Tonight it was announced on Maryland Public Television that I was one of the three recipients of the 2013 Mary Sawyers Baker Prize.

You can watch the announcement HERE

It is an incredible honor to receive the Mary Sawyers Baker Prize. I owe so much to my fellow artists and friends here in the Baltimore art scene, their dedication to their practice and incite into the material and mediums in which they work set a constant bar that I aim to reach in my own studio on a daily basis. Its groups of colleagues like this and awards like the Baker Prize that make Baltimore such an invigorating place to be an artist right now. 

I cannot express enough my gratitude to the Baker Board of Trustees, the Greater Baltimore Cultural Alliance and national jury for selecting me. Congratulations to my fellow winners Lynne Parks and Dariusz Skoacazewshi.

After graduating MICA I established a studio in the unfinished portion of my apartment's basement here in Baltimore. Recently that studio has been featured on the art-blog journal-du-design.fr. Click HERE to see the article. During the six months there I focused on re-establishing drawing into my practice, experimenting with new materials and designing/building proposals for several large-scale installations.

Two weeks ago, I moved into my new studio at the School 33 Art Center. Over the past two years I have had a strong relationship with School 33 and am excited to join the ranks of the other resident artists here.

Below is a quick panorama shot I took with my cell phone camera of the new space. Looking forward to getting down to some seriously business here.

This past May, I had the incredible privilege of giving the commencement speech on behalf of my class for the 2012 graduation ceremony at MICA. It's been almost a year now since leaving MICA and not a day goes by when I don't think back on my time there with awe, gratitude and pride.  

In just under a month the class of 2013 will be taking to the same stage, having just seen their thesis this past weekend I am so proud to count so many of them as friends and colleagues. Deana Haggag from the Curatorial Practice MFA will be giving the speech this year, I speak with all confidence when I say that she's gonna hit this one out of the park, I can't wait to hear it. 

Below is a link to my speech from last year, botched beginnings and all:
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE SPEECH

This summer Rene Trevino approached me about being part of School 33's proposal for a national grant from the Robert Rauschenburg Foundation. After months of waiting I am thrilled to announce that we have indeed received one.

The details are still being worked out but I will be collaborating with Baltimore Artist Jennifer Strunge on a year long installation at School 33.

I am so proud and excited to be a part of this project and am sincerely looking forward to working with School 33 and it's staff again.

Here's the Sun's article: School 33 wins $100,000 national grant,
Contemporary art gallery aims to use Robert Rauschenberg Foundation money to transform building, fund projects


Here is an interview with Rene on BmoreArt: 
$100,000 to School 33 Art Center from The Rauschenberg Foundation!

And the Rauschenburg Foundation's page with all the other winners this year: 
ARTISTIC INNOVATION AND COLLABORATION GRANTS

Young Blood: Work by recent MFA graduates at The Maryland Art Place

and

At-TENT-ion during Artscape 2012