This past Saturday, artists throughout the city gathered at Station North to show and sell their pieces. I walked into the cozy “Chicken Box,” a former restaurant now used occasionally as an arts gallery/space on North Avenue, eager to see what Baltimore artists had to offer. When my friends and I walked in, we were immediately taken aback by the variety of work.
We first stopped at a stand just outside the doorway, where a jeweler sold pieces all made from items she had found throughout Maryland. She gladly showed us her interesting pieces then explained that this was her first time selling her work.
Inside sat an amateur artist selling painted boxes and figurines, along with paintings by her brother. A Baltimore-based poet/publisher handed us brochures of his work, and flyers to other literary events in Baltimore.
A musician selling cassettes chatted with a vendor selling paintings along with handmade and vintage clothing. Digital prints sat next to knitted items, and professional artists stood next to art students.
The only thing the artists all had in common was that they are residents of Baltimore.
After we chatted with local artists, my friends and I strolled down the block to Lost City Diner to grab something to eat, reflecting on the market and the arts scene in Baltimore.
The arts sale, I felt, exposed us to a side of Baltimore that at Hopkins can be difficult to find. Outside of tourist traps and stereotypes, Baltimore has a thriving arts community that is often overlooked.
One art student/vendor described Baltimore as “New York in the 1980s, when it was still a little rough but artsy.” As Hopkins students, it is often easy to ignore what the city has to offer.
Considering that the trip to the Chicken Box is roughly ten minutes away from campus by bus, the arts market is a great way to pass a Saturday afternoon outside the library. To get to the market, take the JHMI to Penn Station and walk north towards aptly named North Avenue.
If you have time, explore the surrounding area, which falls into the greater Station North Arts and Entertainment District, and is home to many galleries, venues, and restaurants. The Chicken Box is within walking distance of the Maryland Institute College of Art, The Wind Up Space, The Metro Gallery, The Charles Theater, Sofi’s Crepes, and Joe Squared, along with many more spaces for artists and art-admirers. The arts scene in Baltimore is vibrant and unique, and thankfully for Hopkins students, pretty close to Homewood.
As my friends and I walked back to campus, (or power walked to try to avoid the rain), we commented on the numerous events taking place under our noses.
The arts market, we decided, will not go unnoticed.
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