lines” reception was a valuable opportunity to grow as an artist and musician.

An art exhibition is similar to a musical performance. An artist is displaying their skill to the public and gaining experience that will help them improve in the future. The installation of artwork is something that an independent artist is required to do on a regular basis, so doing this at the “Outside the Lines” exhibition provided me with exposure to something I had not done before. Confronting prospective buyers was also a challenge and so was describing the techniques involved in screen printing. This experience gave me an idea of what I could encounter when selling artwork in the future. My participation in the “Outside the Lines” exhibition definitely increased my awareness of what goes into  both a musical performance and an art exhibition at the same time.

Joseph Beels: “During my sophomore year at Wayne State University I signed up for a drawing class because I wanted to learn something new. By the end of the semester the professor named me as the most improved member of the class. I graduated from Wayne State with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 2015. My concentrations were painting and printmaking. I also received college credit from Mott Community College and Wayne County Community College District. 

[...] Building skill is a hard thing to do. It only comes with daily practice and dedication. Hard work is the only way to get better. I have come a long way but I have a long way to go. Each day I try to enjoy the process. Performing and showing art work in public have been helpful to build my confidence. Someday in the future I would like to perform Rachmaninoff's Third Piano Concerto. With practice and dedication I hope to achieve this goal.“

Article is made possible by the Linkage Community Journalism Initiative. Photography by artists of the Outside The Lines exhibit.