Last week’s event with our new partner, the Baltimore City Chamber of Commerce was a great success. More than 50 people, including Baltimore District 14 Councilwoman Odette Ramos, joined us for the celebration at Urban Reads Bookstore. Carla Du Pree, Executive Director of CityLit Project and Tia Hamilton, owner of Urban Reads Bookstore made stirring and inspiring comments about the power of literature, art, and partnerships.
"This partnership between the Baltimore City Chamber of Commerce and [GBCA] is a promising affair,” Carla Du Pree said. "GBCA is the pulse of the arts community; we can't afford to separate the arts from the business of our city."
GBCA sends its greetings and best wishes to those of you who are marking important and holy events, including Ramadan, Passover, and Easter. The How to Have a Creative Ramadan? webpage has a number of great ideas and the following wonderful quote: “Creating art is not just an activity you do to kill some spare time, it’s a rewarding practice that’s good for your mind and soul. When you view your creative process as a meditative process that increases your spirituality then you would want to do it more often. Islamic art in general is about the process and about training the soul to be patient with all the little details and drawing every line will fulfil (sic) your soul. If your creative process is by hand without the need to focus too much, you can be creative and paint while listening to the Quran or an Islamic lecture and that’s just a double win.”
Jewish Boston: The Vibe of the Tribe offers Passover Ideas for Kids of Every Age, from preschoolers to late teens, their ideas help to meet children where they are. “Make the Haggadah relatable and bring the (extra) drama to keep things engaging.” They also offer an array of Passover recipes.
Although for some people Easter has become a secular holiday, it continues to be an important moment in the Christian calendar. The Easter Story in Art with David Gariff, senior lecturer, National Gallery of Art, explores the story of Easter.” Paintings and sculptures from the Gallery’s extensive and rich permanent collection illustrate and speak to the significance of this timeless and moving story for artists and their audiences throughout history. “
Regardless of your rituals, I hope you find joy in nature’s spring rebirth.
Jeannie
