Porch Art, Baltimore MD 2007 – 2011

In the fall of 2006, I moved to Huntingdon Ave in the Remington neighborhood of Baltimore MD. The following summer, I started spending every Tuesday evening on my porch engaging a small group of 5 – 8 neighborhood kids with the art supplies I had stored in my basement. For me, this was a great way to get to know the kids in my neighborhood, do something that I loved, and provide a space for youth to socialize and engage in something positive. We started calling Tuesday nights “Porch Art” night.

In Porch Art’s second summer, the attendance doubled, I recruited a few neighborhood helpers and had a few parents attending and donating supplies. By my final and fourth year doing Porch Art, we had groups of up to 30 people of all ages attending.  Guest artist instructors led activities, local musicians entertained and I organized a rotating roster of community volunteers to help set up, run and clean up each Tuesday. Porch Art was featured in the Baltimore Sun, and on Voice of America.

Porch Art continues to be an important part of the Remington neighborhood and is still volunteer-run and supported by local donations.