With Mazzy Bell, I cofounded Images for Baltimore, a print sale featuring works by 45+ Baltimore-based artists that fundraised approximately $20,000 from 287 donors for the Maryland Food Bank during May 2020.

Images for Baltimore was featured on Bmore Art, Hypebeast, and Somewhere Magazine.

Participating artists who donated work for this project include: Devin Allen, Mary Anne Arntzen, Sasha Baskin, Erick Antonio Benitez, George Bierly, Amy Boone McCreesh, Burton Booz, Becky Borlan, Carolyn Case, Cindy Cheng, Julia Clouser, Bonnie Crawford, Pete Cullen, Markele Cullins, Oletha DeVane, Morgan Dowty, Nicoles Dyer, Dave Eassa, Alex Ebstein, Elaine Fisher, Erin Fostel, Jeffrey L. Gangwisch, Jay Gould, Landon Green, Zachary Z. Handler, Rachel Hayden, Phaan Hwong, Jae Joon Jang, Elena Johnston, Patrick Joust, Elliot Kelley, Meagan Koeppel, Chris Kojzar, Natan Lawson, Giulia Piera Livi, Jon Malis, Rohan Mattu, Antonio McAfee, Nadia Rea Morales, Jackie Milad, Kyle Myles, Verna Severin, Joyce J. Scott, Josh Sinn, Hae Won Sohn, and Karen Yasinksy.

PRESS RELEASE:

Created by Mazzy Bell, 23, a first grade teacher for a Baltimore City Public School, and Sarah Cho, 24, a curatorial assistant at the Baltimore Museum of Art, Images for Baltimore is a personal project these two friends organized in support of their community. They hope this project is unifying–– bringing together a wide variety of artists with different studio practices and are at varying points in their careers.

Due to the COVID-19 crisis, Baltimoreans have been laid off or furloughed, and students may no longer have regular access to food. Bell says: “Baltimore is a truly miraculous city, home to so many strong and resilient communities who are constantly looking out for one another.”

Bell and Cho chose the Maryland Food Bank for this fundraiser because they felt the organization would help families with food insecurity during a time of uncertainty. Cho adds: “While grants and stimulus checks may not be inclusive of all of our neighbors in Baltimore, the Maryland Food Bank is a wonderful resource that is open to everyone.”

Prints on imagesforbaltimore.com are available for $50 + shipping. The proceeds from the sale will go directly to the Maryland Food Bank. These high-quality archival print reproductions of original work are unsigned and will be open edition only for the month of May. Prints will be printed in partnership with Baltimore’s Full Circle Fine Art.

A full list of the 45+ contributing artists and their works can be found on Images for Baltimore. A specially featured artist is I. Henry Phillips Sr. (1920-1993), who was the chief photographer for the Baltimore Afro-American newspaper. His grandson, Webster Phillips, has generously donated two photographs from his grandfather’s archives to support the Images for Baltimore project.