Painted screens are a unique Baltimore folk art. This workshop will include a short film on the history of the painted screen and early painted screen artists and a demonstration of the painted screen technique. Paint a small screen to take home with you based on provided designs or create your own!
Location: Creativity Center, 3137 Eastern Ave. Baltimore MD 21224
Age Range: All ages
Cost: $15, $12 members
Materials: All materials provided by artist.
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 on painted screens at Common Ground on the Hill from Master Screen Painter, John Iampieri. From that day forward, he has been hooked on continuing the resurgence of painted screens in Baltimore.
Through the Painted Screen Society of Baltimore, he has had the pleasure of getting to know other screen painters and learning from them. His work can be seen 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: baltimorescreenpainter.org