2023 Meet the Artists

Apr 27

We are thrilled to bring you two new murals at the 2023 Art Seen Festival! This year’s community mural will be the third and final mural installment on the back of the Little Forks Outfitters Building, downtown. Join us Saturday and Sunday June 3-4 from 11am to 3pm where you can pick up a brush and make your mark! The Little Forks mural is in the rear parking lot behind Little Forks Outfitters. You can access this lot off of McDonald St, between E Larkin St and Main St. This mural concept was created by local artists Selena Bender, Jazzmyn Benitez and Dacia Parker, who will lead a team of artists to make this community mural happen.

Our second location for 2023 is in Center City Midland, and UpBeat Music Academy, located at 109 E Ashman St, in the Circle. The UpBeat mural artist was selected by the Art Seen Festival Committee after we released a call for artist submissions earlier this year. After reviewing over 300 applications from artists all around the world, we are so pleased to announce that Michigan native, Kevin Burdick was selected!

Learn more about this year’s lead artists below.

Meet the Artists

MEET Kevin

Kevin Burdick, of Fenton, Michigan, has been selected as our UpBeat Music Academy muralist for the 2023 Art Seen Festival!

Born in Flint Mi, then raised in Fenton Mi. Kevin first attended Mott Community College, were he studied basic art. At this point he realized that Art would be his profession. Kevin was later accepted to the Art Institute of Pittsburgh where he studied Animation and Illustration.

After school Kevin started experimenting with different mediums, including Airbrushing and Aerosol. He recalls being first given the opportunity to airbrush professionally at T-Rods in Flint, Mi and later partnered with Psycho Customs in Bay City, Mi. In the last few years, his focus has been on aerosol murals. Although airbrushing made up the foundation of his art career, aerosol art is becoming the creative outlet and freedom every artist seeks. Kevin says of his art process, “After years of trial and error I now feel that I can provide high quality artwork to a wide range of clients and programs. With years of professional training and experimenting with different mediums, I provide the highest level of art that can be seen throughout Michigan and other parts of the world. My passion truly reflects in my artwork.”

“I would say my process starts when I talk to locals and get the feel for the surrounding area. Some cities love the abstract, some love realism. Once I know the “style” that will suit the area best, I then let my head go wild. I really try to mix both historical elements with cool street art elements.”

We are so excited for you to see the thoughtful and beautiful design Kevin has developed for our town! Be sure to stop by and say hello and watch the painting unfold at UpBeat Music Academy on Saturday June 3rd from 11a-3p(with musical performances and rock painting with UpBeat staff!) and on Sunday June 4th from 11a-3p.

Learn more at scrapsdesigns.com
Instagram: @kevscraps14

You may recognize the names Jazz Benitez and Dacia Parker from past Art Seen Festival, plus a new addition to the team, Selena Bender! These three talented artists are on the Art Seen Festival committee and work diligently all year to make this event a success. Their teamwork, leadership, and heart for our community make them the perfect trio to lead their team of artists to another beautiful, interactive community mural. You can pick up a brush and make your mark at the Little Forks mural, on Saturday June 3 and Sunday June 4, between 11a-3p. You can access this lot off of McDonald St, between E Larkin St and Main St. downtown.

Meet Selena

Image by Parker Lane Art & Design Studio

Selena Bender is a Michigander specializing in hand lettering and graphic design. As a child she loved painting murals on her bedroom walls, doctoring up her jeans with unique stitches, and rewriting all her sticky notes. She studied art at Saginaw Valley State University and graduated with a Bachelors in Graphic Design, and minors in Marketing and Psychology. She also holds a Masters in Organizational Management from Spring Arbor University. Immediately following graduation she started working as a graphic designer for an advertising company and recently celebrated 17 years.

Selena Ashley Designs was founded in 2012 specializing in graphic design. Starting a business was on Selena’s Bucket List, so she had to cross off. In 2013, she introduced calligraphy and hand lettering. She also owns an online shop with custom products, apparel, stickers and prints, and teaches hand lettering classes.

Selena is an enneagram 4w5 fueled by color, florals, and wanderlust. She is a lover of encouraging words and hand lettered quotes. Her mission is to create art that provokes a sense of belonging. She tries to see the blessing in even the tiniest moments and hopes to inspire others to do the same. Selena wants you to view her art and know that you are valued, loved and understood.

Previous public art projects include her floral painted piano from the Painted Piano Project 2020, and her Outside the Box mini mural in 2022, both through Public Arts Midland. The utility box mini mural, The World Is Better With You In It, is located on Townsend and Main in Downtown Midland, and pictured above.

You can find her on Facebook, Instagram and

Learn more at SelenaAshley.com
Follow On: Instagram & Facebook

MEET Jazz

Photo credit: Renee’ Deckrow of Captured Studios

Jazz has always been aware of the Spiritual world around them. Knowing that we are all called to a higher purpose, she has described their journey as “humbly complex & spiritually raw.” “Trust the journey” & “Enjoy the process”, these two phrases have become their mantras for getting through tough times in life and have also helped in the pursuit of purpose. Jazz says that their impatience as an artist can be somewhat of a conundrum, but their has been on an ongoing journey to learn “perspective of the present.” Like most people, Jazz finds the “chase” of the next idea or step in life to be exciting and somewhat frustrating. Jazz has come to understand that the here and now is more important to help define what comes next. Jazz hopes to inspire people to sit in their present moments and take the steps to Enjoy Life through art & existence.

Learn more at enjoylifejazzmynbenitez.com
Instagram: @enjoylifejzb
Email: enjoylifejzb@gmail.com

Meet Dacia

Midland, MI based artpreneur, Dacia Livingston Parker received her first oil paint set at age seven which sparked a myriad of artistic ventures. After graduating from The University of Michigan School of Art and Design with a BFA, Dacia and her husband settled in the Seattle area for 13 years. Deeply inspired by the ocean, mountains, and natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest, those elements became foundational to her work. It was there that Dacia launched her own portrait photography studio, exploring the possibilities offered by digital media.

Returning home to Michigan in 2006, Dacia has been involved in the local arts community ever since; initially practicing photography and developing educational programming as a founding member of Captured Studios in the Ashman Plaza. She rebranded as Parker Lane Art & Design Studios in 2018 to offer a space for creative instruction and professional development for emerging artists, one of her passions. In her role as co-chair of Public Arts Midland, Dacia helps coordinate artistic projects in partnership with local community groups including management of numerous juried exhibitions and events. Within Ashman Plaza, Dacia curates and exhibits local up and coming artist shows regularly. Parker Lane Design and Art studio is a co-sponsor for the annual Emerging Artist show at Creative 360 in Midland, MI.

Dacia strongly believes that “ART is for Everyone” and that Public Art allows opportunity and access to the larger community to enjoy and engage with fine art installations throughout their city. Indeed, in recent years, Dacia has ventured back into painting and working with cyanotypes where her love of the elements - water, mountains and nature continue to inform her work exploring depth, movement, flow, and rhythm. Through her work with PAM, she has become a well-known muralist, collaborating with local artists and community partners.

A native of Michigan, Dacia is deeply dedicated to cultivating the arts in the Great Lakes Bay Region. She has a passion for mentoring emerging artists and building support for local artists and public arts projects in the area. As a practicing artist, Dacia is keenly aware of the issues facing artists today and as an arts administrator, provides a supportive climate while engaging in education and public outreach.

Learn more at http://parkerlane.art