BmoreArt

This week’s news includes: Artscape 2025 updates, Oprah’s Book Club author Eric Puchner, Monopoly rolls into town, Doppio Pasticceria opens in Remington, James “Jimmy” Rouse at C. Grimaldis Gallery, new installation at Patterson Park, Maryland National Guard pulls out of Frederick Douglass Parade, Meander Art Bar opens, David Rubenstein speaks out on Kennedy Center firing, Relegation Books art show, and two new auctions at Alex Cooper– with reporting from Baltimore Magazine, Baltimore Fishbowl, The Baltimore Banner, and other local and independent news sources.

Header Image: Monopoly Baltimore Edition. Photo via Top Trumps USA.

Announcing Major Highlights of Artscape 2025
Press Release :: February 14

Today, Mayor Brandon M. Scott, in partnership with the Baltimore Office of Promotion & The Arts (BOPA), announced several key details for Artscape 2025, slated this year for Memorial Day Weekend, May 24–25, 2025.

“Artscape isn’t just a festival — it’s a force,” says Mayor Brandon M. Scott.” This year, we’re taking it to the next level. We’re reimagining what an arts festival can do for a city — transforming public spaces, supporting artists, and putting Baltimore’s creative excellence on full display.”As part of Mayor Scott’s Downtown Rise Initiative, Artscape 2025 is reclaiming and reimagining Downtown Baltimore, transforming the city into its stage—activating historic landmarks, revitalizing underutilized spaces, and energizing the urban core with immersive public art, large-scale installations, and cultural experiences that reflect Baltimore’s bold creative spirit. Beyond the festival, Artscape is committed to investing in lasting artistic infrastructure, sustainable placemaking initiatives, and community-driven projects, ensuring its impact on Downtown Baltimore extends well beyond the festival dates.
Operating under a collaborative leadership model between the City of Baltimore and BOPA, Artscape remains a powerful platform for artistic expression, deep community engagement, and cultural innovation. With art at its core, the festival will continue to drive creative and economic impact, reinforcing its role as a transformative force in Baltimore’s cultural landscape.

“Artists are the heartbeat of Baltimore’s creative economy, and investing in them means investing in the city’s future,” says Tonya Miller Hall, Mayor’s Senior Advisor of Arts & Culture.” Artscape 2025 is not just about a weekend of celebration — it’s about sustainability, creating lasting opportunities, and ensuring that artists remain at the center of economic growth and cultural transformation. When we put artists first, we set off a ripple effect that strengthens communities, drives innovation, and fuels Baltimore’s bold creative legacy.”

HEADLINERS & KEY STAKEHOLDERS
In addition to the lineup of local talent, Artscape 2025 includes performances from national/international icons. The lineup on Saturday, May 24th, is hip-hop duo Little Brother, followed by R&B singer-songwriter Tweet, and headlining is Grammy award-winning American Idol winner Fantasia. On Sunday, May 25th, country music singer-songwriter Tanner Adell opens for multi-award-winning performer Robin Thicke.

At today’s press conference, BOPA’s Interim CEO, Robyn Murphy, also announced key partners and stakeholders for Artscape 2025, including the return of WBAL as this year’s official media partner, which includes WBAL TV, WBAL Radio, and 98 Rock. The City of Baltimore and BOPA are also collaborating with key stakeholders such as Baltimore Center Stage, Ikonic Live, The Peale Museum, Zion Church, Baltimore Rock Opera Society, Bar Movement, and Raunjiba Designs. “This year’s festival will spark a citywide cultural movement,” says Murphy. “Artscape 2025 is the next evolution of creative placemaking, and we are thrilled to bring new energy, new programming, and a deeper impact to Baltimore’s artistic community by partnering with these critical stakeholders.”

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS
Artscape 2025 will be a feast for the senses. The War Memorial Building will present the SCOUT Art Fair, curated by renowned artist Derrick Adams, with over 50 emerging and established artists, immersive installations, and cutting-edge cultural programming. The Sondheim Semifinalists Exhibition will include work by this year’s 21 semifinalists for the prestigious Janet & Walter Sondheim Art Prize, an award that recognizes the best talent in contemporary art in the Baltimore region. This premier visual arts exhibition is curated by Lou Joseph, Director of the Baltimore City Arts Council.

A crowd favorite in 2023 and 2024, Central Baltimore Partnership will curate a mesmerizing digital art experience featuring projection mapping, interactive installations, and large-scale immersive environments that transform the cityscape into a glowing, dreamlike spectacle. Other returning elements include Kidscape, a family-friendly activation designed to engage young audiences through hands-on art experiences, performances, and interactive storytelling; and Artscape After Dark, after-hours programming with electrifying performances, DJ sets, and avant-garde installations for a late-night festival experience unlike any other.

This year attendees can engage in provocative discussions on the future of the arts, beauty, culture, and creative economies as part of the In Conversation Series. These curated and unexpected dialogues featuring thought leaders, artists, and cultural visionaries will challenge perspectives and inspire new ideas.

In addition to the selection of local food vendors who bring their unique culinary creations to Artscape, this year foodies can look forward to The Flavor Lab. In celebration of Baltimore’s rich food culture, this activation will feature top chefs, food innovators, and immersive dining experiences. Also new this year is Beyond the Reel – a new program track spotlighting the intersection of cinema, television, and digital storytelling that includes screenings, panel discussions, and filmmaker showcases to celebrate the impact of Baltimore’s film and television industry.

HOW TO GET INVOLVED
Artscape 2025 invites visionary brands, organizations, and community partners to join us in shaping a festival that drives cultural impact, economic growth, and artistic innovation. Sponsorship opportunities provide unparalleled exposure, audience engagement, and a chance to support Baltimore’s thriving creative ecosystem. To support this year’s festival as a sponsor, please submit requests at artscape.org. For any questions related to sponsorship, please email [email protected].

Vendor applications for Artscape 2025 are now open! We invite artists, makers, food vendors, and creatives to be part of America’s largest free arts festival. To see all 2025 applications, including eligibility requirements and participation guidelines, visit artscape.org. The deadline for all applications is March 17, 2025, at 11:59 p.m.

ABOUT ARTSCAPE
Launched in the summer of 1982, Artscape was conceived as more than just a festival — it was a bold economic and cultural catalyst designed to uplift Baltimore’s creative community. By spotlighting local artists and positioning Mt. Vernon as a thriving arts hub, Artscape played a pivotal role in fostering public engagement, generating financial support for the arts, and celebrating the city’s unparalleled creative energy. Visit artscape.org and follow BOPA on social media (@promoandarts) to learn more.

Doppio Pasticceria to Open Permanent Storefront In Remington On Tuesday Feb. 18th
Press Release :: February 18

Doppio Pasticceria, the Sicilian bakery and pizza shop who for nearly two years has operated out of various storefronts in Remington, will open on Tuesday, February 18th at their permanent storefront at 300 W. 29th St. (the corner of Remington Ave. and 29th Street) – marking a major milestone for the business that began at Baltimore area farmers markets. Owned by Luke Ilardo and Megan Cowman, Doppio first came to R. House, operating for nearly a year there, and then moved in the summer of 2024 to the former JBGB’s space on Howard Street, while the buildout for their permanent space on 29th Street was completed. The new space has 25 seats indoors and significant outdoor space for seating during warmer months.

At their new storefront, Doppio will continue to serve their coffee, espresso, and tea program, featuring coffee roasted by Sophomore Coffee, alongside handmade pastries and desserts. They will serve lunch and dinner options like New York style pizza by the slice or whole pie, sandwiches on housemade bread, arancini, salads, and handmade pastas. Doppio also has a full liquor license at the space and will plan to serve beer, wine, aperitifs, and Italian spirits. To start, their hours will be 8am-3pm Tuesday, Wednesday, and Sunday, and 8am-9pm Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, but they will expand to be open later Tuesday-Sunday soon after opening. Doppio will continue to also vend at the Saturday 32nd Street Farmers Market in Waverly.

“Doppio is an incredible addition to the area and we couldn’t be more excited to have them continue to grow right here on 29th Street,” said Katie Marshall, Director of Communications and creative at Seawall. “We’ve worked hand-in-hand with them to find and build out a permanent space in the neighborhood of Remington, and look forward to many coffees, pastries, and pizzas shared at this space.” Seawall owns and manages the 300 W. 29th Street space, leasing it to Doppio.

About Doppio Pasticceria

Started in the Spring of 2022, Doppio Pasticceria is a Sicilian bakery in Baltimore, Maryland.

Doppio Pasticceria is run by partners Megan Cowman and Luke Ilardo. They met at the JFX Baltimore Farmers Market in 2018 where Luke was a vendor. Megan grew up surrounded by agriculture in Carroll County and began working in kitchens at the age of 14. Luke grew up in Baltimore, working in his family’s pizzeria and other kitchens, before switching to agricultural work. Luke’s father immigrated to the United States from Lascari, a small town outside of Sicily’s capital of Palermo. Megan’s great-grandparents hail from Santo Stefano, less than 70 miles from Lascari.

Doppio means “double” in Italian and is commonly used when ordering an espresso. To us, Doppio represents the duality of Sicilian cuisine; influenced by countless empires of old, from the Greeks to the Arabs, to the Normans, yet singular and definitively belonging to the small Mediterranean island. We find the large umbrella of Sicilian cuisine allows us to make traditional southern Italian dishes while also exploring the many influences of the small island. We prioritize products cultivated in the Chesapeake Region, from the grains we mill, to the produce we feature, and the dairy we use in cheesemaking.

About Seawall

Seawall is a community organization made up of passionate social entrepreneurs who believe in re-imagining the real estate industry as we know it. We believe that all facets of the built environment should be used to empower communities, unite our cities, and help launch powerful ideas that create important movements. Combining decades of real estate development experience and non-profit community work, we have formed a socially conscious development company. Seawall has focused its energy and resources on providing discounted apartments for teachers, collaborative office space for non-profit organizations, community-driven retail, launchpads for chefs, and creative space for charter schools.

Seawall’s history of success is due in large part to deep relationships with neighborhood residents and business owners, as well as demonstrated and continuing commitment to responsible, inclusive development that is responsive to neighborhood needs and wants.

Oprah wants you to read this Baltimore author’s new novel
by Wesley Case
Published February 18 in The Baltimore Banner

Baltimore author Eric Puchner turns 55 next week, but he got the early gift of a lifetime on Tuesday: His new novel, “Dream State,” was named Oprah Winfrey’s latest Book Club pick.

It’s a secret the Johns Hopkins associate professor and Writing Seminars department chair has had to keep for some time — even from his kids.

“I didn’t feel like I could necessarily trust them to keep this secret for months so I didn’t tell them,” Puchner said with a laugh on Tuesday morning, while riding the train to New York ahead of a reading event. (His daughter, a college student, slept through the reveal on “CBS Mornings” anyway.)

Released today, “Dream State” is Puchner’s fourth book. Largely based in Montana, the novel spans five decades and focuses on a love triangle between a future bride, her fiancé and his best friend. It’s a fictional story initially inspired by a nightmarish wedding Puchner officiated, where attendees came down with norovirus.

Puchner’s publicist didn’t tell him about the selection or that Winfrey would deliver the life-changing news — just that he had to take a call at a certain time. So Puchner left a Johns Hopkins meeting early and headed to his car.

“I get terrible reception in my office,” he said.

The call came from an unlisted number but the voice on the other end quickly dashed any mystery.

“I picked it up and it was Oprah Winfrey,” Puchner recalled. ”I was flabbergasted. I almost dropped the phone.”

“Dream State” is the 111th pick for Winfrey’s famous book club, which began in 1996 and has catapulted numerous titles, new and old, to the top of bestseller lists. “Oprah’s Book Club”-branded editions — including Eckhart Tolle’s “A New Earth” and Cormac McCarthy’s “The Road” — sold more than 22 million copies over the span of a decade, according to a 2011 Nielsen report.

Puchner had only praise for Winfrey, the former WJZ anchor-turned-billionaire media mogul whom he described as a careful and thoughtful reader.

“She asked me really smart questions,” he said of their recent sit-down interview, filmed late last year and posted Tuesday to YouTube. “All of the sentences that she had plucked from the book that were her favorites are also my favorites.”

In the interview, Winfrey complimented Puchner for his “beautifully written characters.” She described “Dream State” as “a real page-turner and an emotional roller coaster” about love, friendship and how relationships evolve.

This sort of attention is “brand new territory” for Puchner, whose previous books include the 2010 novel “Model Home” and the story collections “Last Day on Earth” and “Music Through the Floor.”

“I’ve been toiling in relative obscurity for a long time. … It’s just incredibly gratifying and also surprising. I didn’t expect it at this point in my career,” Puchner said.

Puchner, who attended Calvert School, describes himself as “a slow writer” who labors over his sentences. He worked on “Dream State,” which was originally more than 800 pages, for five years.

Fans will be heartened to hear, however, that Puchner is in the “very early stages” of a new novel. “Just don’t ask what it’s about,” he said with a chuckle.

Understandably, he’s about to be busy for a while, with a schedule that includes his normal teaching duties and “Dream State” reading events across the country. At 6 p.m. on Saturday, he’ll appear at Bird in Hand in Charles Village for a chat with author Danielle Evans.

“I think it’s going to be quite crowded in there,” he said, “but I don’t want to jinx it.”

After such a momentous morning, that feels like a safe bet.

This story was republished with permission from The Baltimore Banner. Visit www.thebaltimorebanner.com for more.

See also:

Q&A with Eric Puchner, Author of ‘Dream State’
by Elisabeth Dahl
Published February 18 in Baltimore Fishbowl

Do Not Pass Charles Street; Do Not Collect $200 Dollars, Hon! ‘Monopoly: Baltimore Edition’ is coming!
by Aliza Worthington
Published February 18 in Baltimore Fishbowl

Excerpt: Forget about the shoe, the car, and the thimble – we may be fighting over who gets to be the crab, the Bromo Seltzer Tower, and Mr. Trash Wheel if Mr. Monopoly has his way! “Monopoly: Baltimore Edition” will debut later in 2025, and Mr. Monopoly seeks public input into what the playing board will look like.

Top Trumps USA (no relation to Donald J. Trump, Jr. or any of his family or businesses), creators of classic games and puzzles, will debut “Monopoly: Baltimore Edition” in late fall, under license from Hasbro. They are seeking well-established Baltimore businesses and non-profits to participate in honoring communities across the city.

Baltimore’s Artscape festival is moving from midtown to downtown for 2025, with Fantasia Barrino and Robin Thicke as the headliners
by Ed Gunts
Published February 14 in Baltimore Fishbowl

Excerpt: Baltimore’s Artscape festival is moving from midtown to downtown for 2025, with Fantasia Barrino and Robin Thicke as the headliners.

After disclosing plans last December to move the annual arts festival from August to May 24 and 25 – Memorial Day Weekend — Mayor Brandon Scott announced on Friday that organizers will be changing its location from the Mount Royal and Station North arts districts in midtown to parts of downtown Baltimore, to help boost that part of the city.

Headliners for the two-day event will be 2004 American Idol winner Fantasia Barrino on Saturday night and Robin Thicke on Sunday. Also performing on Saturday will be the hip-hop duo Little Brother and R&B singer-songwriter Tweet. Opening for Thicke on Sunday will be country music singer-songwriter Tanner Adell.

See also:

Artscape is moving downtown to uplift the area, mayor says
by Wesley Case
Published February 14 in The Baltimore Banner

Maryland artist Jimmy Rouse celebrates ‘the wonder of nature’ in a new solo exhibit at C. Grimaldis Gallery
by Ed Gunts
Published February 13 in Baltimore Fishbowl

Excerpt: Landscape paintings and prints by Maryland artist James “Jimmy” Rouse are the subject of a solo exhibit that opens on Thursday, Feb. 13, at C. Grimaldis Gallery in Baltimore.

En Plein Air is the title of the show, which features 27 pieces by Rouse, including oil paintings, watercolors and woodcuts, landscapes and cityscapes.

“Bringing together several decades of work celebrating the wonder of nature, this collection breathes fresh air within gallery walls,” owner Constantine Grimaldis says in his announcement of the show. “Blue skies and lush greenery weave a sense of possibility as each brush stroke builds into scenes both whimsical and familiar, allowing viewers to seemingly escape into the renewing sense of magnetism Rouse’s paintings hold. “

‘Blizzard’ fills Patterson Park’s Observatory with light, art, and poetry
by Aliza Worthington
Published February 14 in Baltimore Fishbowl

Excerpt: Venture outside this winter, and if you pass through Patterson Park, you’ll be rewarded with colorful scenes in the Observatory’s first-floor windows filled with cozy artwork interpreting Linda Pastan’s poem, “Blizzard.” At night, the windows are lit with lights that gradually change colors. Considering how unusually snowy our winter has been, the artwork and poetry fits Baltimore’s creative vibe perfectly.

When Jennifer Robinson, executive director of Friends of Patterson Park, reached out to artist Kait Klusewitz, it was not the first time they had worked together. Robinson asked Klusewitz to decorate the Observatory for the winter season last year as well, an experience she enjoyed so much that she was happy to return for another chance to decorate the structure.

“They knew they wanted something cozy and comforting with Victorian imagery and a focus on community,” Klusewitz told Baltimore Fishbowl in an email. “Last year we chose a poem as the center-point of the artwork, so this year we wanted to continue that theme! After some research into writers and poets with local ties, we landed on Blizzard, by Linda Pastan, who lived in Maryland toward the end of her life, and was Maryland’s Poet Laureate from 1991-1995.”

Maryland National Guard out of Frederick Douglass parade after DoD order declares Black History Month ‘dead’
by Brenda Wintrode
Published February 14 in The Baltimore Banner

Excerpt: Strict guidance from the national defense department crushed plans for an Eastern Shore parade held in honor of Frederick Douglass’ 207th birthday because it was scheduled during Black History Month, according to a memo sent by the Maryland National Guard citing federal policy changes.

The U.S. Department of Defense declared all military departments could not lend resources to any cultural celebrations, including those during Black History Month.

After months of correspondence, Douglass’ extended family received a Feb. 7 memo telling them the Maryland National Guard could not participate. The reason given: “Since this event is organized as part of a Black History Month celebration, the Maryland National Guard cannot support.”

… this story continues. Read the rest at The Baltimore Banner: Maryland National Guard out of Frederick Douglass parade after DoD order declares Black History Month ‘dead’

You know what bars are missing? Arts and crafts.
by Wesley Case
Published February 16 in The Baltimore Banner

Excerpt: It’s no secret: People are drinking less alcohol, putting the onus on bar owners to offer compelling reasons to get off the couch.

Enter Meander Art Bar, which fuses crafts and a sophisticated cocktail program inside a warm, inviting setting in Upper Fells Point. The result is a new bar where drinking for drinking’s sake isn’t the point — though you can do that, too.

Founder and co-owner Martha Robichaud has yearned for this kind of bar concept for years.

“I wanted a space for myself where I could go and get together with some friends and just get my hands dirty with some art supplies,” said the Baltimore native, seated on Meander’s plush corner couch on a recent weekday.

… this story continues. Read the rest at The Baltimore Banner: You know what bars are missing? Arts and crafts.

David Rubenstein says outgoing president, staffers made Kennedy Center a ‘beacon for the performing arts’
by Andy Kostka
Published February 13 in The Baltimore Banner

Excerpt: Orioles owner and control person David Rubenstein issued a statement directed at the current and former employees of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts after he was formally removed from his position as chairman.

President Donald Trump last week posted his intentions to remake the Kennedy Center’s board of trustees, which had been led by Rubenstein since 2010, and serve as chairman.

In a post a Thursday morning post on X, Rubenstein apologized to former Kennedy Center president Deborah Rutter and others for not being able to be in Washington, D.C., with them Wednesday, when the new board appointed Trump as chairman and fired Rutter, according to The Washington Post.

R&R: The First Art Show To Open at Emmanuel Episcopal Church’s Gallery in Mount Vernon on February 22, Showcasing Artists and Writers Published in the Magazine’s First Year
Press Release :: February 19

Relegation Books is pleased to announce “R&R: The First Art Show,” a month-long exhibition in the gallery at Emmanuel Episcopal Church in Mount Vernon (entrance at 3 Read St.) that will feature art and writers published in R&R magazine (relegationbooks.com/journal), which publishes new work on Tuesdays and was launched in December 2023. The exhibition is curated by R&R editor Joseph Grantham, well known in the city’s culture scene for the Hidden Palace Reading Series. The free opening on Saturday, February 22, from 5-7pm with readings, will be bookended by a free closing reception on Saturday, March 22 from 5-7pm with musical performances. Intermediate public viewing hours, with free admission (also available by appointment) are:

• Sunday, February 23, 12-4pm
• Saturday, March 1, 12-4pm
• Sunday, March 9, 12-4pm
• Saturday, March 15, 12-4pm
• Sunday, March 16,12-4pm
• Saturday, March 22, 12-4pm

Writers published in R&R who will read at the opening reception on February 22: 

• Donald Berger (Baltimore), the author of six books of poetry, The Rose of Maine (SurVision Books), Pizza Necklace (Foundlings Press), The Long Time, a bilingual edition in English and German (Wallstein Publishers , Goettingen, Germany), Or Purchase a Star (Jiddizig Books), Quality Hill (Lost Roads Publishers) and The Cream-Filled Muse (Fledermaus Press). His poems and prose have appeared in The New Republic, Slate, Conjunctions, Fence, The Iowa Review, The New York Times, The Believer, New American Writing and other publications including some from Berlin, Leipzig, Budapest, Hong Kong, and mainland China. He has been the recipient of a Fulbright Fellowship, Poetry Prize of the German Academy for Language and Poetry, and the James Tate International Poetry Prize, and was also a semi-finalist for Conduit Books’ Minds on Fire Open Book Prize. He currently teaches in the University Writing Program at Johns Hopkins University.

• Izzy Casey (New York) received her MFA in Poetry from the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, where she was the recipient of a fellowship with the Poetry Foundation. Her poems have been published in or are forthcoming from Gulf Coast: A Journal of Literature and Fine Arts, Black Warrior Review, Bennington Review, The Yale Review, BOAAT, The Columbia Review, NY Tyrant, and elsewhere.

• Kayla Jean (Baltimore) is a writer from Pennsylvania. Her chapbook, Cheap Seats, was published by Blue Arrangements in 2023. Her stories have appeared in Joyland, New World Writing, and elsewhere.

• Sylvia Jones‘ (Baltimore) first poetry collection, Television Fathers, was released in 2024 from Meekling Press. She is currently an editor at Black Lawrence Press and a reader for Ploughshares. She earned her M.F.A. from American University in Washington D.C. and lives and writes in Baltimore, MD.

Artists featured in the exhibition (works on view may differ than what has been published in the magazine):

• Born in 1982, Louis Gary studied at the Ecole Régionale des Beaux-Arts in Nantes, at the Ecole Nationale Supérieure de la Photographie in Arles and at the Ecole Supérieure des Beaux-Arts in Marseille. He currently lives and works in Saints-en-Puisaye, France; over the last few years his work has been shown at Bikini (Lyon, FR), The Pill (Istanbul, TK), Semiose Galerie (Paris, FR). He is represented by The Pill gallery, Istanbul, Turkey.

• Alex Griffin lives and works in East Falls, Philadelphia. Griffin’s work has appeared in solo and group exhibitions throughout the United States. From 2017 until 2019, he was associated with The Professional Artist Membership Program at the Mainline Art Center. Today, Griffin’s paintings are included in private collections across the country and abroad. Griffin received his B.F.A. from Virginia Commonwealth University in Painting and Printmaking in 2008.

• Born and raised in Philadelphia, Kathryn Lynch received her undergraduate degree from William Smith College in Geneva, NY, and an MFA at the University of Pennsylvania in 1990. She was awarded the NYSCA/NYFA Artist Fellow in Painting in 2018. She has been invited to Skowhegan, Yaddo, The Marie Walsh Foundation and The Vermont Studio Center. Since earning her MFA, Lynch has held solo exhibitions and participated in well over thirty group shows both nationally and internationally. Her work is in the permanent collections of the University of California Berkeley Art Museum, Berkeley, CA and Fort Wayne Museum of Art, Fort Wayne, IN, as well as many corporate collections, including Microsoft, Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer, and the Millennium Art Collection in the Ritz Carlton, Battery Park, in NYC. The artist lives in Catskill, NY, and works in a curated artist campus called Foreland.

• Matthew Reed is a painter and visual artist from along the St. Lawrence River in Upstate New York State.  Reed’s paintings associate techniques used in collage and portraits to create a surreal yet hyperreal evocation of social life, performance, labor, leisure, and romance. Matthew Reed lives in Asheville, North Carolina and can be found at www.tvbeaches.com. Most recently, his work is featured as the artwork for the most recent MJ Lenderman album, Manning Fireworks (ANTI, 2024).

• Jennifer Sullivan(b. 1978, New York) creates expressionistic, character-driven paintings that explore personal narratives with a diaristic sensibility, mapping an ever-evolving inner life. Drawing on borrowed plotlines and protagonists from film, music, and other forms, as well as her own life experiences, her work weaves intimate feeling with shared cultural references. Over the years, her storytelling has taken various forms, from autobiographical performance and video art to her current focus on painting, drawing, monotype printmaking, and hand-painted t-shirts. Based in Ridgewood, Queens, Sullivan holds an MFA in Fine Art from Parsons School of Design and a BFA from Pratt Institute. Recent solo and two-person exhibitions include The Tenderness (with Raychael Stine, Emma Gray HQ, 2024) and Sleeper (Turn Gallery, 2021). She has participated in group exhibitions at NADA Miami, Peter Blum Gallery, Marinaro, Klaus Von Nichtsaggend, and the deCordova Museum. Awards include fellowships with Paint School at Shandaken Projects (2020) and the Fine Arts Work Center (2012–13), as well as residencies at The Lighthouse Works, the Skowhegan School of Painting & Sculpture, the Ox-Bow School of Art, and Yaddo. Her work has been featured in The New York Times and The Brooklyn Rail.

• Lori Taschler was born in Brooklyn, New York and received her MFA from Pratt Institute. She has had numerous one person shows in New York City and group shows throughout the United States. Her work is included in many private and public art collections including : The Herb and Dorothy Vogel Collection, The Yale University Art Gallery, The Akron Art Museum, Oklahoma City Museum of Art, Honolulu Academy of Arts, Portland Museum Of Art, University of Alaska Museum, Plains Art Museum North Dakota, Academy of Art Museum Maryland, Weatherspoon Art Gallery: the University of North Carolina, University of Wyoming Art Museum, University Museum of Southern Illinois and the Frederick R. Weisman Art Museum: University of Minnesota.

Relegation Books was founded in 2012 by Dallas Hudgens, and, in 2025, will focus on the inaugural Relegation x DC Writers Room Fellowship for a Washington, DC-area writer; Relegation Records, which is currently promoting Regis Hotel (regishotelmusic.com); R&R magazine, edited by Joseph Grantham in Baltimore; and Relegation Radio (soundcloud.com/relegation-radio) an experimental podcast that invites artists to explore their creativity at the intersection of music and literature. Recently published books include The Trees by Claudia Peña Claros, translated from the Spanish by Robin Myers and 1 of World Literature Today’s 75 Notable Translations of 2024, and Roundabout by Will Mountain Cox, a Burley Fisher Books’ Book of the Year for 2023. The Relegation Reader, a new anthology of contemporary poetry surveying scenes in Europe and the U.S., edited by Paris-based Cox, is forthcoming in November. For more, visit relegationbooks.com.

Alex Cooper Announces February Gallery Auctions
Press Release :: February 18

Baltimore-based Auctioneer Alex Cooper, announces their upcoming February Gallery Auctions taking place on February 27th and 28th.  Both auctions are live online now for pre-bidding and can be viewed at www.bid.alexcooper.com.

The Thursday, February 27th auction features fine jewelry and timepieces, luxury accessories, silver and coins.  Fine jewelry includes private collections and estates from around Maryland, including John E. McDonald, Sr., Janet Lee Corbin and Alma L. Bergman. Exceptional gemstones include an important David Webb opal and diamond necklace, GIA Alexandrite and diamond ring, a pair of fine tanzanite and diamond earrings, and a 6.00 carat GIA unheated Burmese ruby cabochon and diamond ring. Important diamonds include an 8.50 ctw diamond line bracelet, and a pair of 3.20 ctw inside/out diamond hoops; together with notable South Sea pearl necklace, bracelet, ring, and earrings. Fine timepieces by Rolex, Omega, Corum, Porsche, Breitling, Concord, and a Patek Philippe 18K gold lighter with accessories. Luxury accessories will feature a beautiful black and matallio Chanel 19 large tweed flap bag, Patek Philippe scarves and stoles, and fur coats. Silver features sterling and coin silver by Baltimore makers including S Kirk & Son, Schofield, Stieff, and Jenkins & Jenkins. International silver including Mexican silver by Tane, Egyptian, Hong Kong, and an exceptional Japanese sterling chrysanthemum bowl by Arthur & Bond. British silver including an ornate Victorian heraldic tea and coffee service by Edward Farrell. Coins and currency include several lots of Islamic gold, US and world silver coins, popular 1899 $5 silver certificate “Chief”, US proof sets, Franklin mint silver items, 1915 Panama Pacific Exposition Medal of Award framed.

The Friday, February 28th auction includes Fine Art, Furniture, Decorative Arts, and Rugs. Art presents a selection of notable works from private collections and estates, including the Collection of Leigh and Lois Abts, Monkton, MD, the Estate of Clifford Ambrose Truesdell III, Baltimore, MD, from the collection of Brian Jackson, Baltimore, MD, the Estate of James K. Hill, Washington, DC and the Estate of Ronald E. Geesey, Snow Hill, MD. The auction is headlined by a stunning work from Frits Thaulow, as well as Tom Wesselman, Granville Seymour Redmond, Alphonse Mucha, Herman Maril, Peter Max, Helio Melo, Joan Miro, Peter Lik, vintage posters including Jules Cheret, Razzia and Rene Lois Pean, a selection of vintage movie and television posters, a collection of Irish land and seascapes, prints by Roy Lichtenstein, Joan Miro, LeRoy Neiman, Marc Chagall, Al Hirschfeld, Lowell Nesbitt, Issachar Ber Ryback as well as photographs by A. Aubrey Bodine and a selection of Asian prints and paintings, and more. Furniture features period and reproduction furniture from Maitland Smith, Baker, Potthast, Hickory Chair, Alfonso Marina and Ralph Lauren. Modern and Contemporary furniture by Restoration Hardware, Herman Miller, Century and more. Also included in this auction, a beautiful 1928 Steinway and Sons Model M Baby Grand Piano and more. Decorative Arts will be featuring a large selection of Asian art this month. Chinese and Japanese porcelain including a beautiful porcelain “Fishes” bowl, bronzes including a 6.4-foot Maitreya Buddha, jade items, Korean candlesticks, Thai and Indian items, screens and so much more. Also featured, Lalique, Baccarat, and Steuben crystal including a Lalique “Chene” oak leaf platter and “Oleron” vase in addition to a large limited edition Baccarat bowl. Bronze sculptures will include the last of an Erte collection, Bobbie Carlyle’s “Self-Made Man” bronze, and Gaston Veuvenot Leroux’s “Rebecca.” Porcelain and pottery will include Herend, early 18th century Delft, and two Gertrud & Otto Natzler footed bowls. Other items featured include lighting, clocks, and Mary Gregory style enameled glass garniture vases. Rugs will be featuring vibrant antique Turkish rugs as well as beautiful antique Heriz and Serapi carpets.

The auctions will open for in-person viewing Tuesday, February 25th – Thursday, February 27th, from 10:00 am – 4:00 pm in the Alex Cooper Gallery located at 908 York Road, Towson, MD.

ABOUT ALEX COOPER (www.alexcooper.com) (www.bid.alexcooper.com)

Alex Cooper, headquartered in Towson, MD, is proudly celebrating 100 years of business.  It is one of the largest auctioneers in Maryland and Washington, DC. The company has more than 50 employees and specializes in the sale of arts and antiques, jewelry, silver, furniture and decorative arts, as well as the sale of residential, commercial and industrial real estate. The showroom also features a “Gallery of Rugs” offering one of the region’s most expansive rug collection.