DETROIT (WXYZ) — The Brightmoor neighborhood in Detroit is gearing up to shine even brighter this holiday season with the highly anticipated second annual Brightmoor Lights Holiday Festival.
This festive event promises to be a vibrant celebration of creativity, community and the holiday spirit.
Local artists have dedicated countless hours to an exciting challenge: constructing imaginative nutcracker soldiers using recycled and repurposed materials. This year, visitors can marvel at not just one, but 14 unique, towering nutcracker sculptures, each standing 12 feet tall.
"He is 12 feet tall and he is awesome," artist Christopher Columbus Gillum said.
The artistic creations showcase the incredible talent of the artists while promoting sustainability. Artist Amanda Koss is excited to see the end result.
"When you come out here and see every artist's perspective, it kind of blows your mind," Amanda Koss said.
Some artists say they have special connections to their creations.
"This project marks a significant milestone," artist Naomi Sharp said. "This is the biggest project I've ever done."
Michael Williams is the founder of Etheldra Mae Williams Park, where the event is taking place. He said they wanted to add more to this year's event with the nutcrackers. The idea took shape when they decided to invite artists from around the metro Detroit area to participate, allowing for a diverse array of creative expressions.
The artists enjoyed the freedom to bring their ideas to life using repurposed materials. Amy Oaks was pleased to see her design transform from a drawing into a sculpture.
"I thought I need to do this penguin with the six-pack holder around his neck to emphasize that idea of recycled materials," Oaks said.
The artists also enjoyed coming together during the process.
"It was such a journey with all of these artists. I don't know what I enjoyed more, the b n camaraderie of us working together or building Raymond," Gillum said.
For Anna Coleman, the journey of creating her nutcracker was emotion and took endurance.
"I messed up one of the eyes and got so emotional about it. This reminds me that even though we have imperfections like all of us, we still have to find a way to endure," Coleman said.
The artists are proud to see the work they achieved.
"It's really cool for me to do something and also complete it," Sharp said.
