Artistic endeavors across Maryland encourage communities

MARYLAND – “Art is in the eye of the beholder”, a phrase coined way back in 1878. Fast forward to 2024, local artists see a different landscape for their communities, and are creating the full picture.

Painting the Town

People, paintings, and positivity. Local residents believe that with paint, anything is possible. Only 3 weeks ago, 40-year-old Yusef Hakeem single-handedly took on the task of beautifying his community.  He is painting a mural on the side of Price Cutters, a business that has been a staple in the community for over 25 years. He said his painting business RSC Design & Print has been in the community for the past 6 years, and he was a perfect candidate to take this on. He is the only one tackling this job and doesn’t have as much equipment as you would normally see during a mural project, but that won’t stop his passion.

Yusef said the project was a way to brush up on his skills and provide a visual focal point for healing in the community. “Art is a universal language… It could start a conversation, it could bring different people from different hues and different genera’s together, in order for them to understand ok, this person isn’t too much different from me. and that can beget respect.” He says the town’s past has a history racism and violence, and this is a way to bridge those gaps. “Art could be understood in any language or whatever, so they don’t have to speak the same tongue, to appreciate the same art.”

At the same time, across the state, 51 artists are painting outdoors to capture the moment as part of a challenge by the Ocean City Art League. Rina Thaler, Executive Director says these artists display a stroke of genius. “It’s almost like magic, it’s like watching an image appear. You’re looking at the scenery, you’re watching the artist, and then they’re creating it right in front of you… Nature is such a fleeting thing, and to be able to record the landscape is really special.” Like Yusef, Rina says, art is something anyone can love. “Art is something that everyone can participate in. Whether you’re creating the piece of artwork, or you’re coming and viewing other people’s artwork, you get a certain energy from it.”

Yusef expects the mural to draw a crowd and shared that painting is way to express his palette of emotions, beautifully. “When I grew up or whatever, there wasn’t a lot of emotions in my house, so the way I expressed myself was through my art and my poetry and stuff. So, it was like, I didn’t know how to sit there and feel certain feelings that normal people feel or whatever, like sad and depressed, all that type of stuff, so I would channel that.” Yusef says he hopes others can find ways to express themselves in a healthy manner.

The Price Cutters Community Mural is expected to be completed by this weekend. The Art League says and if you wish to see some Plein Air, or is art that captures nature, visit the galley this weekend on Saturday and Sunday.

“Seeing Sound” 

And the art continues, but this time, the brush strokes may have a little bass. Ocean City’s Art League is holding a “Seeing Sound” Exhibition for the first time.

Executive Director of the Art League Rina Laher says they are issuing a call to artists to demonstrate how they see sound. She says artwork will be judged not only by a visual artist, but a performance artist as well. Cash prizes will be awarded, and the work will be displayed the entire month of September.

She says this is the first event like this and it’s a challenge to artists to think outside of the box. “How does sound make you feel? How do you record it? You know the vibrations- whether its music. It can be a pleasing sound, it can be something, a disturbing sound. How do you record that in the visual sense?… It gives more accessibility. It gives people a chance to be able to create a piece of work and have it seen by the public, in a gallery, professional gallery setting.”

Artist must make an appointment to drop off their work between September 1st and 3rd. There is a small entry fee and Exhibit dates are September 6 through the 28th. For more information check out their website.