Best of Baltimore: AVAM


A few months ago, Travel + Leisure Magazine published an article that named Baltimore one of the country's quirkiest cities.  As a native Marylander I'd have to say I agree with that statement.  Baltimore is chock full of all sorts of  weird and wonderful - restaurants, sites, museums, and events, all rolled into one fairly lovely city.

One of the quirkiest museums in town - probably THE quirkiest - is the American Visionary Arts Museum (AVAM.)  In a sea of stuffy, buttoned-up museums, AVAM stands out as one of the only in the country dedicated to self-taught art.  Each piece the museum exhibits is lovingly created by intuitive artists who have taught themselves their craft.

The art is never boring or stale.  These artists dabble in all different mediums - from glass to textiles; from natural pieces to metal.  They realize that art comes in many forms and AVAM celebrates all of them in every exhibit they plan.

As an admirer of AVAM, you would think I've been there quite often, but I haven't.  I'm embarrassed to say I've never been inside the museum.  However, this will definitely change after my wander around their beautiful building this weekend.  The people behind AVAM realize that great art shouldn't be relegated to the inside of buildings.  The outside of great spaces need love too, so they've created a space that's open for anyone to wander through before heading inside. 

Most parts of this huge building are covered in beautiful glass work laid out in intricate patterns.  There are animals made from old junk and musical instruments.  There's a golden hand that's waiting to surprise you around the back of the building.  They even managed to cover some of the street with a mural celebrating diversity.  They left no stone un-turned - or more precisely, no piece un-beautified.

Without even entering the museum, you can see the love of creativity and desire to create that these artists are sharing with the world.  However, I'm sure you and I could delve into a great deal more of this quirky artist's paradise by entering the building.  And I don't know about you, but I definitely plan to do that very soon!
Who can resist a trippy selfie?

 American Visionary Arts Museum
800 Key Highway
Baltimore MD, 21230

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Eating My Way Around London

Image
I’ve never been a huge fan of tours.  I like exploring things on my own and happening upon new sites and restaurants.  Or I do what every other crafty person does; I search Pinterest for fun things in whatever city I’m traveling to, and then note them in my phone so I can find them (or get lost trying to find them) when I arrive.  However, in 2015 when I went to England and Belgium, my travel partner in crime booked 2 tours for us.  The first was a Secret Garden Tour of the Cotswolds and the second was a Chocolate tour of Brussels.  Well, to say that these tours were awesome would be a huge understatement. They were phenomenal, and I had so much fun – and I ate so much food – and they totally converted me to being a tour person. When left to my own devices, I chose Pancetta Ciabatta - Yum! That’s why, when this year’s England trip rolled around, I actually mentioned a food tour of London as being something I’d like to do.  Of course, the travel partner in crime, already aware
Read more

Starstruck

Image
Who's awkward?  This girl right here... When I was little, I was called shy.  When I got a little older, I was an introvert.  Now I'd say I lean more to the socially awkward end of the spectrum.  Friends and family tell me this isn't true, but they don't live inside my head and hear the non-stop chatter of hypothetical situations.  Honestly, it's getting a bit loud in here.  I'm perfectly fine with polite conversation. How are you?  How's the weather?  I'm even better if I know one small fact about you.  Oh, you just got back from Jamaica? Tell me all about it.  Oh, you have an affinity for small hairless cats?  Well, I'd love to hear all about that.  (Honestly, I really don't care about the cats so much, but it's something to hold on to.) However, if I were to be dropped next to you at a wedding and you and I have never met before, you would now be responsible for the remainder of the evening's conversation because I got nothing.
Read more

Gavin Creel: A Joy-filled Evening at the Kennedy Center

Image
Few performers exhibit the sheer joy of performing, and basking in the air of doing what they love, like Gavin Creel. Each time he steps on the stage, you can see his love for the arts and his desire to share it with the audience. That was no different when he joined Mary Mitchell Campbell at the Kennedy Center on Thursday as part of the Renee Fleming Voices series. Gavin is undeniably talented, and unabashedly himself, and the audience (and I) loved every moment of it! For those who may not know him, Gavin is best known for his work in the theater starring in Thoroughly Modern Millie , She Loves Me , and The Book of Mormon (in London), and later winning a Tony for his role as Cornelius Hackle in 2017's gorgeous production of Hello Dolly!   Throughout this time, he's been writing music, sharing his favorites in concert, and just being an all around wonderful performer and champion of the arts.  I first saw him in She Loves Me , and though he didn't win a Tony for t
Read more