Congratulations to community artist Iandry Randriamondroso on the successful completion of his B’MORE Birds project!

Over the course of the last several months, Iandry has worked closely with residents of the communities along the York Road corridor between Glenwood and 43rd street to create a series of five murals depicting native birds of the Govans forest patches. Last Friday, BOPA joined corridor residents, York Road Partnership, Govanstowne Business Association, Loyola York Road Initiative, Councilman Bill Henry and the Department of Transportation in celebrating Iandry’s work.

York Rd Mural Celebraition 002 York Rd Mural Celebraition 004 York Rd Mural Celebraition 018

ABOUT THE BIRDS

Rileys Beauty

The Oriole

4331 York Road

Baltimore Orioles are bright orange birds with black and white wings that sound almost as beautiful as they look. Their smooth, whistling songs are commonly heard in orchards, backyards, and gardens. Baltimore Orioles mostly eat insects and fruit, such as raspberries and mulberries. Their sturdy, hammock-like nests are suspended from branches high in trees, woven together with grasses, hair, spider webs, twine, and wool.

Gomez Tires 2

The Cedar Waxwing

4811 York Road

Cedar Waxwings are bold colored birds with rusty brown bodies, black face masks, and orange or yellow wax-tipped tails. They are often found in flocks, filling themselves with berries from a variety of plants, such as mulberry trees and honeysuckle shrubs. They are common in residential areas, staying in Maryland all year round.

Afrik Salon

The Red-bellied Woodpecker

5017 York Road

Red-bellied Woodpeckers are common woodpeckers found in wooded areas that have a red cap, black wings, and a warm beige belly. Their large black bill is used for drilling into dead wood to pull out insects and larvae with their barbed tongues. They also drill cavities inside dead trees to lay 2-6 eggs and raise their young over a month-long period.

Academy Cleaners - South Wall

The Blue Jay

5219 York Road

Blue Jays are the local noisy neighbors in wooded residential areas, with their loud jaaaaay calls that easily distinguish them. They are pale to bright blue and white birds that eat a variety of insects, nuts, and seeds. They also sometimes eat eggs from other birds’ nests and are aggressive at the local bird feeder. Blue Jay eggs are blue to light brown, within nests placed approximately 20 feet above ground in trees.

York Rd Mural Celebraition 016

The Black-and-White Warbler

5219 York Road

Black-and-white Warblers are small, black and white striped birds that live in forests. Often seen creeping along tree branches, they eat a variety of insect larvae hidden in the wood, along with ants and beetles. They spend the winter months in Mexico and migrate up to Maryland to breed in the summer, building well-hidden nests on the ground near tree trunks.

This project was made possible by funding from the Baltimore City Department of Transportation as part of Baltimore’s 1% for Public Art Program

 

 

2014-10-14-bloomberg-public-art-challenge

Last week, Bloomberg Philanthropies announced their commitment to invest up to $1 million in three cities in support of innovative, temporary public art projects that enhance quality of life.

The Baltimore Office of Promotion & the Arts is now accepting proposals to represent Baltimore City in the Bloomberg Philanthropies Public Art Challenge.

As Baltimore City’s designated Arts Council, the Baltimore Office of Promotion & The Arts strives to make Baltimore a more creative and vibrant city.  The Bloomberg Philanthropies Public Art Challenge represents a remarkable opportunity for the City of Baltimore.  Each city may enter only one application, which must be submitted by the Mayor and represent a collaboration between the City and an artist and/or arts organization. At least three cities will receive up to $1 million each over two years to support temporary art projects that:

  • Celebrate creativity
  • Enhance urban identity
  • Encourage public/private partnerships
  • Drive economic development

Submissions are encouraged from all artistic disciplines including multi-media, visual and performing arts.  Projects may be new ideas, or in development and have not yet been realized.

Successful applicants will:

  • Bring people together to experience public places in dynamic and transformative ways
  • Demonstrate close collaboration between artists, arts organizations and cities
  • Establish robust public/private partnerships between local government and other funders

Selection criteria include:

  • Excellent, innovative public art project
  • Potential for positive impact on Baltimore City
  • Evidence of technical feasibility of the project idea and its implementation (i.e. staff, consultants, fabricators, engineers, strategy for regulatory approvals, etc.)
  • Appropriate budget and capacity to leverage other sources of support
  • Strong marketing and audience engagement strategy
  • Commitment to evaluating outcomes

Up to five proposals will be selected by a representative of the Mayor’s office and two additional jurors to be designated by the Mayor.  The finalists will be notified by Friday, November 14 and asked to prepare additional information. These proposals will then be presented to the public at a date, time and location to be announced.  The jurors will make a recommendation to the Mayor as to the project to be submitted.  The Mayor will make the final decision.

DEADLINE: Monday, November 3, 2014 – 9:00am

NOTIFICATION: Friday, November 14

DOWNLOAD THE FULL REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS HERE

DOWNLOAD THE APPLICATION HERE

Applications must be submitted via email to: Krista Green, Assistant Cultural Affairs Director at kgreen@promotionandarts.org

 

The 11th Annual Transmodern Performance Festival is officially underway! The festival kicked off Sunday with a twilight parade through the Bromo Arts District, featuring Fluid Movement, the Barrage Band Orchestra, Arabbers, illuminated floats by Dan Van Allen, lanterns, hoopers and stilters.

Party Hats

Standing By

Pirate Prep

Balloons+

transmodern6

Marching Band Parade Kicks Off Balloons++ Charmer Opening Performance transmodern9 transmodern8 transmodern7  transmodern5

This year’s Transmodern Festival is the first ever performance art recipient of the PNC Transformative Art Prize. Festivities continue through September 27th – for a full listing of events visit transmodernfestival.com.

ICY Signs Setup

Come for the free signs, stay for the avocado.

Steve Powers & the ICY SIGNS team have arrived and they’re setting up shop now at 224 N Paca St in Lexington Market. In addition to using the sign shop as a staging area for their cross-city mural project, they’ll be making free hand-painted signs for Baltimore businesses starting this week.

In need of a sign? email icybaltimore@gmail.com.

Custom signs take time, so make sure to get your request in early!

Sign Sample

 

 

Riley's Beauty Salon Mural

As part of Baltimore’s 1% for Public Art Program, BOPA is working with the York Road Partnership and the Govanstowne Business Association to create a mural series depicting native birds along the York Road corridor between 43rd Street and Glenwood Avenue. Artist Iandry Randriamandoso, a former MICA Community Arts student, chose local birds as the subjects for the series because of their universality, inclusiveness, and connection to the local environment.

“Birds play an important role in maintaining balances in our ecosystem and add enjoyments to our lives with their beauty—both in plumage colors and distinct songs. In ever changing urban landscapes, they represent adaptation, resilience and the continuation of life. When Changes occur in a neighborhood, it will change the dynamic make-up of the population—new inhabitants come; some leave; some stay and adapt with the new changes. Eventually, they represent us and our neighbors.”
Iandry Randriamandroso

Three murals have been completed to date–keep your eyes out for more.

Academy Cleaners Mural Progress
Academy Cleaners Mural

 

The elephants in Druid Hill Park have arrived at last. Check out photos from yesterday’s unveiling ceremony:

Painted by ALCO

One of the baby elephants painted by ALCO

One of five elephants meandering through the park

One of five elephants meandering through the park

 

Deborah Patterson sporting her pink elephant purse

Deborah Patterson sporting her pink elephant purse

Artist Barbara Thompson in the spotlight

Artist Barbara Thompson in the spotlight

Elephants 056

Deborah goes through the list of dozens of people who helped make this project a reality

Deborah introduces the Elephants: a project 2 years in the making

Will Backstrom from PNC Bank describes the birth of the Transformative Art Prize

Will Backstrom from PNC Bank describes the birth of the Transformative Art Prize

Randi Vega & Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake

Randi Vega & Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake

Artist Barbara Thompson

Artist Barbara Thompson

 

Randi Vega & Will Backstrom, the masterminds behind the PNC Transformative Art Prize

Randi Vega & Will Backstrom, the masterminds behind the PNC Transformative Art Prize