M. Saffell Gardner holds B.F.A. and M.F.A. degrees in painting from Wayne State University.  A master painter, mixed media artist, muralist, art historian, curator, lecturer and educator, he has taught at private colleges and community colleges.  Mr. Gardner participated in arts mentoring programs.  In 2014, Saffell  was invited to have a survey exhibit at gallery 9338 Campau.  Mr. Gardner also participated in the 2014 Artprize.  Mr. Gardner was invited to participate in “The Venice Biennale 2013”.  Saffell co-curated “Vision in a Cornfield” for the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit.  In 2000, Mr. Gardner was selected as the Chivas Regal Artist in Residence at the Charles H. Wright Museum.  A commissioned painting “Door of No Return” is in the museum’s permanent collection as a result of the residency.  Recent commissions include a painted receptacle for Detroit’s “Pretty City” project as well as major commissions for the City of Detroit and the Detroit Public Schools.  Mr. Gardner’s work is in the permanent collection of The Henry Ford Hospital, Blue Cross Blue Shield, DMC, Total Healthcare, The Federal Reserve Chicago, Cass Technical High School, Renaissance High School and Southeastern High School and Detroit School of the Arts.  He has exhibited throughout the United States, Jamaica, Brazil and Ghana, Africa.