The Scarab Club: Detroit's Artists Left Their Mark on the Ceiling
Near Detroit, Michigan
Founded in the early nineteen hundreds as a gathering place for Detroit artists, the Scarab Club is one of Michigan's oldest arts organizations. It was originally called the Hopkin Club after marine painter Robert Hopkin, then renamed the Scarab Club, taking the sacred Egyptian beetle as its symbol. The clubhouse, an Arts and Crafts building with Pewabic tile details, opened in nineteen twenty-eight.
Inside, the lounge ceiling beams bear the autographed signatures of visiting artists including John Sloan, Diego Rivera, Marcel Duchamp, and Norman Rockwell, each one signing after a stay or exhibition. The Scarab Club still operates today as a working arts organization with galleries, studios, and classes.
