Obituary of Matthew Steven Blake

MATTHEW STEVEN BLAKE, age 43. Passed away suddenly of a massive heart attack Saturday, May 10, 2008 while practicing drums with his close friends. Matthew leaves behind his beloved wife Hazel; parents Gerry and Carol Blake; brother Jeffery Blake & wife Sandra; sister Kristin Smith & husband Marc; grandmother Edyth Blake; father in law Anthony Peplinski mother in law Karen Wiland & husband Robert; brothers in law Tony & Kevin Peplinski. Matthew earned his Eagle Scout Court of Honor Award in June 1983. He studied Industrial Design at the College for Creative Studies from 1985-1990 where he was a founding member of Propeller, an art and design collective that exhibited nationally and in Japan. In 1994, Matthew was invited by UNESCO to participate in a residency in Sarajevo as a goodwill ambassador to promote culture in the war torn environment and exhibited in a show entitled, The Art of Survival. Matthew's most recognized artworks are his frieze style wall sculptures, which were first shown at the Johansson Charles Gallery in Detroit in 1993. Matthew continued to work on his friezes over the years and they were later shown in an exhibition at the Susanne Hilberry Gallery in Ferndale, Michigan and in a group exhibition at the Riviera in Brooklyn, New York. In 1998 Matthew incorporated his frieze work into his design of the ringer for the Millennium Bell, a public artwork commissioned by the City of Detroit. He also collaborated for many years with Enis Sefersah on large-scale floor sculptures that were exhibited in Detroit and New York. Matthew was equally passionate about music and percussive instruments. He began playing drums in the third grade and got his first kit when he was 11. Matthew would sneak his older brother's Deep Purple, Kiss and Led Zeppelin records to learn the drum solos. His continuous quest for the perfect sound for his music led him to develop and customize his drum kits. He was a member of Hexane, Misty, Bogue and the St. Andrews Pipe and Drum. Matthew touched many lives and will be deeply missed. There will be a celebration of Matthew's life at 4 p.m. on Thursday, May 15 at the Piquette Model T Complex (3rd floor), 461 Piquette Ave. (between Brush & John R) in Detroit.