BmoreArt

This Week:  Single Carrot Theatre’s Is Edward Snowden Single?, BMA Violet Hour: The Monument Quilt, tet[R]ad closing reception at MAP, Jamie Grace Alexander, Rob Ferrell, and Abbey Parrish panel discussion presented by Gormley Gallery, The Peale presents Unmarked film screening, Teri Henderson discusses Black Collagists: The Book at MICA and with SODA, Make Studio’s birthday party, James von Minor opening reception at Catalyst Contemporary, and Claudia Cappelle and Sam Husseini opening receptions at Creative Alliance — PLUS a residency opportunity at Storm King and more featured Calls for Entry. Looking ahead: RSVP for BmoreArt’s next Connect+Collect Event with Ernest Shaw Jr. on March 2!

 

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 [email protected]!

 

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BmoreArt Event: Connect+Collect with Ernest Shaw and Kirk Shannon-Butts
Wednesday, March 2: 6:30 pm
Zoom RSVP Required

Join BmoreArt’s Jeffrey Kent and Cara Ober for a conversation on Zoom with artist Ernest Shaw Jr. and BOPA’s Public Art and Curation Manager Kirk Shannon-Butts about the importance of authentic visual storytelling, as well as Shaw’s contributions as a mentor, muralist, and educator in Baltimore.

One of Shaw’s works was recently acquired by the Baltimore Museum of Art and he just opened a new solo exhibit of paintings hosted by Baltimore Office of Promotion and the Arts (BOPA) at the Top of the World Observation Level in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor, “Continuous Line,” up through April 17, curated by Kirk. In this exhibition, Shaw examines the uninterrupted, unremitting connection between continental African traditional culture and Africans dispersed throughout the diaspora, with a particular lens focused on the United States of America. Through his layered images, Shaw dispels the myth that the Black American has been totally separated and stripped of their name, culture, language, and history.

Register in advance for this webinar here.
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

Artist Ernest Shaw, Jr. was born and has lived most of his life in Baltimore, Maryland. He is a graduate of the Baltimore School for the Arts. He obtained his Bachelors Degree in art from Morgan State University, and his Graduate degree from Howard University in Washington, D.C. Mr. Shaw is now a teacher in Baltimore City, and an adjunct professor at Maryland Institute College of Art.

Filmmaker, curator and video essayist Kirk Shannon-Butts holds a bachelor of arts in marketing from the American College, Atlanta, and a master of fine arts in film/TV production from Chapman University, Orange, CA. His works have received critical acclaim and have been screened at the Cannes International Film Festival, the Sundance Film Festival, and The Kennedy Center. Shannon-Butts has been in special features in L’Uomo Vogue, Out magazine and Uptown magazine. He is the Public Art and Curation Manager at the Baltimore Office of Promotion and the Arts.

 

 

Single Carrot Theater Presents Is Edward Snowden Single?
Ongoing through March 12
@ The Windup Space

Mimi and April are best friends. And actresses. And totally hot. And talented and smart and so brave, duh. When self-absorbed Mimi is faced with a choice to live with integrity, what decision will she make? Edward Snowden tells her “it takes a lot of courage to be selfish,” or maybe she imagined that. Frolic in the reckless joy, drunken nights, and rites of passage of millennial youth. How long can it last, and at what point do we have to let go?

Is Edward Snowden Single? is directed by Ensemble Member Alix Fenhagen. Single Carrot Ensemble Member Meghan Stanton is joined by Saraniya Tharmarajah and SCT Education Director Parker Matthews on stage.

Is Edward Snowden Single? will take place in The Windup Space in Baltimore. A full bar will be operating during this party of a performance, with face shields as an extra precaution when drinking. A digital version will also be available for those who would prefer to experience from their homes. Audience size will be limited to 25 people for COVID safety, and all audience members will be asked to show proof of vaccination at the time of entry and remain masked/shielded at all times. All Single Carrot staff, cast, and crew are fully vaccinated and tested regularly; cast will perform unmasked.

 

 

BMA Violet Hour: The Monument Quilt
Wednesday, February 23 • 6-7pm
presented by the BMA

Join us for a virtual panel discussion to commemorate the acquisition of 10 blocks of The Monument Quilt, a project of the Baltimore-based FORCE: Upsetting Rape Culture collective. Hear the stories of the organization’s members and leaders as they discuss the national and international impact of the project, their participation in the quilt-making, and the struggles of navigating a growing collective made for and by survivors.

Watch live on Facebook and YouTube.

Joining the discussion will be Dr. Joan M.E. Gaither, documentary story quilter, retired educator, and activist; Monica Stevens, founder of Sistas of the “t” and co-founder of the Baltimore Transgender Alliance, organizations which support re-empowering trans people of color; and Mora Fernández, activist, consultant, and advocate devoted to survivors of sexual trauma through her co-leadership of FORCE and La Casa Mandarina, located in Mexico City. Moderating the conversation is Dr. Kalima Young, Assistant Professor at Towson University who has served on the leadership team of FORCE since 2014.

 

 

tet[R]ad: Cultivating Collaborative Creative Community | Closing Reception
Thursday, February 24 • 6-9pm
@ Maryland Art Place

Maryland Art Place (MAP) is pleased to present: “ted[R]ad: Cultivating Collaborative Creative Community” a community-oriented installation-based exhibition that invites local partners and the public to participate in the realization and completion of the project. This site-responsive exhibition is part of the ongoing international art-making exchange project known as tet[R]ad. The primary tenet of this initiative has been to promote collaborative artmaking, community engagement, and activating audience participation. Originally developed by David R. Modler and Samuel H. Peck over a decade ago, this latest rendition will also include the work of Desmond Beach. Within this installation, the creators and collaborators aspire to cultivate a creative forum with members of Baltimore’s communities through a variety of art actions and social practices. The artists wish to foster restorative justice dialogues and build bridges between stakeholders with visual journal exchanges, collaborative drawings, and assemblages that encourage collaboration in idea exchange and cultural production. The ultimate goal is to engage with the local community to give voice and agency to participants that develop meaningful connections.

Join MAP in realizing this exhibition by visiting our gallery from January 18 – March 12 and contributing to this project. On-site art-making initiatives include: journals, art-making stations, and larger-than-life figurative drawings (courtesy of Baltimore artist Desmond Beach) which utilize public engagement to aid in their completion. Our gallery hours are Tuesday – Saturday between the hours of 12 pm and 4 pm. Drop by and make your mark! A closing reception will be held Thursday, February 24 from 6 pm to 9 pm.

Interested in partnering with tet[R]ad? Contact: [email protected]to schedule a field trip or set up a site visit with your school or organization.

Read BmoreArt’s review of the show here.

 

 

Artists in Activism Panel
Thursday, February 24 • 6-7pm
presented by Gormley Gallery @ Notre Dame University of Maryland

RSVP to receive the Zoom link: gormleygallery.com/events

Gormley Gallery presents Artists in Activism, a virtual panel discussion with three local artists who are engaged in community organizing and direct action.

This panel is offered in conjunction with the exhibition Laid Bare, on view at Gormley Gallery through February 25, which asks what new worlds will be revealed, as the world we once knew ceases to exist, and invites us to imagine what better world we can build from this one. The panel discussion will offer glimpses of how artists have begun to build that better world through grassroots efforts in their respective communities.

Panelists:

Jamie Grace Alexander, artist, curator, community activist, and policy coordinator at FreeState Justice, an LGBTQ advocacy nonprofit

Rob Ferrell, artist, organizer, archivist, designer, and founding member of Organizing Black, a grassroots organization fighting for the liberation of all Black people

Abbey Parrish, curator and creative strategist at QWRK Collective, and volunteer case manager at Baltimore Abortion Fund, a mutual aid nonprofit supporting intersectional reproductive justice

Moderated by Notre Dame of Maryland University student Alex Perry ’22

 

 

Unmarked Film Screening
Friday, February 25 • 12-1pm
presented by The Peale

Unmarked Film Screening
Featuring Chris Hayley, co-director and archival expert
It’s More Than History Lecture Series
Friday, February 25, 2022 | 12:00pm -1:00pm (ET)
Free online | RSVP in advance

Join us for a complete screening of Unmarked, a new documentary on the preservation of African American burial sites with co-director Chris Hayley.

About the film: “Much of America’s rich history is being lost to time. In the South, vast amounts of African-American grave sites and burial grounds for enslaved persons have been disappearing over the years. In Virginia alone, stories of thousands at rest could vanish from history altogether if these locations are not restored. Those with personal connections to these burial sites have recently begun to uncover and maintain locations across the state. However, there is much work to be done in order to preserve this part of America’s history. Unmarked not only explores these untold stories of the past but also the efforts underway to preserve them.” Learn more about the film and its creators. 

This lunchtime talk is FREE and is sponsored by the Baltimore National Heritage Areaas part of the “It’s More than History” lecture series. 

 

 

Artist Spotlight & Evening w/ Teri Henderson
Friday, February 25 • 4-6pm
presented by MICA

Black Student Union and Office of Culture & Identity presents: Artist Spotlight and Evening w/Teri Henderson, featuring various artistic mediums from MICA students in honor of Black History Month. Teri Henderson is a Baltimore-based independent curator, a staff writer for BmoreArt, and the Founding Director of Black Collagists. Henderson holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Texas Christian University. She formerly held a curatorial internship at Ghost Gallery in Seattle, Washington. Henderson previously served as the Art Law Clinic Director for Maryland Volunteer Lawyers For The Arts and is currently on their Board of Directors. Her written work has been seen in: BmoreArt, All SHE Makes, Artforum, Justsmile Magazine, Kinfolk Travel, and the St. James Encyclopedia of Hip Hop Culture. Teri Henderson was a curator of private acquisitions of Black collage art for the Doug + Laurie Kanyer Art Collection from 2020 – 2021, as part of her work she created the Black Collagists Arts Incubator, which was underwritten by the Doug + Laurie Kanyer Art Collection through November 2021. Black Collagists: The Book is her first book.

 

 

Celebrating 12 Years of Make Studio: A Little Bit of Grit | Official Birthday Party
Saturday, February 26 • 2-5pm | Ongoing through March 18
@ Make Studio

After almost two solid years in “full pandemic-mode”, Make Studio is pleased to jump off of Zoom and bring its annual member artist exhibition and anniversary celebration back into the gallery with A Little Bit of Grit! This occasion feels particularly important in 2022, when the ongoing pandemic has introduced more than a just a dab of grit into everyone’s lives. Similar to the traditional gift for a 12^th anniversary, the pearl, artwork of great beauty and wisdom has been produced by Make Studio’s three dozen member artists in the context of disruption, irritants, and sometimes, loss.

The official “birthday party” will be held open house style in Make Studio’s Showroom Gallery at 3326 Keswick Road in Hampden on Saturday, February 26 from 2 to 5 p.m. Attendees are invited to stop by and safely gather (masks required), to meet the artists and view their new and notable pieces on display, and to participate in an interactive performance and art-making activity with community artist, and friend of the studio, Valeskah Populoh. Pending virus conditions, refreshments will mainly be on pause this year, although our traditional birthday cake will be available outdoors. (Guests will also have the option to bid on great food and beverage related prizes to continue the celebration at home later).

A Little Bit of Grit will be on view during Make Studio’s usual hours and by appointment from February 27^th – March 18^th, with an accompanying digital exhibition atwww.make-studio.org. Event updates will be available on the website and social media.

 

 

FORGING THE PAST DECODING THE PRESENT | Opening Reception
Saturday, February 26 • 12-5pm | Ongoing through March 26
@ Catalyst Contemporary

Catalyst Contemporary presents Forging the Past Decoding the Present, a solo exhibition of internationally known, Maryland-based artist, James von Minor. Highlighted in both the Main and Backroom galleries,  are decades worth of paintings, drawings, prints, and constructions, all of which illustrate a delicate juggling act of equilibrium, form, pigment and motifs. Through the use of geometry and a visualized abstraction of mathematics, von Minor tangibly documents his own explorations into an intuitively driven process, one with no destination, like a new world explorer looking to the edge of the horizon into the unknown.

The first works encountered in the Main gallery are von Minor’s constructions. These constructions utilize both 2D patterns – such as grids, dots, circles, and stripes – as well as 3D elements, which come together to create a collaged, formulaic expression. An example of this can be seen in Soto and Maracaibo,  where additional items are attached including red wooden circles and curving strips of wooden dowels that have been bent. The vast array of von Minor’s constructions brings visual delight and joy in the way they balance objects, shapes, lines, and colors.

In the The Backroom,  are featured von Minor’s works on paper. These paintings, drawings and prints address influences of architecture such as archways, doors, and markings on roadways. One such example is Segment #39. These works are less about the 3D materiality of 2D designs like in the pieces located in the Main gallery, but instead expands into the 2D realm as a whole. These pieces summon Plato’s Allegory of the Cave and our own understanding and experiences of the higher levels of reality. The characters bound into von Minor’s 2D planes exist in a mystical yet playful realm beyond our 3D understanding. It is up to us to take a crack at unlocking and discovering the roadmap left by von Minor.

The works featured in both spaces highlight von Minor’s long-term investigations, like field notes, or perhaps a coded map with no legend to interpret the terrain. On his journey to solving problems and asking questions that are not yet discovered, his works draw maps between point A and an unknown point B.

 

 

Claudia Capelle: “Breath of Fresh Air” // Sam Husseni: “Snow, Flora, & Fauna” | Opening Receptions
Saturday, February 26 • 4-6pm
@ Creative Alliance

Claudia Cappelle was born in Chicago. She studied at the American Academy of Art in Chicago and graduated from the University of Illinois with a Bachelor of Science in Medical Illustration. She is currently in the MFA program at Towson University and is an artist in residence at the Creative Alliance in Baltimore.

Her work has been exhibited at various galleries and art venues in the Washington DC metro area and Virginia and at the PNC Headquarters Art Collection in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Her abstract expressions endeavor to express the lyrical power of nature.

Sam Husseini is a visual artist and writer living in Riverdale, Maryland. This is his second one-person show. While his interest in visual art is long-standing, he has focused on his journalistic work which focuses on weapons of mass destruction, media, and over the last two years, pandemic origins. His art largely addresses humanity’s relationship with Nature. He is of Palestinian heritage and was born in Amman, Jordan. He has a double major from the Mathematics and Philosophy Departments at Carnegie Mellon University.
bethatempty.org

 

 

BLACK COLLAGISTS: THE BOOK
Monday, February 28 • 1pm
presented by SODA

Join the Society of Design Arts (SoDA), AIGA Baltimore, and Stevenson University for a talk with curator and writer Teri Henderson followed by a Q&A session moderated by Jen White-Johnson.

Teri Henderson is a Baltimore-based independent curator, a staff writer for BmoreArt, and the founder of Black Collagists, a platform that features the work of emerging Black collage artists as well as more established and well-known collage artists in order to raise awareness about the history of Black collage art. In her presentation, she will discuss her curatorial practice and the creation of the Instagram Account @blackcollagists which led to the publication of her book. She will also discuss her role at BmoreArt as a staff writer and gallery coordinator.

Jen White-Johnson is an Afro-Latina, disabled designer, parent, art activist and educator whose work explores the intersection of content and caregiving with an emphasis on redesigning ableist visual culture. Her activist and advocacy work has appeared in The Washington Post, AfroPunk, Teen Vogue, among other publications. Jen’s work is permanently archived at The Metropolitan Museum of Art and the National Museum of Women in the Arts. She is currently a Guest Lecturer at the University of Minnesota College of Design.

HOW TO ATTEND THE EVENT
1) The event will be online using Zoom. Click here to register for free.
2) Please ensure you download the app for your computer or mobile device prior to the event here on Zoom.
3) Registered attendees will receive a link and password when they complete their registration. The link and password will also be sent 24 hours and 1 hour before the event. Make sure to check your spam folder for the email.

ABOUT BLACK COLLAGISTS
Founded in August 2020, Black Collagists is an online platform that highlights and amplifies the work solely of Black artists making collages worldwide. The platform features the work of emerging Black collage artists as well as more established and well-known collage artists in order to raise awareness about the history of Black collage art.

In December 2021, “Black Collagists: The Book” was published by Kanyer Publishing. Written and curated by Teri Henderson, the publication features over fifty emerging and established Black collage artists from around the world. With over 300 full-color images alongside historical context and academic essays, the book establishes a physical archive of the history and the future of Black collage artists. For more on Black Collagists follow @blackcollagists or visit www.blackcollagists.com

 

 

 

Calls for Entry // Opportunities

 

 

Reflections | Call for Entry
deadline March 2
presented by Maryland Federation of Art

Reflections in shop windows, still ponds, or on faces in mirrors can surprise and delight. The physical nature of light reflecting changes appearances and reveals unexpected sensations. Reflections can also be internal; emotional, cerebral, or spiritual, bringing back memories, or causing new ways of thinking that could change the world or just stay personal. Show us what reflection means to you. Entries are open internationally for Maryland Federation of Art’s (MFA) online-only exhibition. Following exhibition guidelines, any 2D or 3D work is eligible for entry. Works selected by the juror will be on display in MFA’s online gallery, Curve Gallery, from April 15 – May 31, 2022. Exhibition Chairs: Richard Niewerth, Wil Scott.

 

 

Shandaken: Storm King Residency
deadline March 7

Shandaken Projects is the proud administrator of the Shandaken: Storm King residency program. This ground-breaking collaboration brings Shandaken’s signature, process-focused residencies to the grounds of Storm King Art Center. This partnership was created in 2015.

Shandaken: Storm King provides free housing and studio facilities with the particular aim of supporting process and experimentation. Residencies last for two to six weeks, an allotment which is determined at the time of acceptance between residents and the project’s staff.

The shapes of residencies are largely determined by the residents themselves. The residency grounds are peaceful and private, but Storm King’s main site and vibrant towns of the Lower Hudson Valley region are nearby.

The facilities of Shandaken: Storm King are well suited for painting, drawing, collage, research, writing, reflection, performance, and work that is community-driven or socially-based, land-based, or ephemeral. If you are an applicant interested in working on large sculpture, printmaking, film or video, internet-related work, analog photography, or other disciplines that require specialized equipment, please contact us to talk about what tools are available and how a residency could work for you.

Application information is available here.

 

 

Artists Grants | Call for Application
deadline March 7
sponsored by The Jim Henson Foundation

The Jim Henson Foundation awards grants each year for the creation of innovative works of contemporary puppet theater. Our definition of a puppet is an object that is given the appearance of life through direct or indirect manipulation by the human hand. We judge applications based on the excellence of the puppetry including puppet design, manipulation and theatrical execution.

Production Grants of $7,000 are awarded for the production of new works ready to be presented in the coming year. Workshop Grants of $3,000 are for the development and workshopping of these pieces. Workshop Grants and Production Grants can be combined over a two year period for the greatest benefit to the piece; keep in mind, however, that a Production Grant does not need to be preceded by a Workshop grant and a Workshop Grant in no way ensures a future Production Grant.

Family Grants of $4,000 fund the development of new and innovative work specifically for children, families, and teenagers. Please keep in mind that Family Grants will be evaluated by the same high artistic standards as works for adults.

 

 

Open Works is Hiring

Thank you for your interest in working at Open Works (OW). OW is a 501(c)(3) non-profit makerspace founded in 2016. Our mission is to make tools, technology, and the knowledge to use them accessible to all. We accomplish this through affordable membership access to industrial-grade fabrication equipment; access to low-cost studio space; partnerships with many Baltimore colleges, nonprofits, and community groups; and a wide variety of classes for both young people and adults. All of these efforts support a broader vision of rebuilding Baltimore’s manufacturing economy from the grassroots up. Outstanding people are the key to OW’s success. You are applying to join a special organization that feels strongly about the quality of our work in communities and the quality of your experience here. The growth and progress of any small organization like ours depends on our staff: people with initiative, creativity, and enthusiasm. If you are excited about connecting with community and helping us to fulfill our mission, we’d like to know more about you. Please take a moment to fill out some information about yourself. We will be in touch if we are hiring and your application meets our employment qualifications. To learn more about available positions, please find full job descriptions here:

Community Technician

Contract Services Technician

Shop Instructor

Get up to date information about when we’re looking to grow our team and all latest news at https://www.openworksbmore.org/news/. Follow us on social media and sign up to our mailing list to get the news sent directly to you.

 

 

Welter at the University of Baltimore Seeks Submissions for Spring 2022 Print Issue
deadline March 9

Welter, the University of Baltimore’s literary journal, is currently open for submissions of fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, and visual art for the Spring 2022 print issue. Editors are hoping to review energetic writing and artwork that’s turbulent, witty, explosive, diverse. We seek work that thrashes, writhes, surges, bolts, zips; in short, work that Welters.  

 

Welter publishes high-quality fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, and visual art from writers and artists around the world. The print journal publishes annually each spring and opens periodically throughout the year for online publication, including contests.

Send submissions for free through the Welter Journal Submittable portal by March 9, where full submission guidelines may also be found.

https://welter2017.submittable.com

 

 

LIFT – Early Career Support for Native Artists | Open Call
deadline March 16
sponsored by Native Arts & Cultures Foundation

The Native Arts and Cultures Foundation (NACF) is now accepting applications for the LIFT–Early Career Support for Native Artists program, a one-year award and early career support program for emerging Native artists to develop and realize new projects. The program’s focus is to provide financial support and professional development to artists whose work aims to uplift communities and advance positive social change.

Eligible applicants must be individual Native artists working in dance/choreography, fiction/poetry writing, film/video, multi-disciplinary arts, music, performance art, theater and screenplay writing, traditional arts, or 2D + 3D visual arts. Artist applicant must be an enrolled member or citizen of a federally-recognized or state-recognized American Indian tribe or Alaska Native corporation, or of Native Hawaiian ancestry. We encourage artists to apply who are shaping their practices and for whom the award may serve as a launching point in their career.

LIFT is a monetary award of $10,000 for a proposed project with a required minimum of $3,000 earmarked for the artist’s benefit and wellbeing. Up to twenty artists will be selected to receive LIFT awards. CLICK HERE for a full description of the LIFT program.