Charlestown Residents Share Artistic Talents

Jewell Brenneman is an artist and curator with Baltimore Clayworks, a non-profit ceramic art center. Now, her paintings are being displayed at the at the . Brenneman is one of nine residents of Charlestown whose work is being displayed during the exhibition, which runs from January through March 16. 

As a combined effort of staff and residents, the Charlestown Artists Committee began planning to feature resident artwork in the Fireside Dining Room in January 2010.

Now, a year later, they are featuring their second batch of oil, watercolor, pastel and mixed media paintings to create a sense of community and add to the setting of one of Charlestown’s most used areas.  According to Vincent Bankoski, director of dining Services, the art, which circulates quarterly, will “portray an ambience of fine dining.”

“The Charlestown Artists Committee was started as a mission to educate residents about art. Since none of the dining rooms at Charlestown had any art, we wanted to give people a chance to feature their own work,” said Brenneman.

The residents are allowed to submit a painting from any time of their lives as long as it is family friendly and shows real artistic skill. Patricia Green submitted her oil painting, Still Life with Apples, from 1968.

“I hadn’t painted in 35 years but when my husband died, I started going to the classes here at Charlestown and painting again,” said Green.

Professors from the Community College of Baltimore County and residents with past experience teach classes at Charlestown. Some of the residents have taught at institutions like Maryland Institute of Art, Johns Hopkins University, and the College of Notre Dame. Any resident of Charlestown can take classes in drawing, painting, and other art forms.

“The happiest people in my classes are the people who have never done it before,” said Brenneman.

Two of the oil paintings in the exhibit are displayed in honor of Charlestown resident Wid Rummel, who passed away last year. “She was a friend, a mentor, and a great artist,” said Don Griswold, Chairman of the committee. Her two sons and husband were at the opening reception to show their support.

With 18 paintings featured and five for sale, the exhibit is free and open to friends, family and the community. The next round of paintings will be featured from April to June. Charlestown also hosts an art show every May that features residents and is open to the community.