local artists – Baltimore Magazine

Pile of Craft 2014

Jess Mayhugh — Fri, 06 Jun 2014 00:00:00 +0000

This weekend marks Charm City Craft Mafia’s eighth annual Pile of Craft—one of the city’s unique (and free to attend!) craft fairs.

The self-acclaimed “Craftiest Bunch in Baltimore” has recruited more than 45 artists from across the country to sell their handmade items at the fair. These crafts will range from paintings, prints and ceramics, to stationery, toys and home goods, to apparel, jewelry, handbags, and more.

And even if you’re not shopping, you might just go home with some of the pieces on display. The fair’s raffle (tickets will be available at the information table) will afford fair goers the chance to win donated items from Craft Mafia vendors. Proceeds will go to charity.

Attendees will also have the opportunity to meet the artists and to learn some crafting themselves—Baltimore Print Studios will lead DIY printmaking demonstrations.

While enjoying this one-of-a-kind shopping experience, enjoy coffee and food catered by Red Emma’s.

When: Saturday, June 7 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Where: 2640 St. Paul St.

Image courtesy of the event’s Facebook page.

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Robin Bozzuto and Lexie Greene want to be the go-to girls for collectors who love Maryland art

Jess Mayhugh — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 08:30:00 +0000

Overcoming stereotypes is just one of the challenges Robin Bozzuto,
left, and Lexie Greene face as they try to make a name for themselves in
the Baltimore art scene.

“Whenever you see affluent housewives starting a business, people are skeptical,” says Bozzuto.

Yes,
in case you’re wondering, they’re both related to big-league property
developer Tom Bozzuto. (He’s Lexie’s father and Robin’s father-in-law.)
But stepping out from that shadow, they’ve been making a name for
themselves as art consultants since founding Bozzuto Greene Art (BGA)
more than a year ago. “We wanted to make viewing and collecting artwork
more attainable, more accessible,” Greene says.

BGA represents 10
Maryland artists whose work ranges from still lifes and landscapes to
abstract and contemporary, selling both to homeowners and businesses for
prices from $150 to as high as $20,000. The company’s concept is to
offer an alternative to the stuffy gallery, showing artists’ work in a
casita-like pool house on the property of Bozzuto’s Charlesmead home, as
well as hosting events and luncheons, and sometimes taking selected
pieces of art to clients’ homes to display them in their prospective
environments. In the first year of business, they have sold nearly 100
pieces and are in the black, they say. “We are serious about this—we
want this to be big,” says the 43-year-old Bozzuto. But that means
achieving a work-life balance, too, since both are mothers of three.

“We
both took time out of the workforce to raise our kids, but eventually
wanted to work again,” says Greene, 37. “We wanted a job that gave us a
flexible schedule, so we could be moms and do the carpool pickup. That’s
when we came up with Bozzuto Greene Art.”

Greene’s love for art
began at a young age, and she earned a master’s degree in arts
administration from New York University. She previously worked at The
Whitney Museum of American Art and the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in
New York. Her sister-in-law holds an MBA and has served in top marketing
positions at T. Rowe Price and American Express. And while Bozzuto’s
résumé doesn’t mention art, don’t let that fool you.

“We both love
beautiful, original art,” says Bozzuto. “We like visiting new artists
and meeting with clients and understanding them.” And they say they’ve
only scratched the surface of Baltimore’s vibrant art scene.

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American Craft Council Debuts Charm Collection in Baltimore

Jess Mayhugh — Thu, 20 Feb 2014 15:00:00 +0000

This weekend the American Craft Council will return to Baltimore for its 38th annual show.

Showcasing
more than 650 of the nation’s greatest artists, the event has been
recognized as the country’s largest juried indoor craft show. Just like
in years past, you’ll have the opportunity to browse and buy the
artists’ one-of-a-kind crafts—ranging from jewelry and apparel to
furniture and other home décor, while learning more about the production
process behind each handcrafted piece.

This year at the Baltimore Convention Center, you’ll also have the chance to explore one of the show’s newest collections: the American Craft Charm Collection.

The
Charm Collection will be launched and available to the public for the
very first time, here in Baltimore. As the name suggests, the line will
include a variety of unique handmade charms, as well as charm bracelets,
pendants, and pins. ACC artists, including several local ones, have
contributed to the line, resulting in an array of eclectic styles and
materials (including precious and semi-precious stones), and a wide
range of price points. You’ll find pieces representing charming things
about Baltimore—black-eyed Susan flowers, orioles, raven feathers, and
Edgar Allen Poe.

Don’t miss your chance to get the exclusive
first look at the charms before the artists travel to their next stops
in Atlanta, St. Paul, and San Francisco. (Click
here for a preview of the jewelry.)

On
Friday, the show will be held from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., on Saturday, from
10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and finally, on Sunday, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Buy tickets at the door ($16 for a one-day pass and $30 for a complete three-day pass) or in advance (here!) for less ($14 for one day and $28 for three).

ACC members and children under the age of 12 will be admitted free of charge.

When: Friday, February 21st through Sunday, February 23rd

Where: Baltimore Convention Center, 1 W. Pratt St.

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