Community Calendar

Between 1946 and 1953, Henri Matisse created 28 lithographic portraits for Poésies Antillaises (Antillean Poetry), a book of poems by John-Antoine Nau. Published posthumously in 1972, this rare volume remains one of Matisse’s least-known illustrated works.

Inspired by his brief 1930 visit to Martinique, Matisse translated Nau’s evocative poems—celebrating travel, music, and oceanic landscapes—into vibrant portraits. These reflect the artist’s collaborations with notable Caribbean and international models and are presented alongside works by two leading artists from Martinique and Guadeloupe, Germaine Casse and Serge Hélénon. This focus exhibition illuminates aspects of the transatlantic artistic circles active during the late French colonial period.

Opening Reception: March 21, 2026, 4:00 – 6:00 pm

Contemporary Porcelain: From Tradition to Innovation explores the enduring legacy of porcelain while showcasing the bold ways artists are redefining this historic material today. Long celebrated for its refinement, translucency, and technical precision, porcelain has deep roots in global traditions.

Featuring works by contemporary ceramic artists, the exhibition highlights porcelain’s remarkable versatility. This exhibition invites viewers to reconsider what porcelain can be, and how tradition can spark transformation rather than limit it.

Participating Artists
Sam Chung, Elaine Coleman, Tom Coleman, Julia Galloway, Martha Grover, Bryan Hopkins, Cliff Lee, Heesoo Lee, Steven Young Lee, Kyounghwa Oh, Yoko Sekino-Bove

Also on Exhibition
Elements of Mechanisms
Elements of Mechanisms examines the intersection of form, function, and movement through works that draw inspiration from mechanical systems and engineered structures.

Community Arts Spring Showcase
The Community Arts Spring Showcase celebrates the creativity, voices, and shared experiences of our community.

Maryland Art Place, in partnership with Hotel Indigo Baltimore, is pleased to present a solo exhibition by Maryland-based artist, Roo Taylor. The exhibition is on view at Hotel Indigo, located at 24 West Franklin St. from April 17 - July 17.
A public reception will take place on Wednesday, April 22 from 5 PM to 7 PM.

About the Artist:
Roo Taylor (b. 2003) is a Baltimore-based artist originally from Denver, Colorado. She earned her BFA from the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) and is currently a resident artist at the Creative Alliance in Baltimore. Working primarily with high-flow acrylic paint and acrylic ink, Taylor uses transparency and layered color to create abstract landscapes. Her work explores the interplay between the natural world and human relationships, exploring the emotional and atmospheric depth through fluid, natural spaces. Her artwork has been exhibited in galleries across Baltimore, Denver and New York, as well as internationally at the Aichi Prefectural Museum of Art in Japan.

Using light and color as metaphors for energy, Roo Taylor’s work traces the through lines between the natural world and human connection. Rooted in a deep reverence for transparency and hue, each piece is meant to reflect on the connection between feeling and form. Taylor invites viewers to experience emotional resonance as something inherently natural, alive, layered, and luminous.

Please join us on Wednesday, April 22 from 5 PM to 7 PM for a champagne reception at Hotel Indigo located at 24 West Franklin St.

Exhibition
Transformations: Lain Singh Bangdel, Art, Nepal
February 4 – May 16 (closed March 15-22)
Monday – Saturday 11 am – 4 pm
Asian Arts Gallery, Center for the Arts, Towson University
1 Fine Arts Drive, Towson, MD 21204

Explore the remarkable artistic journey and cultural legacy of Lain Singh Bangdel (1919–2002), widely regarded as the “Father of Modern Art” in Nepal. This collection of paintings—spanning the 1940s to the 1980s— reflects and reframes the cultural, political, and emotional realities of Bangdel’s time and traces his evolving vision as he navigated multiple worlds: colonial and postcolonial South Asia, cosmopolitan Europe, and an emerging modern Nepal.

On View February 4 - May 16 (closed March 15 - 22)

Explore the remarkable artistic journey and cultural legacy of Lain Singh Bangdel (1919–2002), widely regarded as the “Father of Modern Art” in Nepal. This collection of paintings—spanning the 1940s to the 1980s— reflects and reframes the cultural, political, and emotional realities of Bangdel’s time and traces his evolving vision as he navigated multiple worlds: colonial and postcolonial South Asia, cosmopolitan Europe, and an emerging modern Nepal.

Gallery Hours: Monday - Saturday, 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.

A former painting and art educator, Baltimore based Fiber artist Jennifer McBrien, TU '85, now draws with her sewing machine. Her passion for birds and the environment comes through in the rich narratives she tells through thread and fabric. McBrien intertwines freehand machine and hand stitching to create evocative portrayals of women, birds, and hybrid figures, often featuring female bodies with bird heads. Her compositions transcend traditional representations and delve into complex themes of femininity, liberation, and connection with nature. McBrien has shown her work extensively in galleries and at craft shows, and is the owner of jennyjen42. She received her BA in Fine Arts in 1985 and MD State Teaching certificate in Art Education at Towson in 1987.

Charlie Porter, trumpet
Nick Biello, saxophone
Adam Birnbaum, piano
Kenneth Salters, drums
Russell Hall, bass

This summer, GRAMMY Award–winning trumpeter Charlie Porter presents Sci-Fi Standards, Vol. 1: The Future We Knew — a bold reimagining of iconic science-fiction film themes as expansive, improvisational jazz. Drawing from beloved scores including Blade Runner, Back to the Future, Star Wars, Star Trek, Dune, The Terminator, Alien, and Stargate, Porter and his quartet transform these cinematic themes into rich, open-ended musical landscapes; blending nostalgia with forward-looking improvisation.

Charlie Porter is a trumpeter and composer who has been active on the international jazz scene for over two decades. He has released six albums as a leader, including Immigration Nation, which was named one of the Best Albums of the Year by DownBeat. Porter has collaborated and performed with a wide range of artists across generations of jazz, including Joe Zawinul, Orrin Evans, Chuck Israels, Kenny Washington, Paquito D'Rivera, Winard Harper, and the Dizzy Gillespie All-Stars, among many others. As a composer, Charlie has been commissioned by the Dorris Duke Foundation and Chamber Music America. He is currently a professor of trumpet at New York University.

by a.k. payne, directed by Nicole Brewer

When Amani's mother dies, the world shakes. Her father vows to make it to outer space, where there are no gangs to take his love's life, no prisons to take Black boys' best years. Amani grows up building a rocket ship with her father. As she moves into adulthood, Amani seeks her voice and her own dreams. Will Amani make it to the 'moon'?

Proceeds benefit the TU Foundation.

"Amani" is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Samuel French, Inc. www.concordtheatricals.com

Performances run from May 1st-2nd at 7:30PM, May 3rd at 2:00PM, & May 7th-9th at 7:30PM.