BmoreArt’s Picks: October 22-28

This Week: Enoch Pratt Artist-in-Residence Phylicia Ghee at Current; Livewire 14 featuring Annea Lockwood at UMBC; Angela N. Carroll lecture at Towson; opening reception for Devin Allen at Galerie Myrtis, Ainsley Burrows, Cara Ober, Jeffrey Kent, and Kirk Shannon-Butts in conversation at Gallery in the Sky followed by an Art Soiree; Our Art Room’s 2024 cohort at The Peale; Creative Alliance’s Great Halloween Lantern Parade; Sky Hopinka film screening at the BMA; and Raquel Castedo, Ellen Lupton, and Tony Venne in conversation with Cara Ober at MICA Brown Center — PLUS Station North Holiday Market call for vendors and more featured opportunities!

BmoreArt’s Picks presents the best weekly art openings, events, and performances happening in Baltimore and surrounding areas. For a more comprehensive perspective, check the BmoreArt Calendar page, which includes ongoing exhibits and performances, and is updated on a daily basis.

To submit your calendar event, email us at events@bmoreart.com!

Artistry Unveiled: An Evening with Enoch Pratt’s New Resident Artist, Phylicia Ghee
Tuesday, October 22 :: 7pm
@ Current Space

Join us for an Evening with Phylicia Ghee!

Explore the world of art with the Enoch Pratt Free Library as they introduce Phylicia Ghee, their new Artist in Residence during a special evening at Current Space.

Tuesday, October 22nd
7:00 PM – 9:30 PM

The Hackerman Artist in Residence Program is a unique artist residency designed to bring creatives from all corners of Baltimore together to share and create at the Pratt Library.

The Hackerman 2025 Artist in Residence is local artist Phylicia Ghee.

During her residency, she will explore a deeply personal collaboration with her grandmother to create a quilt that delves into themes of lineage, memory, and ancestral connection. This quilt will incorporate self-portraits, family photographs, MRI scans, and natural fabrics, weaving together both personal and collective histories.

Throughout the year, Phylicia will engage with Library visitors through workshops, talks, and exhibitions, providing valuable insights into her creative approach.

Phylicia Ghee is an interdisciplinary visual artist, photographer and curator whose work documents transition, explores healing, rites-of-passage, ritual and genetic memory. Ghee thrives on creating immersive worlds that explore interiority, both physically and psychologically. Taught by her Grandfather at an early age; Ghee works in photography, performance, video, fibers, mixed media, installation & painting. She earned her BFA in Photography with a Concentration in Curatorial Studies from Maryland Institute College of Art in 2010.

Livewire 14: Resounding, featuring Annea Lockwood
Thursday, October 24 | Ongoing through October 26
@ UMBC

Join us for UMBC’s 14th annual Livewire new music festival, an exploration of new sounds presented in six concerts over three days, October 24 to 26.

Livewire 14: Resounding, featuring Annea Lockwood, celebrates the work and completion of I Resound Press, an online archive of scores and recordings by women composers selected for their imagination, innovation and craft. Featured guest composer Annea Lockwood will interact with students and audiences in a variety of events, including a sound installation, public conversations, open rehearsals, and a concluding portrait concert of her recent works. Hub New Music, Sofia Kamayianni and Tim Ward, Caballito Negro, and the UMBC faculty contemporary ensemble Ruckus will present concerts including works from the I Resound archive by composers Rahilia Hasanova, Patricia Repar, Sofia Kamayianni, Linda Dusman, Anna Rubin, Lois V Vierk, Caterina Calderoni, Jane Rigler, and Eleanor Hovda. Livewire 14 features premieres by Hasanova, Dusman, Alexandra Gardner, and others, including Sam Garrett, the commissioned alumnus composer for 2024.

In recent years, Lockwood (b. 1939) and her music have received widespread attention, including a Columbia University Miller Theatre Composer Portrait concert, a feature article in The New York Times, a SEAMUS Lifetime Achievement Award, a documentary film by director Sam Green, and most recently, election to the American Academy of Arts and Letters. Her recent collaborative works Into the Vanishing Point with the ensemble Yarn/Wire and Becoming Air with avant-garde trumpeter Nate Wooley were released on Black Truffle Records to great acclaim. Her work has been presented internationally at institutions and festivals such as Lucerne Festival, Tectonics Athens Festival, Signale Graz, Counterflows International Festival of Music and Art, Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival, and many others.

Livewire is produced by UMBC’s Department of Music, with support from UMBC’s Center for Innovation, Research, and Creativity in the Arts (CIRCA).

Lecture: Artist and Activist Angela Carroll
Thursday, October 24 :: 6:30pm
@ Towson University

Carroll is an artist-archivist, writer, curator, and investigator of art history and culture. She uses illustration, citizen journalism, documentary film, words, and experimental animation as primary mediums to contribute to and critique the archive. Carroll regularly contributes critical essays to significant publications and art exhibition catalogs and is currently a guest curator at both the Brandywine Museum of Art and Baltimore Office Promotion of the Arts (BOPA). Her recent projects include “Exploring Presence: African American Artists in the Upper South,” a catalog, exhibition, and 10-short-film docuseries that surveys under-recognized artists in Baltimore and Washington, D.C. She received her MFA in Digital Arts and New Media from the University of California at Santa Cruz.

Enjoy the MFA Exhibitions and Women’s Rights Are Human Rights Exhibition and reception following lecture

Read more of this week’s picks at BmoreArt.

BmoreArt’s Picks: October 15-21

This Week: Maryland Humanities hosts a panel discussion at UMBC with author Myriam J.A. Chancy, Morel Doucet and Myrtis Bedolla in conversation at Hillwood Museum, Art Around Hampden, ‘Pride and Prejuduce’ opens at Baltimore Center Stage, Queer Climate Cabaret at Creative Alliance, OUT LOUD film fest at SNF Parkway, ‘The Cradle Will Rock’ at Baltimore Theatre Project, Sweaty Eyeballs Animation Festival, Danny Simmons exhibition opens at the Lewis Museum, and Baltimore Clayworks’ Fire Fest — PLUS apply for a CERF+ Get Ready Grant and more featured opportunties!

BmoreArt’s Picks presents the best weekly art openings, events, and performances happening in Baltimore and surrounding areas. For a more comprehensive perspective, check the BmoreArt Calendar page, which includes ongoing exhibits and performances, and is updated on a daily basis.

To submit your calendar event, email us at events@bmoreart.com!

What Storm, What Thunder Panel Discussion
Tuesday, October 15 :: 4-6pm
@ UMBC Albin O. Kuhn Library

Maryland Humanities developed the One Maryland One Book (OMOB) initiative “to bring together diverse people in communities across the state through the shared experience of reading the same book.” After all, one of the greatest joys of reading is sharing our favorite books and starting a conversation about the ideas they present.

This year’s One Maryland One Book is What Storm, What Thunder by Myriam J.A. Chancy. UMBC has been invited to participate in a statewide conversation about this title, which explores the impact of a 7.0 earthquake on the intersecting lives of a community in Haiti. What Storm, What Thunder was named a best book of the year by NPR, Kirkus, Library Journal, The Boston Globe, and The Globe and Mail, and was awarded the American Book Award from the Before Columbus Foundation.

This panel discussion — Community Restoration and Building the Future — is hosted UMBC’s Department of Emergency and Disaster Health Systems, Center for Global Engagement, and Albin O. Kuhn Library and Gallery. The event will include snacks, drinks, and an exciting conversation led by Ellen Kohl in conversation with faculty and students from the Department of Emergency and Disaster Health Systems.

For a free copy of What Storm, What Thunder, visit the Circulation Desk in the Albin O. Kuhn Library and Gallery.

Participation is free. Campus participants are encouraged to r.s.v.p. on myUMBC.

Attendees are encouraged to read the book in advance of the discussion.

A Conversation with Morel Doucet and Myrtis Bedolla
Wednesday, October 16 :: 5:30-8pm
@ Hillwood Estate, Museum, and Gardens

This is the first program in the Fragile Beauty: Art of the Ocean exhibition lecture series. 

Join artist Morel Doucet and gallerist Myrtis Bedolla in an engaging and insightful conversation moderated by Wilfried Zeisler, chief curator and deputy director of Hillwood.

This conversation will explore Doucet’s artistic practices and inspiration behind his work, including his pieces The Christening of Land and Water and Olokun, both on display in Fragile Beauty: Art of the Ocean, as well as Bedolla’s career as a curator, art consultant, and founder and owner of Galerie Myrtis, and her specialization in works created by 20th and 21st century African American artists.

There will be time for a Q&A session at the end of the program.

HYBRID PROGRAM

This lecture will be presented in the theater in the Ellen MacNeille Charles Visitor Center and will be livestreamed via Zoom. Visitors can submit questions for the speaker from any location.

IN-PERSON TIMELINE
5:30–6:30 p.m. | Explore Hillwood

• Enjoy Hillwood’s mansion, gardens, and greenhouse, and exhibition, Fragile Beauty: Art of the Ocean, on view in the Adirondack building
• Find the perfect memento from your visit at the museum shop

6:00–6:30 p.m. | Members-only wine and cheese reception. Join today!

6:30–7:30 p.m. | Conversation in Ellen MacNeille Charles Visitor Center Theater.

October Art Around Hampden
Thursday, October 17 :: 5-8pm

Explore our neighborhood’s creative spaces this Third Thursday of October! Peruse all kinds of visual arts in local venues (with snacks and drinks! live music!) from the Mill Centre, across the Avenue, up Falls Road and into Woodberry! Plan your next dinner date at one of Hampden’s excellent eateries and Art Around Hampden!

Read more of this week’s picks at BmoreArt.

BmoreArt’s Picks: October 8-14

This Week: String Theory artist talk at Motor House, Bishme Cromartie at Museum of Industry, contract workshop with MDVLA, Emerge Baltimore Vol. 3 opening reception at Bromo Arts Tower, Mai Sennaar book talk at Clifton House, A Night OUT with Iron Crow Theatre, Station North Art Walk, Sweaty Eyeballs Animation Adjacent variety show at Area 405, Siobhan O’Loughlin documentary screening at Submersive HQ, and Josh Kline’s opening reception at art hall — PLUS UNDER$2500 call for submissions from Maryland Art Place and more featured opportunities!

BmoreArt’s Picks presents the best weekly art openings, events, and performances happening in Baltimore and surrounding areas. For a more comprehensive perspective, check the BmoreArt Calendar page, which includes ongoing exhibits and performances, and is updated on a daily basis.

To submit your calendar event, email us at events@bmoreart.com!

String Theory | Artist Talk
Tuesday, October 8 :: 8pm
@ Motor House

String theory is a theoretical framework in physics that suggests that the most fundamental element of the universe are tiny, one-dimensional, vibrating strings. These strings are different shapes and sizes and vibrate on infinite numbers of frequencies. These elements are what create the uniqueness of our reality. The problem with string theory is that it is a purely mathematical framework. There are no experimental observations yet. We’re just going off vibes, essentially.

The idea behind this exhibition is to interrogate who we are, how we experience reality, through the lens of vibes. Intuition. Innate understanding. Bias. A gut feeling. Anxiety. Logic. Each piece in the exhibit represents an observation of reality. There are works that examine the natural word. Some are figurative works that speak to identity and relationships. A few of the works in the show are abstract and ask the viewer to extrapolate an idea on their own. Some are representations of actual theories of physics. At the core, each work demands that we look deeper, and experience our world as opposed to just observing it.

Each piece of work in the exhibit has its own vibe. The exhibit in whole is another vibe. The environment at Motor House while this exhibit is up is quite another vibe. String theory might not ever be proven. The same is true for a vibe. Sometimes, a thing does not need to be proven in order to be the truth. Experience String Theory at Motor House as a trust exercise and a way to get to know your world a little bit better.

Featured Artists

Rasheem
Rashid Cornish
Gaeun Kim
Abdul-Malik Muhammad Thomas Rafus, Jr. Marcia Wolfson Ray Toni Hornes Sullivan Cherokaree Tsalagi

Labor + Innovation: Fashion Designer Bishme Cromartie
Wednesday, October 9 :: 6:30-8:30pm
@ Baltimore Museum of Industry

Bishme Cromartie, winner of Bravo TVs fashion design competition Project Runway Season 20, kicks off Labor + Innovation, a series of candid conversations at the intersections of work and art.

Join us on Wednesday Oct. 9 at 6:30PM for an in-person discussion moderated by local radio/podcast producer Aaron Henkin.

Museum members are invited to a VIP meet & greet at 5:30PM.  Not yet a member but want to meet Bishme?  Become a member today!

Bishme Cromartie was born and raised in Baltimore, and says his mission as a Black designer is to encourage self-expression, advocate for representation, and shatter the expectations for people of color. He is known for dressing celebrities like Lizzo, Niecy Nash, and Andra Day.

Featuring thoughtful discussions led by everyday workers, activists,  and industry leaders, Labor + Innovation will delve into the complexities of modern labor and explore innovative solutions for a more equitable future. Thanks to moderator Cara Ober, executive director and publisher of BmoreArt, and series co-producer Cheyanne Zadia.

Contract Basics for Creative Entrepreneurs
Thursday, October 10 :: 1-2pm
posted by Maryland Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts

Have you ever agreed to collaborate with someone? Sell your work to a patron? License your intellectual property? Creating a contract is the best way to clarify how those things should work! Join Maryland Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts (MdVLA) for a discussion on contract basics for creative entrepreneurs. MdVLA will present a workshop that will cover contract terms, rights granted, advances and more. Come and learn how to protect yourself and your work!

This webinar is available to the first 100 participants who register. A waitlist will be available.

Read more of this week’s picks at BmoreArt.

BmoreArt’s Picks: October 1-7

This Week: Free Fall Baltimore, Deerhoof / Pearl / Mowder Oyal at Ottobar, Doors Open Kick-Off, Ta-Nehisi Coates at Pratt Library, New/Next Film Fest, In the Stacks Concert Series at Peabody Library, Our Art Room Artist Collective exhibition opening reception at The Peale, Islam & Print HEIRLOOM opening reception at Gallery CA, Baltimore Open Studio Tour Weekend, BJC Focus Symposium, and an opening reception for Claire Campbell Park and gallery artists at Goya Contemporary — PLUS 2024 DC Risoprint Fair call for entry and more featured opportunities!

BmoreArt’s Picks presents the best weekly art openings, events, and performances happening in Baltimore and surrounding areas. For a more comprehensive perspective, check the BmoreArt Calendar page, which includes ongoing exhibits and performances, and is updated on a daily basis.

To submit your calendar event, email us at events@bmoreart.com!

Free Fall Baltimore
Tuesday, October 1 | Ongoing through October 31

Baltimore is a city of intense cultural history. It’s also home to a thriving scene of diverse creators, performers, venues, and advocates. We celebrate National Arts and Humanities Month by illuminating Charm City’s many contributions to the humanities.
Every October, Free Fall Baltimore immerses the city in arts and culture with an entire month of free events, ranging from studio tours and concerts to dance performances and workshops.

Deerhoof, Pearl, Mowder Oyal
Tuesday, October 1 :: 7pm
@ Ottobar

PLEASE NOTE AT THE REQUEST OF DEERHOOF, WE ASK THAT YOU MASK UP!

Deerhoof
Pearl
Mowder Oyal

Doors Open Kick-Off Event | Love Letters to Baltimore: LIVE!
Wednesday, October 2 :: 6-7pm
@ Hotel Ulysses Swann House

Baltimore Architecture Foundation and partner Baltimore Heritage are shaking up the Doors Open kick-off event. Join us for a casual evening of storytelling showcasing a variety of voices, perspectives, and special places in Baltimore as we take our letter writing campaign to the stage in the inaugural Love Letters Live!

Hosted by the Hotel Ulysses in their new event space, Swann House, the event will include light fare and wine.

RSVPs appreciated but not required!

Read more of this week’s picks at BmoreArt.

BmoreArt’s Picks: September 24-30

This Week: Karla T. Vasquez in conversation with Krystal C. Mack at UMBC, Charm City Fringe at The Peale, public reception for Elena Volkova at Stevenson University, Boshell Lecture at The Walters, Walk on By opening reception at Creative Alliance, Jackie Milad, Edgar Reyes, and René Treviño at Connect + Collect, Baltimore Book Festival, and MICA Art Market — PLUS Made in Baltimore Holiday Store call for vendors and more featured opportunities!

BmoreArt’s Picks presents the best weekly art openings, events, and performances happening in Baltimore and surrounding areas. For a more comprehensive perspective, check the BmoreArt Calendar page, which includes ongoing exhibits and performances, and is updated on a daily basis.

To submit your calendar event, email us at events@bmoreart.com!

Humanities Forum — Karla T. Vasquez in Conversation with Krystal C. Mack
Tuesday, September 24 :: 5:30-7pm
@ UMBC Albin O. Kuhn Library Gallery

Karla Tatiana Vasquez, food writer, recipe developer, and food stylist
In conversation with Krystal C. Mack, food designer and artist
This event is part of the Fall 2024 Humanities Forum.

In 2015, first-generation Salvadoran American, Karla T. Vasquez, began an online project to document recipes like the ones her mother made during her childhood. Over time, the project grew to include not only recipes, but also stories from the women who created them, offering a portrait of life for Salvadoran women both before the civil war and after their arrival in the United States. Vasquez will discuss The SalviSoul Cookbook and her efforts to preserve the food and stories of Salvadoran moms, aunts, grandmothers, and friends.

Karla T. Vasquez is a food writer, recipe developer, and food stylist based in Los Angeles. Her writing has been published by the Los Angeles Times, San Francisco Chronicle, Teen Vogue, Eater LA, and KCET (PBS SoCal), among others. Her recipe development work can be seen in Food & Wine, Serious Eats, BuzzFeed Tasty, and Tastemade. She is also a food justice advocate and an active member in her community to increase healthy food accessibility in low-income communities, previously working with Hunger Action Los Angeles and Los Angeles Food Policy Council. She founded SalviSoul in an effort to preserve her family’s recipes, and since then it has expanded to focus on cultural memory and intergenerational healing for the Salvadoran diaspora.

Krystal C. Mack is a self-taught food designer and artist using her social practice to highlight food and nature’s role in collective healing, empowerment, and decolonization. Her work has been highlighted by the New York Times, NPR, Food & Wine, and MOLD Magazine. She has been named a “Woman to Watch” by the Baltimore Sun and featured on the Cherry Bombe 100 Women in Food list by Cherry Bombe Magazine as a food industry “Change Agent.” In 2023, she was awarded the United States Artist Fellowship in Architecture & Design, becoming the first artist in the history of the USA Fellowship to be honored for working with food.

Admission is free.
This event is co-sponsored by the Latinx and Hispanic Faculty Association, the Public Humanities Program, and UMBC Dining Services.

Charm City Fringe Opening Party
Tuesday, September 24 :: 7:30pm
@ The Peale

The 10th annual Charm City Fringe Festival is happening September 26 – October 6 at The Peale, Baltimore’s Community Museum! You won’t want to miss this fantastic line-up of new, funky, always thought-provoking, occasionally sexy shows and artists plus exciting after hours events. Join us for a free opening night party with a live band, local market vendors and a sneak peak at the acts on September 26. But don’t wait for the opening night party to buy your tickets! Tickets are on sale now!

The Me Before The War No Longer Exists: Ukrainian Portraits Elena Volkova | Public Reception
Thursday, September 26 :: 4-6pm | Ongoing through December 14
@ Stevenson University

The Me Before The War No Longer Exists: Ukrainian Portraits is a participatory project that engages the community of Ukrainians displaced by war in collaborative creation of wet plate collodion portraits, with the aim to provide a platform for refugees to reclaim their sense of selfhood.

The project is framed through photography’s function to reflect society and convey truth, poetically. Utilizing it as a form social practice, I facilitate collaborative creation of portraits, using the historic wet plate collodion process, digital photography, and video. I am interested in emergent properties of collaboration and the agile process of shaping images, where the experience of making is centered. Ukrainian Portraits aims to bring visibility to people displaced by war, who are engaged in a delicate negotiation between their personal lives, communal backgrounds, and their emerging identities as displaced individuals. This project is guided by my own experiences of displacement; it addresses the themes of belonging, ambiguity, liminality, and subjectivity. The resulting images reflect a sense of transition, becoming, or, being in between, woven into the project’s narrative of reclaiming one’s selfhood. My creative role intertwines with the complexities of immigration, trauma, loss, and ambiguity that surrounds it. Through shared presence and creative collaboration, a unique artistic experience emerges, blurring the lines between the subject, creator, and audience.

Bio: Elena Volkova is a Ukrainian-born artist and educator, whose creative practice uses historic and contemporary photographic techniques to delve into the complex themes of liminality by exploring the nuances of subjective experiences. Volkova exhibited nationally and internationally, and has been a recipient of Rubys Grant, Baltimore Municipal Art Society Travel Prize, and a fellow at Hamiltonian Artists, in addition to other recognitions and awards that support her creative practice. Volkova has been a social practice resident artist at Maryland Center for History and Culture, Anacostia Arts Center, and Maker General among others, and her work is included in various private and public collections, including Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore Museum of Art, and MDHC. Volkova resides in Baltimore, MD and teaches Photography at Stevenson University.

Read more of this week’s picks at BmoreArt.

BmoreArt’s Picks: September 17-23

This Week: A Fall Mixer of Dance at Baltimore Theatre Project, Symphony in the City at Morgan, Levester Williams opening reception at UMBC, three exhibitions opening at Goucher, High Zero Festival, ‘Openings’ at SNF Parkway, Suchitra Mattai exhibition opens at NMWA, fiber colloquium at the Lewis Museum, Ada Pinkston opening reception + meet the artist at Transformer DC, Tea with Myrtis featuring Monica Ikegwu at Galerie Myrtis, Mount Vernon Plein Air show, and Preoccupied free community day at the BMA — PLUS Open Works EnterpRISE 2024 applications and more featured opportunities!

BmoreArt’s Picks presents the best weekly art openings, events, and performances happening in Baltimore and surrounding areas. For a more comprehensive perspective, check the BmoreArt Calendar page, which includes ongoing exhibits and performances, and is updated on a daily basis.

To submit your calendar event, email us at events@bmoreart.com!

A Fall Mixer of Dance
Tuesday, September 17 :: 7pm
@ Baltimore Theatre Project

Baltimore Theatre Project presents PDCM – A FALL MIXER OF DANCE!

Featuring five of Maryland’s professional dance companies together on one stage in an exciting evening of dance art.

Join us and experience the magic of dance coming together in a one night spectacular event!

The Professional Dance Collaborative of Maryland (PDCM), featuring:

BAD Ballet
Ballet Theatre of Maryland
Dance & Bmore
Full Circle Dance Company
VTDance

Symphony in the City
Wednesday, September 18 :: 7:30pm
@ Morgan State University Murphy Fine Arts Center

The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra proudly announces the return of its free, three-concert community series, Symphony in the City on Wednesday, September 18, at 7:30 pm at Morgan State University.

Held at the Gilliam Concert Hall in the Murphy Fine Arts Center, the first Symphony in the City concert of the season is led by BSO Music Director Jonathon Heyward and features selections from Beethoven’s Symphony No. 6, “Pastorale,” known for its vivid depiction of nature and rural scenes. In conversation with Beethoven’s timeless work, the concert will also showcase compositions by James Lee III, whose works are infused with vibrant narratives and deep cultural resonance.

The Symphony in the City series will continue with performances across Baltimore, including a tribute to Veterans on November 20 at War Memorial and a celebration of Black History Month on February 7 at the Reginald F. Lewis Museum.

SYMPHONY IN THE CITY: MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY

Wednesday, September 18, at 7:30 PM

Murphy Fine Arts Center
Morgan State University
2201 Argonne Dr.
Baltimore, MD  21218

Jonathon Heyward, conductor

BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 6, “Pastoral” I. Awakening of cheerful feelings on arrival in the countryside
JAMES LEE III Amer’ican
BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 6, “Pastoral” II. Scene by the brook
JAMES LEE III Captivating Personas III. Bored Comfort
BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 6, “Pastoral” IV. Thunderstorm
BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 6, “Pastoral” V. Shepherd’s song. Cheerful and thankful feelings after the storm

Levester Williams, all matters aside | Opening Reception
Thursday, September 19 :: 5-7pm
@ UMBC Center for Art, Design and Visual Culture

The Center for Art, Design and Visual Culture presents the early-career survey Levester Williams: all matters aside, an exhibition curated by Lisa D. Freiman, professor of art history at Virginia Commonwealth University, on view at the CADVC gallery from September 20 through December 14.

Levester Williams: all matters aside presents a selection of the Philadelphia-based conceptual sculptor’s work from the past decade including sculpture, video, sound art, and installation. Williams’s research-based practice, which includes explorations of diverse archives, studies of materials, and explorations of the charged sites of public spaces, is vitally linked to an art practice that sees the world as a nuanced spectrum of human identities and experiences entangled in designations of race, gender, sexuality, and aesthetics.

Levester Williams’s artworks are steeped in the significance of their constitutive materials and their layered connections to specific sites. When he uses specific media, such as Maryland’s Cockeysville marble, or found objects, such as used penitentiary bedsheets from a Virginia detention center, he channels their layered associations with Black experience, history, and memory into new contexts and forms.

On display in all matters aside are new works with origins in Williams’s 2015-initiated project of a beyond, where he began to examine the connections among blues singer Billie Holiday, Cockeysville marble, and Baltimore’s built environments. During an artist residency at CADVC, Williams continued this research into the histories and mythologies of Cockeysville marble, a material used in both the Washington Monument in Baltimore’s Mount Vernon neighborhood and the iconic exterior steps of local rowhomes.

The exhibition will be accompanied by the first in CADVC’s public art projection series with a new video art gallery set into the open amphitheater of the UMBC Fine Arts Building. New single-channel videos commissioned by the Center result from research and movement workshops that included UMBC students and other Baltimore residents. The commissions were part of the Center’s Exploratory Research Residency Program, launched in 2022 and sponsored by the “Big Ideas” initiative of the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences (CAHSS) Dean’s office. Artist Nia Hampton, a current UMBC Intermedia + Digital Arts (IMDA) graduate student, and her mother, artist and arts advocate Sheila Gaskins, both Baltimore natives, are featured performers in this series of works. The filmic work was assisted by IMDA graduate student Bao Nguyen and artist Savannah Knoop, who served as an intimacy coordinator and facilitator. According to Williams, the project underscores the “intertwined history of African-Americans’ plight to self-determined agency and full citizenship, with a rather benign stone.”

The projection project was seeded by a public art planning grant through the Maryland State Arts Council, with artist Kelley Bell and art historian Kathy O’Dell serving as advisors, and artist Rahne Alexander convening a series of public programs that developed this planning effort. The construction of this public projection space was supported by the CAHSS Dean’s office and the Division of Research and Creative Achievement at UMBC.

Opening Reception

The exhibition will open on September 19 from 5 to 7 p.m. with public programming featuring Levester Williams, Michelle D. Wright, and Lisa Freiman. Please visit here for additional information.

Read more of this week’s picks at BmoreArt.

BmoreArt’s Picks: September 10-16

This Week: Asia in Maryland 2024 opens, public reception for Ainsley Burrows at Gallery in the Sky, Revisions photography exhibition reception + curatorial tour at UMBC, reGenerate opening reception at MAP, Bromo Art Walk + After Party, Nicoletta Darita de la Brown in conversation with Joseph Plaster for JHU Tabb Center, Station North First Friday Art Walk, Trawick Prize opening reception at Gallery B, and Brush Mural Fest at the Convention Center — PLUS applications for Goucher Library Artist-in-Residence and more featured opportunities!

BmoreArt’s Picks presents the best weekly art openings, events, and performances happening in Baltimore and surrounding areas. For a more comprehensive perspective, check the BmoreArt Calendar page, which includes ongoing exhibits and performances, and is updated on a daily basis.

To submit your calendar event, email us at events@bmoreart.com!

Asia in Maryland 2024 | Opening Reception + Meet the Artists
Wednesday, September 11 :: 7:30pm
@ Towson University Asian Arts + Culture Center

Explore diverse works of art by Maryland-based Asian and AAPI visual artists which showcase the stories of, raise awareness about, and facilitate dialogue about the ideas and issues that are most important to the 500,000+ Asian and AAPI residents who play integral roles in the fabric of Maryland life.

Asia in Maryland 2024 exhibition Featured Artists include:

Jasmeen Al Rayyes * Kurt Astudillo * Nancy Berson * Lisa Golightly Braden * Rieko Chacey * Riya Devi-Ashby * Anna Divinagracia * Gloria Tseng Fischer * Sarah An Girard * Farida Hughes * Trang Huynh * Myung Sook Kim * Wanjin Kim * Jinyoung Koh * Anila Kumari * Pamela Li * Linling Liu * Isabel Manalo * Adrianna Morgan * Sookkyung Park * Francisco Pham * Asma Shikoh * Amelie Wang * Lei Yan * Kelley Yang * Phyllis Zhu

Ainsley Burrows | Public Reception
Thursday, September 12 :: 6-8pm
@ Gallery in the Sky

Ainsley Burrows is a poet, musician, performer, and painter born in Kingston, Jamaica. His work will be on view at Top of the World’s Gallery in the Sky this fall as part of BOPA’s Peak Artist Series. Mark your calendar for Thursday, September 12, when Burrows’ solo exhibition opens with a free public reception from 6:00–8:00 p.m.

Revisions: Celebrating 50 Years of the UMBC Photography Collections | Opening Reception + Curatorial Tour
Thursday, September 12 :: 5pm
@ UMBC Albin O. Kuhn Library

The Albin O. Kuhn Library Gallery presents Revisions: Celebrating Fifty Years of the UMBC Photography Collections, featuring highlights and lesser-known gems from UMBC’s considerable photography holdings. Looking back at a half-century of collecting, the exhibition offers thematic groupings and visual juxtapositions of photographs from the nineteenth century to the present. The display asks viewers to approach the history of photography with fresh eyes. Among the artists featured are Berenice Abbott, Diane Arbus, Kerry Coppin, Cary Beth Cryor, Judy Dater, Robert Frank, Roland Freeman, Ralph Gibson, Lewis Hine, and Alfred Stieglitz.

An opening reception and curatorial tour will be held on Thursday, September 12, at 5 p.m.

Read more of this week’s picks at BmoreArt.

BmoreArt’s Picks: September 3-9

This Week: Peter Scholleck opening reception at Arting Gallery, OMOB kick-off with Myriam J. A. Chancy, Ernest Shaw artist reception at The Silva DC, Bearing Witness artist talk at Eubie Blake, Dewey Crumpler opening reception at the Driskell Center, Crow’s Nest inaugural show reception, Esther Kläs opening reception at CPM, Unidos En El Arte opening reception at Creative Alliance, TLaloC opening reception at VisArts, “all water has a perfect memory.” opening reception at Current, BmoreArt City of Artists panel at The Walters (free!), and an opening reception for Connie Imboden at Katzen Gallery — PLUS Fellowships at the National Gallery of Art and more featured opportunities!

BmoreArt’s Picks presents the best weekly art openings, events, and performances happening in Baltimore and surrounding areas. For a more comprehensive perspective, check the BmoreArt Calendar page, which includes ongoing exhibits and performances, and is updated on a daily basis.

To submit your calendar event, email us at events@bmoreart.com!

The Unknown Paintings of Peter Scholleck | Opening Event
Thursday, September 5 :: 5-8pm
@ Arting Gallery

ARTING Gallery is honored to present:

The Unknown Paintings of Peter Scholleck

September 3-29, 2024

Opening Event September 5, 2024, 5:00-8:00 p.m. with refreshments

Remarks at 6:00 p.m. by curator George Ciscle and Eileen Scholleck Koenigsberg, the artist’s daughter.

In addition, join us at any of the salon events listed below.
Please rsvp to info@peterscholleckart.com if you are able to attend. Remarks by George Ciscle and the artist’s daughter begin 30 minutes after the start time of each salon.

Tuesday, September 10, 9:00-10:30 a.m. with breakfast
Monday, September 16, 5:00-6:30 p.m. with light refreshments
Sunday, September 22, 3:00-4:30 p.m. with light refreshments

On view, are 12 paintings by self-taught artist Peter Scholleck from an extraordinary body of 157 works created from 1946 to 1967 that have never been viewed by the public.

Painter Peter Leo Max Scholleck (1923-1969) was born in Munich Germany to Jewish parents. At age 15, in 1938, Scholleck was not allowed to remain at the Episcopal boarding school where he was enrolled because of Hitler’s antisemitic laws. Later that year, the horror of Kristallnacht took place in Munich and his step-father, Wilhelm Nussbaum, was taken to Dachau Concentration Camp. He was released six weeks later but was in ill health from beatings sustained at Dachau. Scholleck’s mother had been resistant to leaving Germany, but after Kristallnacht the family began the process of obtaining documents for emigration to the United States. Just prior to their departure, the Nazi security police came to the family residence to determine if the items and small amount of money they intended to take with them were permitted by the government. Though he rarely spoke of his life in Germany, Scholleck tried to describe to his daughter the fear that he felt with the Nazis present in his home. The family arrived in Baltimore in May 1939 where Nussbaum died just 20 months later.

How the sum of Scholleck’s experiences and those as a soldier stationed in the Pacific during World War II were internalized, cannot be wholly known. Seeking to understand how his personal history informed the works that he ultimately created is perhaps best understood by the tension and urgency in each piece. There is a raw need for expression that is delivered in a rich and methodical process. Scholleck’s execution reveals his deep devotion, passion, and earnestness toward his works. He made art because he had to: prolifically, energetically, experimentally. His daughter, Eileen Scholleck Koenigsberg, recalls that her father was compelled to paint. He had an inner drive to create that he could not ignore.

This exhibition is a first step to introduce the collection to the public; it is not a commercial venture. The intention is to place Scholleck’s works in public spaces or with collectors in order for the work to be seen and enjoyed beyond the walls of his daughter’s home.

Visit www.peterscholleckart.com to learn more about the artist and his work.

Arting Gallery will be open from 3:00-5:00 p.m. on September 10, 15, 17 and 24, and by appointment. To schedule a visit outside of posted hours, email ag@artinggallery.net.

Arting Gallery (www.artinggallery.net) is located at 3500 Parkdale Avenue, Building 1, Suite 212, Baltimore, Maryland 21211.

One Maryland One Book Virtual Kickoff with Myriam J. A. Chancy
Thursday, September 5 :: 6-8pm
presented by Maryland Humanities

Maryland Humanities kicks off the 2024 One Maryland One Book author programming on September 5, 2024 at 6:00 p.m. EST with a virtual panel featuring Myriam J. A. Chancy, author of the 2024 Book Selection What Storm What Thunder. She will be joined in conversation with Haitian writers, scholars, and thinkers. Dr. Mamyrah Prosper of the University of California, Irvine will serve as the moderator followed by an audience Q&A.

Chancy’s novel follows a cast of characters during the 2010 earthquake that struck Haiti.  The Haitian-Canadian-American author masterfully charts the inner lives of the characters affected by the disaster in scenes before, after, and during the earthquake. She artfully weaves together the lives of an NGO architect, an expat and water-bottling executive; Sara, a mother haunted by the ghosts of her children; Leopold, a small-time drug trafficker; Didier, a musician and cab driver who lives in Boston; and many more.

Click here to join us for the wonderful conversation: register here.

Reading What Storm, What Thunder is not a prerequisite for enjoying the event: it welcomes both readers of the book and those interested in learning about Haiti as it explores Haitian culture and literature.

Along with Chancy and Prosper, the panel includes:

• Dr. Ermion Pierre of Essentia Center for Integrative Health, LLC;
• Dr. Marie-José Nzengou-Tayo of University of the West Indies, Mona Campus; and
• Dr. Sabine Lamour of Brown University and Université d’État d’Haïti.

Learn more about Maryland Humanities’ One Maryland One Book program here.

Movement and Memory: Solo Exhibition featuring Ernest Shaw | Artist Reception
Thursday, September 5 :: 6-8pm
@ The Silva DC

Through multi-layered imagery, Shaw’s work uses energetic linework and areas of color blocking to fuse realistic portraits of contemporary young Black males with sketches of historical ethnic tropes. In presenting his subjects in this manner, Shaw reveals an intimate reflection of his personal journey of grief, vulnerability, and healing after the loss of his young son to cancer.

“These works reflect my lived experience as an Afro-Diasporic man born and raised in the U.S.  who searched for healing from the trauma of the transcendence of his son. For fifteen years I searched for a therapist to assist with grieving this new reality and the day-to-day struggles that life affords Black men. This body of work exhibit my preparedness to receive therapy and the benefits of finding the correct fit for my needs as a member of the human family.” – Shaw

This exhibition includes new artworks by Shaw, created within the last two years in parallel with his earnest dedication to therapy to process his own grief and healing. The vibrant applications of color, often surfacing black and white photography and charcoal sketches, present a dynamic and intimate insight into each figure. Shaw invites us into each young person’s life to experience the totality, preciousness, and collective memory they each embody.

The exhibition title Movement and Memory corresponds to one conceptual category of the Africana Studies framework created by Black Scholars as an intellectual pursuit contrasting the metamorphosis of African American studies in academia. This aspect of the framework highlights how Afro-Diasporic people move through time and space utilizing memory as the context needed to live in the present, while charting a path to the future that makes space for Afro-Diasporic people to exist in their full humanity with autonomy and authenticity.

Shaw has expanded the honoring of his son, Taj, and processing his own grief by visually centering his relationships with young people and students during a two-decade+ career as an educator in Baltimore City Public Schools. Symbols depicting his memories of his son are collaged into portraits of other young Black males in his immediate community, molding actual and collective memories as one.

“As I was advised by one of my mentors shortly after Taj’s transcendence, there is only one spirit and my son’s spirit will be experienced through my relationships with my students.” – Shaw

Ultimately, the presented collection of artworks calls the viewer to witness the therapeutic markings of healing, and the visual weaving of collective memory.

Read more of this week’s picks at BmoreArt.

BmoreArt’s Picks: August 27 – September 3

This Week: Baltimore Comedy Festival, Anna Divinagracia gallery reception at Chesapeake Arts Center, artist talk with BJC resident Zach Mellman-Carsey, 410 Fresh Fashion Show at Current, closing for Jess! Pfohl at Zo Gallery, and two pieces from Are You Thinking What I’m Thinking? collective at Mobtown Ballroom — PLUS Maryland Tough Baltimore Strong Key Bridge Fund applications open and more featured opportunities!

BmoreArt’s Picks presents the best weekly art openings, events, and performances happening in Baltimore and surrounding areas. For a more comprehensive perspective, check the BmoreArt Calendar page, which includes ongoing exhibits and performances, and is updated on a daily basis.

To submit your calendar event, email us at events@bmoreart.com!

Baltimore Comedy Festival 2024
Thursday, August 29 | Ongoing through September 2

Each year since its inception in 2017, the Baltimore Comedy Festival (BCF) has brought more than 75 – 100 professional comedians from around the U.S. to Baltimore for six days of LIVE showcases at multiple venues throughout downtown Baltimore and around the city. The 8th Annual Baltimore Comedy Festival continues this tradition with Motor House serving as it’s Headquarters. Visit their site for a full schedule of events!

There Is No Fear In Love | Gallery Reception
Thursday, August 29 :: 6-8pm
@ Chesapeake Arts Center

“There Is No Fear In Love,” a solo exhibition by Anna Divinagracia, is a photographic exploration delving into the profound influence of love across relationships, community, identity, and culture. Through a collection spanning six years, this series unveils the intricate dynamics that manifest the diverse expressions of devotion. It celebrates the transformative power of love, revealing how it fortifies individual character and fosters communal bonds. Embedded within the imagery is the notion that to love is to witness and reflect, where we become mirrors of each other’s light. From archival pieces to recent works, Divinagracia’s body of art invites viewers to contemplate the fearless depths of love’s impact.

This exhibit is on view in our Gallery 194 from August 10, 2024 – September 5, 2024.

Zach Mellman-Carsey Residency Artist Talk
Thursday, August 29 :: 7pm

presented by Baltimore Jewelry Center

Please join the Baltimore Jewelry Center on Thursday, August 29th at 7pm for a Residency Artist Talk with August resident Zach Mellman-Carsey. Zach is an artist and jeweler visiting the BJC from his current homebase in Lancaster, PA. In his studio practice he creates wearable fine and conceptual jewelry and sculptures. He received his MFA from Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana. In his time with the BJC Zach has been focused spending quality time at this bench working to develop his growing body of work.

Read more of this week’s picks at BmoreArt.

BmoreArt’s Picks: August 20-26

This Week: 2024 Little Patuxent Review Poetry Finalists at the Pratt Library, ‘Seeking Mavis Beacon’ advance screening and Q&A at The Charles, 2024 Sondheim Award ceremony at The Walters, opening reception for Baltimore Clayworks’ Short Term Residents Exhibition, Night Owl Gallery’s one year anniversary in Station North, opening reception for Yewande “Wande” Kotun Davis at Genius Guice Studios, Current Space’s 20th anniversary weekend, Joan Cox artist talk at IA&A Hillyer, ‘Miss Mistress of Smut Pageant” at Creative Alliance, and Joseph Plaster + Drew Daniels in conversation at Bird in Hand — PLUS The Arc of Baltimore’s Art in the Round call for entry and more featured opportunities!

BmoreArt’s Picks presents the best weekly art openings, events, and performances happening in Baltimore and surrounding areas. For a more comprehensive perspective, check the BmoreArt Calendar page, which includes ongoing exhibits and performances, and is updated on a daily basis.

To submit your calendar event, email us at events@bmoreart.com!

Celebrating the 2024 Poetry Contest Finalists with Little Patuxent Review
Tuesday, August 20 :: 6:30pm
@ Enoch Pratt FREE Library – Central Branch

In celebration of the finalists of the 2024 Poetry Contest with the Enoch Pratt Free Library and Little Patuxent Review,  join us for an evening of readings by the three finalists, Marc A. Drexler, Kate Powell Shine, and Preet Bhela, as well as Little Patuxent Review contributor xochi quetzali cartland. Little Patuxent Review lead editor Sarah Berger will host.

Marc A. Drexler, the winner of the 2024 Poetry Contest, has lived in Maryland most of his life since moving from Iowa to attend Johns Hopkins University. His poem “Baltimore, 1977” appears in Maryland in Poetry (2020). He has a poem on some Arlington Transit (ART) buses in Virginia as part of their Moving Words project through September 2024. He has been published by Split This Rock and The Mid-Atlantic Review. Marc has also served as a Community Teaching Assistant for the Coursera online course Modern & Contemporary American Poetry (ModPo), led by Al Filreis out of UPenn. He worked for many years at the Maryland Food Co-op on the University of Maryland, College Park campus and believes strongly in collectivism.

Kate Powell Shine, a 2024 Poetry Contest finalist, has had poems published in magazines including Fuselit, Beltway Poetry Quarterly, and Gargoyle. She is active in numerous local literary communities including those at Montgomery College, Montgomery County Public Libraries, and the Eastern Shore Writers Association. She lives in Montgomery Village with her husband, John Shine.

Preet Bhela, a 2024 Poetry Contest finalist, is a Punjabi-American poet currently in his second year of the University of Maryland’s MFA program, where he also teaches and conducts workshops with undergraduates. He is from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where he grew up working at his family’s restaurant. His work inspects the self as a site of interruption and how language can embody such breaks and disruptions, especially through a diasporic lens.

xochi quetzali cartland, a contributor to Little Patuxent Review‘s summer issue, is a queer and Latina poet, seamstress, and transformative justice practitioner. She graduated from Brown University with a BA in literary arts and has since moved to Washington, D.C., where they are rekindling their love of trees and learning to make pretzels. Her work has been featured in Apple in the Dark and Common Ground Review, as well as supported by National Arts Strategies and Brooklyn Poets.

Sarah Berger, a contest judge, is a classical singer, writer, editor, teacher, maker, and editor of the Little Patuxent Review. She’s a graduate of Oberlin College, the Peabody Conservatory, and the University of Baltimore’s MFA program in creative writing and publishing arts. She now teaches at UB in the undergraduate writing program. She’s working on a forthcoming novel about music students. Links to Sarah’s published writing, music, and other projects can be found at orangesloth.com and on social media @OrangeSlothArt.

• Registration opens on Monday, May 13 at 12pm.
• To attend in person please register here.
• Doors will open to registered attendees at 5:30 pm.
• Free parking vouchers are available to program attendees who park at the Franklin Street Garage (15 W. Franklin Street) after 4pm.  Ask Pratt event staff for your parking voucher prior to or after the program.
• This free event will be presented in-person and virtually.
• For more information about this event, email poetry@prattlibrary.org.

Pictured: (top row) Kate Powell Shine, Marc A. Drexler, Preet Bhela, (bottom row) xochi quetzali cartland, Sarah Berger.

Virtual Meeting Information

There is no registration required for virtual attendance, simply visit the Enoch Pratt Free Library’s Facebook or Youtube page.

NEON + Black Femme Supremacy Film Fest present SEEKING MAVIS BEACON (early access screening)
Tuesday, August 20 :: 7pm
@ The Charles Theatre

One of the most influential Black women in technology is a figment of our collective imagination. Mavis Beacon was invented by the co-founder of MySpace to sell the world’s most popular typing software, but the real woman she was modeled after disappeared in 1995. Seeking Mavis Beacon poses critical questions regarding anthropomorphization and the consumption of marginalized bodies in the tech industry, while reimagining the legacy of a missing historical figure. A NEON release.

Q+A with filmmakers Jazmin Renee Jones and Olivia McKayla Ross moderated by Angela N. Carroll to follow. Click HERE to rsvp for free –  [get the password by following @seekingmavisbeacon on IG and DMing BALTIMORE] or purchase a ticket HERE

Sondheim 2024 Art Prize Finalists: Award Ceremony
Thursday, August 22 :: 6-7:30pm
@ The Walters Art Museum

Location: Level 1 Lobby and Graham Auditorium
Registration is required.

The Walters Art Museum, in collaboration with the Baltimore Office of Promotion & The Arts, is proud to present the 2024 Janet & Walter Sondheim Art Prize Finalists Exhibition. The exhibition showcases the work of three finalists—Hellen Ascoli, Amy Boone-McCreesh, and Sam Mack—in this prestigious competition, which awards a $30,000 fellowship to assist in furthering the career of a visual artist or visual artist collaborators living and working in the greater Baltimore region. Attend the award ceremony and reception and be among the first to celebrate the winner and mingle with members of Baltimore’s arts community.

REGISTER

This program is co-hosted with the Baltimore Office for Promotion and The Arts and presented in conjunction with the 19th annual Janet & Walter Sondheim Art Prize Finalists Exhibition on view at the Walters from July 17 through September 8, 2024.

Image: Amy Boone-McCreesh, Objects of Desire (installation view), 2018, custom wall painting, works on paper, custom linoleum flooring; Hellen Ascoli, We Shaped Soft Gods Here (collaboration with Karl Williamson), 2022, brick molds made of wood, digitally printed components, hand woven bands; Sam Mack, yellow safety cone, 2021, earthenware, porcelain, majolica, glaze, underglaze. All artwork © the artists.

Read more of this week’s picks at BmoreArt.

Bmore Art Picks: August 13-19

This Week: Annual Tenants Exhibit artist talk at Motor House, FRESH BLACK FILMS at Le Mondo, Virginia Warwick artist talk at Night Owl, MSAC Apprenticeship Film Series at Creative Alliance, an installation from Shannon Collis and Liz Donadio at The Voxel, closing reception for Feedback Loop at Gallery CA, The Peale’s 210th birthday, opening reception for Monica Ikegwu at Galerie Myrtis, and an artist talk + closing for Monique Crabb and Viscous at Current — PLUS Preservation Trades Instructors needed at The Peale and more featured opportunities!

Image: Chukwuemeka 1 (left) and Chukwuemeka 2 (right), 2023, Oil on canvas, 48 x 36”, by Monica IkegwuBmoreArt’s Picks presents the best weekly art openings, events, and performances happening in Baltimore and surrounding areas. For a more comprehensive perspective, check the BmoreArt Calendar page, which includes ongoing exhibits and performances, and is updated on a daily basis.

To submit your calendar event, email us at events@bmoreart.com!

On August 13th at 8 PM, Motor House invites you to join the artist talk for IN-HOUSE: Annual Tenants Exhibit. The Motor House Artist Talk series offers the audience a unique and interactive experience in which they get to meet and discuss the content, process, and perspectives of the artists featured in the exhibit.

Curated by the Executive Director, Camille Kashaka, “IN-HOUSE” is an exhibit dedicated to amplifying the artistry of the resident artists, staff, and program producers of Motor House. The Artist Talk is free to attend, but registration is encouraged, as seating will be limited and will likely meet capacity.

“The uniqueness of Motor House can really be summed up in our staff and residents. Each of our amazing employees also has an art practice that uniquely enhances their ability to serve Baltimore’s art community. I’m thankful that I’ve been able to glean from so much talent and create something of my own. Furthermore, our resident artists have captivated the world through their artistry. Ernest Shaw, Elisa Murillo, Jazzy Studios, Tamara Payne, Gary Mullen and many other great talents call Motor House home. It gives me great pride to know that my artwork is exhibited among people I consider the masters of their craft.” – Raymond J. Spence, Marketing and Communications Manager at Motor House, 4 Submitted works in exhibit.

At the helm of the discussion will be Camile Kashaka who has prepared a unique line of questioning for each artist. Audience members will have the opportunity to address the Artists in attendance directly with a Q&A segment. For those curious about creative processes, development of ideas, or overcoming adversity both internally and externally, this Artist Talk is for you.

Attending Artists:

● Jon Brick
● Jeff Butler
● Gary Mullen
● Alfonso Smith Jr.
● The Spence Family

FRESH BLACK FILMS
Thursday, August 15 :: 7-9pm
@ Le Mondo

Nomadic cinema and curators The Luminal Theater present FRESH BLACK FILMS – showcasing the work of emerging Black filmmakers from the Northeast USA.

Our series exposes fresh audiences to new, dynamic work from emerging Black filmmakers, and Black filmmakers and creatives to more of each other’s original work.

Join us for five diverse films that include intense dramas and funky experimental fare!

Why Emerging Filmmakers for FRESH BLACK FILMS

It’s literally in the name of our series. We define “emerging” as filmmakers, regardless of age, who are fairly new to directing & producing cinema, and have had only intermediate success on the film festival circuit, and also may have not had films acquired by major distribution or streaming platforms. All our selected filmmakers have unique perspectives that are aching to be seen and discovered and supported by audiences like you and film industry professionals.

This edition of Fresh Black Films is sponsored in part by the National Endowment for the Arts and venue partner Le Mondo, with sponsorship prizes from Final Draft and Coverfly.

Extensions: A Journey Beyond the Glance | Opening Reception
Saturday, August 17 :: 2-6pm
@ Galerie Myrtis

  On View
August 17 – September 21, 2024

Opening Reception
Saturday, August 17th – Time: 2:00 – 6:00 pm

Tea with Myrtis
Saturday. September 21st – Time: 2:00 – 4:00 pm

Galerie Myrtis is delighted to present “Extensions,” the inaugural solo exhibition by acclaimed artist Monica Ikegwu. The opening reception will take place on Saturday, August 17, from 2:00 to 6:00 pm. The opening is free and open to the public. We invite everyone to join us for this special event.

In “Extensions,” Ikegwu’s masterful execution of hyperrealist portrayals of African Americans delves into the complexities and joys of their life experiences. Her paintings reveal the duality of her subjects, exuding confidence and composure while also displaying introspection and moments of joy. Ikegwu captures the subjects’ outward personas and inner essences with fluid brushstrokes and vivid hues. Set against monochromatic backgrounds that subtly add depth and dimension to the composition. The artist’s work is both striking and profoundly insightful.

Join us for “Tea with Myrtis” on Saturday, September 21, from 2:00 to 4:00 pm, featuring an intimate and enlightening conversation between Monica Ikegwu and Dr. Myrtis Bedolla. Ikegwu will share the unique stories and inspirations behind her latest body of work. And provide insight into her personal journey and creative process. This is a ticketed event. Registration opens August 21st.

“In the hustle of daily life, how many people do you truly see? A handful? Maybe hundreds? Each fleeting glance offers only a fragmented snapshot of who they are in that moment. In my exhibition, Extensions, I explore the dynamic nature of human demeanor, attitude, and character, seeking to capture the complexity that lies beyond a single visual impression.

Through my hyper-realistic portraits of African Americans, I ask my subjects to reveal two distinct facets of their identity, each contributing to a holistic understanding of their persona. This duality encourages us to reconsider how we define and perceive individuals. What we see is just one dimension, but as we delve deeper and truly engage with others, we uncover the multiple layers of their personalities, which often manifest subtly in their appearance.

Having access to these less visible aspects of people transforms our perception of them. It enriches our understanding and fosters a deeper connection.

Moreover, this exploration extends to the concept of interconnectedness. Our identity can be reflected in those close to us—whether it’s a child, a sibling, or a friend. These relationships act as extensions of ourselves, revealing facets of our identity that might not be immediately apparent on the surface.

My work invites you to look beyond the surface and appreciate the multifaceted nature of human identity, ultimately challenging and enriching your perception of those around you.” – Monica Ikegwu

The exhibition will be held from August 17th to September 21st at Galerie Myrtis. Gallery hours: Wednesday – Saturday from 2:00 – 6:00 pm by appointment. Hours are extended during special events. For additional information on this exhibition, please contact the gallery at (410) 235‐3711 or Ky Vassor, Gallery Manager, at ky@galeriemyrtis.com. For sales inquiries, please contact our Sales Manager, Noel Bedolla, at noel@galerimyrtis.com.

Read more of this week’s picks at BmoreArt

BmoreArt’s Picks: August 6-12

This Week: Baltimore Improv Festival continues through Sunday, ‘Black Remedy’ Summer Fashion Show at Jubilee Arts, Bearing Witness exhibition opening at Eubie Blake, opening reception for Vic Yambao at Waller Gallery, HOPE performs at the Creative Alliance, iWITNESS: Media & The Movement Free Day at the Lewis Museum, a dance concert at the Lewis Museum, Yelé Stitches presents Runway Revolution at Motor House, and closing day for Women to Watch at the NMWA — PLUS Elena Johnston Memorial Scholarship applications and more featured opportunties!BmoreArt’s Picks presents the best weekly art openings, events, and performances happening in Baltimore and surrounding areas. For a more comprehensive perspective, check the BmoreArt Calendar page, which includes ongoing exhibits and performances, and is updated on a daily basis.

To submit your calendar event, email us at events@bmoreart.com!

The 16th annual Baltimore Improv Festival
Ongoing through August 11

The 16th annual Baltimore Improv Festival is coming up from Aug 5-11 at the Baltimore Improv Group theater. We’re again bringing improv comedy teams from around the US to perform and lead workshops here. Our audiences love the festival, and we always have out of town teams tell us how much they love our audiences. Full schedule & tickets here:

https://www.bigimprov.org/bif-2024

The Black Remedy Show
Friday, August 9 :: 5-9pm
@ Jubilee Arts

Welcome to The Black Remedy Show!

Come join us for a night of art, fashion, community Building and fun at 1947 Pennsylvania Ave.

The theme of this year’s collection is “Black Remedy,” focusing on solutions for issues affecting Black communities, social justice, and the broader challenges faced by people of color. This powerful theme is reflected in the designs our youth have created over the summer.

In addition to the fashion show, we are excited to announce that we will also be launching a 24-hour fundraising campaign in partnership with CLLCTVLYGIVE. Our goal is to raise $100,000 to support our programs and initiatives.

We invite you to join us for this dual celebration of creativity and community giving. Your support can make a significant difference in helping us reach our fundraising goal.

Bearing Witness: Photographing Black Families in Baltimore | Opening Reception
Friday, August 9 :: 6pm
@ Eubie Blake Cultural Center

Exhibition Saturday, August 4 – September 29, 2024

Opening Reception Friday, August 9, 2024; 6pm

Artist Talk Thursday, September 5, 2024; 7pm

Family Photo Day/ Closing Event Saturday, September 28, 2024;

-a panel discussion which allows space for the artists to discuss their work and explore themes of black representation.

Family Photo Day/ Closing Event Saturday, September 28, 2024;2pm

A workshop on how to preserve family photos, digitization station, photo studio for family group pictures

A photography session with a local Black photographer that documents 12-16 Baltimore families and allows them to receive professional family photographs.

Featured Photographers Daisy Brown, John Clark Mayden, I. Henry Phillips, Sr.,I.H. Webster Phillips, III, Brian Pinson, and SHAN Wallace

About Bearing Witness Provocative, insightful, unfiltered.For almost 200 years, Black photographers have intentionally documented Black communities. They have used their cameras and creativity to portray Black people “as they see them” and redress the racialized narratives which are common in popular media. In Baltimore, Maryland, Black photographers have played a critical role in representing lives too seldom celebrated and too often forgotten. With their images featured in spaces ranging from family photo albums to national publications, these artists embody a tradition of witnessing and storytelling from a Black point of view.

The Bearing Witness exhibition highlights the work of six local Black photographers who explore historical and contemporary depictions of Black family life. It features a mix of established and emerging artists whose images of Black Baltimore from the 1950s to the present display how Black folk live, love, struggle, and triumph in their everyday lives.

Read more of this week’s picks at BmoreArt.

BmoreArt’s Picks: July 30 – August 5

This Week:  ‘Embodying the Island’ performance at Tola’s Room, Rosa Leff exhibition reception at Alchemy of Art, Artscape 40, Subscape 2024, MICA’s Art Market x Artscape, Baltimore Jewelry Center Graduate exhibition reception, opening reception for Joan Cox at IA&A @ Hillyer, RIVERS artist talk at KCA, Crystal Moll’s 11th Annual Plein Air Show reception, and BLK @ NITE at Eubie Blake — PLUS Garden and Studio Coordinator position at Blue Light Junction and more featured opportunities!

BmoreArt’s Picks presents the best weekly art openings, events, and performances happening in Baltimore and surrounding areas. For a more comprehensive perspective, check the BmoreArt Calendar page, which includes ongoing exhibits and performances, and is updated on a daily basis.

To submit your calendar event, email us at events@bmoreart.com!

Embodying the Island
Wednesday, July 31 :: 6pm
@ Tola’s Room

Embodying the Island is an immersive theatrical experience starting Maria Luísa Marin with interactive installation art by Ana Paula Teixeira. It derives from their upcoming surreal, experimental short film “The Unraveling” which is an experimental short film written by María Luisa Marín and Ana Paula Teixeira. Contributing to the de-colonization of theatre, we explore the Ritual. Speaking from traumas of childhood caused by misogynistic behavior in our Puerto Rican households, we share the story of “Marina” in her abysmal adulthood seeking answers for her own growth. The piece is bilingual, and it takes place between the river, the dream world, and the idea of home.

Rosa Leff | Reception
Thursday, August 1
@ Alchemy of Art

Bio

Between painting alongside her grandmother and watching her father build reproduction antique furniture, Rosa Leff grew up seeing no distinction between fine art and craft. What mattered was that things were made by hand and done well. It is with that in mind that she creates her hand cut paper pieces. Each of Leff’s papercuts is cut by hand from a single sheet of paper using a knife. Her cityscapes are based on photos she’s taken in her neighborhood and all over the world. While Leff is best known for her ability to capture thin tangles of powerlines and intricate brickwork, she also enjoys experimenting with novel media such as paper plates and paper towels. Leff delights in bringing a modern, urban perspective to a traditional folk medium.

Leff has served on the board of The Guild of American Papercutters (GAP). In addition to being a GAP member she is a member of The Paper Artist Collective. Leff has exhibited her work throughout the United States, in China, and in Mexico. Her work has been acquired by The Canton Museum of Art (Canton, OH), The Colored Girls Museum (Philadelphia, PA) and The Museum of International Folk Art (Santa Fe, NM). She is the recipient of a 2021 Maryland State Arts Council Independent Artist Award, the 2021 Municipal Art Society of Baltimore City Artist Travel Prize, and the 2023 360 Xochi Quetzal BIPOC Residency. Leff resides in Puerto Rico with her husband and chihuahuas, Chalupa and Refrito.

Artscape 40
Friday, August 2 – Sunday, August 4

The Baltimore Office of Promotion & The Arts (BOPA), in collaboration with the City of Baltimore, is thrilled to announce the headliners for Artscape 40. Artscape, the city’s biggest cultural event of the year, returns to the summer, scheduled to kick off on Friday, August 2nd and close out on Sunday, August 4th. The headliners will all perform on the Mt. Royal Station Main Stage at Cathedral St. at Mount Royal Ave.

The “Queen of Funk,” Rock & Roll Hall of Famer, and 10-time Grammy winner Chaka Khan will be the Friday night headliner. Ms. Khan first performed at the city’s biggest cultural event of the year in 1993.

Ms. Khan and Maeta join a musical lineup that includes the incomparable Queen of Percussion Sheila E., whose album, “The Glamorous Life,” debuted 40 years ago. She will perform on Saturday, August 3rd at 8:45 p.m. Other musical acts performing earlier in the day on the Mount Royal Main Stage include Joi Carter (Neo Soul/RnB), Live From The Paradox (House/Hip-Hop), and WhoCamille (Hip-Hop).

On Sunday, August 4th, Artscape attendees can enjoy the sounds of Navasha Daya (Jazz/Funk/World) and the Trinidad & Tobago Steel Drum Orchestra (Caribbean). At 3:00 p.m., the legendary band The Original Wailers, featuring Al Anderson, lead guitarist for Bob Marley & The Wailers, will hit the Main Stage to close out this year’s celebration. The reggae supergroup continues the legacy of the music legend and includes Chet Samuel (Lead Vocals/Guitar), Omar Lopez (Bass Guitar), Paapa Nyarkoh (Drums), and Adrian AK Cisneros (Keyboard/Organ).

Read more of this week’s picks at BmoreArt.

BmoreArt’s Picks: July 23-30

This Week: Miss Mistress of Smut Pageant at Creative Alliance, Sondheim Finalist artist talks at the Walters, May Pang and her photographs at Winkel Gallery, Mobtown Ballroom teams up with SNF Parkway for Moves, Movies…and Mayhem!, Fluid Movement splashdown at Riverside Pool, African American Quilters of Baltimore Trunk Show + Glenda Richardson artist talk at the Lewis Museum, and opening receptions for two exhibitions at Current featuring True Arizola-Lyons, Charles Mason III, and Monica Mirabile + Monique Crabb — PLUS Brown Sugar Bake-Off submissions and more featured opportunities!

BmoreArt’s Picks presents the best weekly art openings, events, and performances happening in Baltimore and surrounding areas. For a more comprehensive perspective, check the BmoreArt Calendar page, which includes ongoing exhibits and performances, and is updated on a daily basis.

To submit your calendar event, email us at events@bmoreart.com!

The 3rd Annual Miss Mistress of Smut Pageant
Wednesday, July 24 :: 7pm
@ Creative Alliance

Join Baltimore’s reigning Mistress of Smut, Jocelyn Loverling, as Naughties compete in a randy retro beauty pageant to be crowned this year’s “Miss Mistress of Smut!” Featuring judges Betty O’Hellno, Ruby Rockafella, Mx. Eden, and Milk & Ice Vintage as well as vintage vinyl from dj eDDible.

The 3rd Annual “Miss Mistress of Smut” Pageant is open to *ALL* identities and abilities! Apply to become a contestant!

-Nominated “Best Comedy Show” –The Baltimore Sun’s “Best 2020 Readers’ Choice Contest”
-As featured in The Baltimore Banner, Baltimore magazine, Baltimore Style, the Baltimore Media Blog, and The Truth In This Art podcast

Photo by Cassandra Faye Broadwick
Sponsored by Rust-N-Shine. Proud performance of ha!

Sondheim 2024 Art Prize Finalists: Artist Talks
Thursday, July 25 :: 6-7:30pm
@ The Walters Art Museum

Location: Graham Auditorium
Registration is required.

Learn more about the 2024 Janet & Walter Sondheim Art Prize finalists as they share details about their practice and work on view at the Walters. Audiences are invited to share their questions in a Q&A session and light reception following the artists’ presentations.

This program is co-hosted with the Baltimore Office for Promotion and The Arts and presented in conjunction with the 19th annual Janet & Walter Sondheim Art Prize Finalists Exhibition on view at the Walters from July 17 through September 8, 2024.

The Lost Weekend – The Photography of May Pang
Friday, July 26 | Ongoing through July 28
@ Winkel Gallery

Few people knew John Lennon as intimately as May Pang.  Pang was Lennon’s lover during the infamous “Lost Weekend” which lasted 18 months during late 1973 through 1975.  During this highly creative time for Lennon, Pang took candid photos of Lennon in a comfortable, relaxed environment.  A collection of these private photographs will be on display and available for the Winkel Gallery, 1715 Aliceanna Street, Baltimore, MD., on Friday, July 26 through Sunday, July 28.  Admission to the exhibit is free to the public. All works are available to purchase – See John Lennon as May saw him!

May Pang will be in attendance at Winkel Gallery, meeting customers and telling stories behind these amazing limited-edition photographs for sale of John Lennon.

During the Lost Weekend, with May’s help, Lennon had his most artistically and commercially productive period post-Beatles—with the albums “Mind Games”, “Walls and Bridges”, which included his only #1 Hit Single “Whatever Gets You Through the Night”, “Rock and Roll” and collaboration with Rock legends Elton John, David Bowie, Harry Nilsson, Mick Jagger, and Ringo among others. Also, on that album Pang can be heard on the song “#9 Dream” where she whispers John’s name in the song.  Another song on the album “Surprise, Surprise (Sweet Bird of Paradox)” was written about Pang.

Pang also encouraged Lennon to reconnect with his family and his friends, which ultimately led to a reunion with Paul McCartney and a memorable jam session between the two Beatles.  Pang also arranged for Julian Lennon to visit his father for the first time in almost three years.  One of Pang’s photographs of Julian Lennon graces the cover of Julian’s latest album entitled “Jude.”

Lennon also went into the studio with friend Harry Nilsson during this time and produced his album “Pussy Cats.”  It was during this time that Pang rented a house in Santa Monica and moved in with Lennon and fellow partiers Ringo Starr, Keith Moon (The Who) and Harry Nilsson.  Several photos from this time also appear in the exhibition.  Other highlights of the exhibition include the only photograph that exists of John Lennon signing the contract to dissolve the Beatles as well as one of the last known photographs of John Lennon and Paul McCartney together from March 29, 1974.  Both photographs have never been available to the public until now.

Pang has also published three books on her times with Lennon including Loving John, John Lennon – The Lost Weekend and Instamatic Karma featuring photos from her private archives.

“The Lost Weekend – The Photography of May Pang” coincides with the recent digital release of the feature film documentary “The Lost Weekend : A Love Story,” produced by Briarcliff Entertainment. Watch the film’s trailer here: https://thelostweekendmovie.com/trailer/           (Available on Amazon Prime, AppleTV, YouTube. Xfinity, Verizon and Vudu).

“The Lost Weekend – The Photography of May Pang” exhibition will provide fans a rare opportunity to see John Lennon in a new light, through the lens of someone who knew him intimately during one of the most creative periods of his life.  Pang’s photos will be on display and available to purchase for three days only.  Check out the show and meet May Pang at the Winkel Gallery, 1715 Aliceanna Street, Baltimore, MD, Friday, July 26 through Sunday, July 28, 2024.

WHO:    May Pang, John Lennon’s lover and companion during the infamous “Lost Weekend” which took place late 1973 through 1975.

WHAT:  A photographic exhibition and sale entitled “The Lost Weekend – The Photography of May Pang” featuring candid photos of John Lennon and friends coinciding with the digital release of the feature film documentary on May Pang and John Lennon’s relationship “The Lost Weekend – A Love Story.”

WHEN:  Friday, July 26 from 3pm – 8pm, Saturday, July 27 from 11am – 6pm and Sunday, July 28 from 12pm – 5pm.

WHERE:  Winkel Gallery, 1715 Aliceanna Street, Baltimore, MD 21231  (443) 575–6520; www.justinwinkel.com

Read more of this week’s picks at BmoreArt.

BmoreArt’s Picks: July 16-22

This Week: 2024 Sondheim Finalist Exhibition opens at The Walters, Art Around Hampden, Young Blood opening reception and E. Brady Robinson’s closing reception at MAP, Voyages: Chapter 5 featuring Schaun Champion at the Aquarium, Baltimore Jewelry Center Summer Fundraiser, and Megan Lewis’ artist talk at Galerie Myrtis — PLUS apply for American Craft Made Baltimore and more featured opportunities!

BmoreArt’s Picks presents the best weekly art openings, events, and performances happening in Baltimore and surrounding areas. For a more comprehensive perspective, check the BmoreArt Calendar page, which includes ongoing exhibits and performances, and is updated on a daily basis.

To submit your calendar event, email us at events@bmoreart.com!

The Janet & Walter Sondheim Art Prize Finalists Exhibition
Wednesday, July 17 | Ongoing through September 8
@ The Walters Art Museum

The 2024 Janet & Walter Sondheim Art Prize, which awards a $30,000 fellowship to assist in furthering the career of a visual artist or visual artist collaborators living and working in the greater Baltimore region, opens Wednesday, July 17 with a finalists’ exhibition at the Walters Art Museum.

The work of the three finalists—weaver Hellen Ascoli, mixed-media artist Amy Boone-McCreesh, and ceramicist Sam Mack—will be on view through Sunday, September 8. The winner of the 2024 Janet & Walter Sondheim Art Prize, chosen by this year’s jurors, will be announced during a special reception and award ceremony at the museum on Thursday, August 22. Each finalist will also receive a $2,500 M&T Bank Finalist Award, which is designed, in part, to assist them in preparing for the exhibition. One finalist will receive a studio residency at the Bromo Seltzer Arts Tower.

Jurors for the 2024 competition are artist, scholar, and poet Noel W. Anderson; curator, educator, and historian Connie H. Choi; and curator, historian, and lecturer Aaron Levi Garvey.

The Sondheim Art Prize is named in honor of Janet & Walter Sondheim, both of whom were instrumental in furthering arts and culture in Baltimore City. Janet Sondheim danced with the pioneering Denishawn Dancers, a legendary dance troupe founded by Ruth St. Denis and Ted Shawn. Walter Sondheim, Jr. was one of Baltimore’s most important civic leaders for over 50 years. He was deeply involved in the development of Charles Center and the Inner Harbor and continued to be civically active until his death in 2007, serving as the senior advisor to the Greater Baltimore Committee.

This year marks the 19th edition of the Sondheim Art Prize, one of the region’s most prestigious honors. The $30,000 prize is awarded annually to a visual artist or visual artist collaborators living and working in the Baltimore region. Learn more about the 2024 Janet & Walter Sondheim Art Prize by visiting promotionandarts.org and following BOPA on social media (@promoandarts).

Art Around Hampden
Thursday, July 18 :: 5-8pm

Art Around Hampden! Every Third Thursday of every month! Free and open to the public!
Hampden’s newest art event starts on July 18. Discover our neighborhood’s excellent galleries, artists, and pop-up art spaces, every third Thursday of each month. Most venues will be open with extended hours from 5-8PM, but check the map for each location’s hours and featured artists.

See the map here.

Young Blood | Opening Reception
Thursday, July 18 :: 5-9pm
@ Maryland Art Place

Maryland Art Place is proud to announce the return of Young Blood marking MAP’s 15th Young Blood program which has, to date,  provided an important post-graduate artistic platform for transitioning Masters of Fine Arts students. Since 2008 Young Blood has continually brought recent graduates together to make new connections and present special selections from their thesis project(s). The exhibition will highlight exceptional works ranging in media.

Young Blood Exhibiting Artists:
Elly Kalantari | UMBC
Evelyn Lee | MICA
Dan Ortiz Leizman | UMD
Andrew Liang | UMBC
Pavlos Liaretidis | MICA
Grusha Sabharwal | MICA
Lika (Yuyun) Su | MICA
Ann Zellhofer | UMBC

Read more of this week’s picks at BmoreArt.