In this digital age of divided attention spans, we can’t think of any better holiday gift to give this season than that of a beautiful book. That’s right—a physical, feel-it-in-your-hands, keep-it-on-your-bedside-or-coffee-table book—which, much like a magazine, you can return to time and time again for information and inspiration (not to mention a nice three-dimensional salve for your tired eyeballs).
And this winter, Baltimore artists have made it easy. Consider these beautiful new art books recently published by big-name creatives, ideally to be purchased from a local bookstore near you.
Derrick Adams by Derrick Adams
Leave it to Derrick Adams to create a book that will pop on your shelf as his myriad paintings do on major art-museum walls. This bright pink publication is the highly anticipated debut monograph from the Brooklyn-based Baltimore native, who has become one of America’s most celebrated contemporary artists all while giving back to his hometown.
Out now via Phaidon’s Monacelli imprint, flip through its 150 images of landmark artworks from throughout his 30-year career, including many scenes celebrating everyday Black life, accompanied by essays and interviews.
No Solace in the Shade by Jerrell Gibbs
Jerrell Gibbs is one of the fastest rising artists to come out of Baltimore in recent years. The painter’s large-scale figurative paintings are the stuff of dreams, with big brushstrokes and luminous colors used to reflect on themes of masculinity, fatherhood, and belonging.
This new book shares the same title as his first-ever solo exhibition, now on display at the esteemed Brandywine Museum of Art in Pennsylvania, reflecting on the first decade of his career. Go see the works for yourself, then snag this Rizzoli book, featuring illuminating context written by Baltimore writer Angela N. Carroll, along with the BMA’s head of contemporary art Jessica Bell Brown and local poet Nia June.
American Sublime by Amy Sherald
The must-see art exhibition of 2025 is hands-down the serendipitous Amy Sherald retrospective at the Baltimore Museum of Art. On view through April 5, American Sublime is the most comprehensive exhibition of the one-time Baltimorean’s work to date, with the mid-career retrospective featuring nearly 40 career-spanning paintings—from foundational pieces of the early 2000s to her most iconic masterworks of the past decade, such as the official portrait of First Lady Michelle Obama and a memorial portrait of Breonna Taylor.
Go experience it in real life, then take those works home as a memento of this historic moment via the exhibition’s catalogue. It’s sold out online, but maybe if you’re lucky, you can snag a copy at the BMA gift shop. You might even recognize the cover star—Denzel Mitchell, Jr., a local farmer, food leader, and the executive director of the Farm Alliance of Baltimore.
Shabtis Gather by Jackie Milad
In partnership with BmoreArt, mixed-media artist Jackie Milad presents her debut art book, featuring 200 stunning pages that celebrate her work, process, and cultural impact, which has gained a loyal following both in Baltimore and beyond.
Admire the scale and depth of her career across more than 150 images from her kaleidoscopic collages, each featuring bold colors, dynamic textures, and deep symbolism. As a child of Honduran and Egyptian immigrants, Milad often uses her works to explore themes of identity, migration, and ancestral memory. Find this debut book online.
Plus, more magazines, please.
Speaking of BmoreArt, we also can’t help but feel a little fellow print love and suggest gifting a subscription to this beautiful Baltimore periodical. Celebrating the city’s vibrant art scene, it’s a treasure trove of local talent, with its 20th-edition “Icons” issue featuring cover star John Waters, making the perfect stocking stuffer.
And photo books galore!
Baltimore has no shortage of talented photographers, and several of them published books this year, too. Don’t sleep on Baltimore by Devin Allen, chronicling the past decade of Black life and the fight for racial justice in Baltimore, or Scene Seen by Micah E. Wood, celebrating this city’s dynamic music scene.
Not to mention a few more art-y books we love …
We’re grabbing everyone a copy of Claire McCardell: The Designer Who Set Women Free, a brilliant biography on this Frederick-born fashion icon by local author Elizabeth Evitts Dickinson, which taught us so much about the evolution of feminine style.
And for something further outside of the box, the new John Waters Screenplay Collection features the local filmmaker’s original scripts for such iconic flicks as Pink Flamingos, Hairspray, Desperate Living, as well as deeper cuts like Multiple Maniacs.