The Robert W. Deutsch Foundation announced today that Elissa Blount Moorhead has been selected from a pool of more than 170 past Ruby grantees to receive a fully-funded residency and material stipend through a new partnership with Art Omi in the Hudson Valley.
The multidisciplinary artist, author, and curator will join international artists at Art Omi for an intensive, creative exchange and focused studio time. The announcement comes as the Rubys Artist Grants application cycle reopens to Baltimore-area artists and the foundation launches new initiatives to reengage past awardees—including the Rubys Alumni Award which will recognize one outstanding project annually with $25,000 in funding.
Moorhead first received a Ruby grant in 2017 to develop her public art project As of A Now, which debuted at the 2018 edition of Light City. That project used video projection mapping to reanimate vacant buildings, paying homage to the experiences of former residents.
“I am so grateful for the opportunity to spend time with the work that I am passionate about,” Moorhead wrote to us, “The Rubys funded my very first Baltimore based project and it was catalytic support. It was particularly critical because it was something that was not traditional or legible to most. The Ruby was very affirming and allowed me to take creative chances early in my project’s development.”
