From Street Signs to Dioramas, Ferndale Photographer Shares His Vision

The Rust Belt Market in Ferndale offers a unique experience for patrons as well as vendors. Each week, Patch will feature one artist to get a closer look at what they do.

Owen Strzelewicz

Today, meet photographer Owen Strzelewicz of One-39 Creative.

Who are you and what do you do?

My name is Owen Strzelewicz, good luck pronouncing that, I’m a guy having fun with a camera in his hands. I’m a photographer, an idea man. I create photographs.

How would you describe your work?

No deep cathartic, cerebral messages or big words here, I shoot what I find to be interesting, funny, edgy, and I want to share what I see.

I currently shoot digital format and enjoy shooting still life, geometric patterns, architecture, a bit of landscape, and abstract subjects. I enjoy shooting events as well but no weddings, thank you. With that being said, I’ll shoot whatever catches my eye, nothing is off limits (like my comedy).

Recently I have been creating and shooting some simple dioramas using little plastic army men, and some old toys and figures from my childhood days. Last summer I submitted my photo, “Attack of the Killer Mushrooms”, to Popular Photography Magazine for one of their monthly photo challenges, “Make a Scene”. I was so excited to find out that they chose my image as the winner and I was published in the August 2012 issue.

It is such an incredible feeling to see my work on the pages of such an historic and global publication. I’m still high from that.

Also, many know me as the guy who makes the street sign magnets and bookmarks; I photograph the signs around the city. It’s an on-going project that I really enjoy doing. I get to see areas of Detroit I might not have otherwise seen and I love to hear the reasons as to how customers connect to the streets. I’ve learned some history and had lengthy conversations with my customers as a result.

How did you get your start?

My interest in photography started when I was a child helping my dad develop black and white film in our basement (better than a fresh mimeograph).

It was always a casual and fun outlet until around 1995 when I began to shoot more creatively. About ten years ago I began to shoot with a lot more purpose, and three years ago, a re-organization at work gave me the ability to leave my long-time career and truly enjoy life by doing something I love.

What inspires you?

The people laughing out loud and pointing to my photo, “Attack of the Killer Mushrooms”, displayed in my store.

Customers sharing their connection to the street sign magnets and seeing the emotions that they bring out.

Knowing that my photos, magnets and bookmarks have been sent as gifts to friends and family across the country and as far away as Japan, Australia, New Zealand, England, Germany, and Turkey. I love it.

What is it about the Rust Belt that attracted you to it?

Several friends, a couple of whom were already there, said I needed to come in so I signed on for a seven week commitment for the 2011 holidays. After a few weeks I knew I needed to be here full time.

What keeps me here is that The Belt is a resource, a community, a family. We help each other out and we have each other’s backs and I have formed some awesome friendships as a result.

It’s cool. It has a great vibe and it helps cultivate the creative juices. And it’s inside.

Tell us one thing about you or your work that would surprise us.

I am a self-taught photographer.

You can check out Strzelewicz's work from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at the Rust Belt Market. For more information, visit his web site at www.one-39.com or his Facebook page.