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Altar Keeper: Reading and Open Mic

A photograph of a smiling Black woman is reproduced on red-tinted facbric, surrounded by a large gold frame
When

Saturday, April 11, 2026
3:00 – 4:00 pm

Where

In-person Event

Stamps Gallery
201 South Division Street
Ann Arbor, Michigan 48104
Google Map/Directions
Hours/Access

Details

Lecture / Discussion
Open to the public
Free of charge

Join Stamps MFA student and artist Michaela Nichelle in reading work from her written thesis, Altar Keeper. Altar Keeper explores the life of Loretta Mims, neighborhood candy lady and late grandmother of Michaela Nichelle. Through poetry, various artist statements, archival photography, and recipes, the artist unpacks the communal impact of Black Candy Ladies as cornerstones of their community. This work explores themes of grief, love, joy, and communal care. In the second half of programming the artist opens the floor to the audience to share poems related to the listed themes.

For more information, see: What We Tend: The 2026 MFA Graduate Thesis Exhibition