Painted Screens: A Baltimore Folk Art

Painted screens are a unique Baltimore folk art. This workshop will include a short film on the history of the painted screen and the early painted screen artists, a demonstration of the painted screen technique, and painting a small screen. Multiple painting options will be available.

Where: Creativity Center, 3137 Eastern Ave. Baltimore, MD 21224
When: APR 19 | 6-8:30PM
Age Range: 14+
Cost: $30 standard, $27 members
Materials: All supplies provided!

About the Artist
Michael Seipp is a Baltimorean, born and raised. He grew up in the Belair-Edison neighborhood and went to Roman Catholic Schools. His Great Uncle and Grandfather had a seafood business in Highlandtown on Eastern Ave. When he was a boy, he would ride his bike through the streets of east and southeast Baltimore to their shop and to play in Patterson Park. When cycling through the streets he always marveled at the outdoor art galleries created by the Baltimore painted screens.

Many years later he met the City Folklorist, Elaine Eff, and she renewed his interest in this uniquely Baltimore Art. In 2014 he took a class in painted screens at Common Ground on the Hill from Master Screen Painter John Iampieri. From that day forward he has been hooked on helping in the resurgence of painted screens in his City. Through the Painted Screen Society of Baltimore he has had the pleasure of getting to know the other Screen Painters and learning from them.

His work can be seen both in southeast, north and southwest Baltimore. He has had several exhibits and teaches the occasional class in and around Baltimore. He was invited to exhibit and demonstrate his work at the National Conference of Folk Art. His goal is to leave no neighborhood unadorned with a painted screen.

See more of Michael’s work here: https://baltimorescreenpainter.org/