SKATEPARK OF BALTIMORE

Two murals at the Skatepark of Baltimore at Roosevelt Park, celebrating the unique, diverse, and inclusive skate culture in Baltimore City. The murals depict the lived history of Baltimore skating, featuring iconic skate spots, significant moments, and tributes to community members who have passed away. The imagery embodies the strong D.I.Y. (Do-It-Yourself) culture of Baltimore skating and the community that has created and sustained skate culture in Baltimore City. Throughout Baltimore, in lieu of safe spaces to practice their sport, skaters have worked to build their own spaces throughout the city, contributing to the community and adding to its unique culture. The Skatepark of Baltimore at Roosevelt Park also embodies this spirit, representing 20 years of community effort to build a free, public, world class, concrete skatepark in Baltimore City. I partnered with fellow artist, Nether and the nonprofit organization, Skatepark of Baltimore, to execute all phases of this project. We started by conducting on site interviews and leading group discussions at the skatepark, sourcing original photographs and content for the design, from the community of skateboarders, who frequent the site. Based on our research, we created a project proposal and presented it to the Baltimore City Mayor’s Office of Arts & Culture, the Baltimore City Recreation and Parks Department, the Hampden Community Council, and the Hampden Village Merchants Association. We received a great deal of community support and submitted a winning proposal for the Public Art Across Maryland New Artworks Project Grant, from the Maryland State Arts Council. The first mural is 61’ x 18.5’ and the second is 95’ x 18.5’. Both murals were painted using a combination of Sherwin Williams acrylic latex, applied with a Graco QuickShot paint sprayer, and Montana 94 spray paint. Thank you MSAC! To discover more about the Maryland State Arts Council and how they impact Maryland, visit msac.org