Community Calendar

Between 1946 and 1953, Henri Matisse created 28 lithographic portraits for Poésies Antillaises (Antillean Poetry), a book of poems by John-Antoine Nau. Published posthumously in 1972, this rare volume remains one of Matisse’s least-known illustrated works.

Inspired by his brief 1930 visit to Martinique, Matisse translated Nau’s evocative poems—celebrating travel, music, and oceanic landscapes—into vibrant portraits. These reflect the artist’s collaborations with notable Caribbean and international models and are presented alongside works by two leading artists from Martinique and Guadeloupe, Germaine Casse and Serge Hélénon. This focus exhibition illuminates aspects of the transatlantic artistic circles active during the late French colonial period.

Maryland Art Place, in partnership with Hotel Indigo Baltimore, is pleased to present a solo exhibition by Maryland-based artist, Roo Taylor. The exhibition is on view at Hotel Indigo, located at 24 West Franklin St. from April 17 - July 17.
A public reception will take place on Wednesday, April 22 from 5 PM to 7 PM.

About the Artist:
Roo Taylor (b. 2003) is a Baltimore-based artist originally from Denver, Colorado. She earned her BFA from the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) and is currently a resident artist at the Creative Alliance in Baltimore. Working primarily with high-flow acrylic paint and acrylic ink, Taylor uses transparency and layered color to create abstract landscapes. Her work explores the interplay between the natural world and human relationships, exploring the emotional and atmospheric depth through fluid, natural spaces. Her artwork has been exhibited in galleries across Baltimore, Denver and New York, as well as internationally at the Aichi Prefectural Museum of Art in Japan.

Using light and color as metaphors for energy, Roo Taylor’s work traces the through lines between the natural world and human connection. Rooted in a deep reverence for transparency and hue, each piece is meant to reflect on the connection between feeling and form. Taylor invites viewers to experience emotional resonance as something inherently natural, alive, layered, and luminous.

Please join us on Wednesday, April 22 from 5 PM to 7 PM for a champagne reception at Hotel Indigo located at 24 West Franklin St.

"If you are living with Macular Degeneration, Glaucoma, Retinitis Pigmentosa, Diabetic Retinopathy or other visual impairments, this group offers conversation, support, and the latest information on resources and assistive technology. Meets the 2nd Thursday each month from 2:00 – 3:00 pm with
option to attend in-person @ Edward A. Myerberg Center, 3101 Fallstaff Road or via Zoom/Phone.
For more information contact Amy Steinberg at 410-843-7457 or [email protected]."

GRAMMY®-nominated tenor saxophonist and composer Melissa Aldana is internationally recognized for her profound musicality, fearless improvisation, and deeply personal storytelling through. Born in Santiago, Chile, in 1988, Aldana grew up in a family of musicians and began performing professionally as a teenager under the guidance of her father, renowned saxophonist Marcos Aldana. Influenced by Sonny Rollins, Wayne Shorter, and Mark Turner, she has developed a distinct voice that balances jazz tradition with bold innovation.

In 2013, she became the first female instrumentalist and first South American to win the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Saxophone Competition—a historic milestone that launched her onto the global stage. As a leader, Aldana has released seven critically acclaimed albums, including Free Fall (2010), Second Cycle (2012), Melissa Aldana & Crash Trio (2014), Back Home (2016), Visions (2019), 12 Stars (2022), and Echoes of the Inner Prophet (2024). Her two most recent projects, both on Blue Note Records, solidify her reputation as one of the defining voices of her generation. Her music embodies a fearless spirit and visionary creativity that bridges past, present, and future in contemporary jazz.

EVERY BRILLIANT THING

BY DUNCAN MACMILLAN and JONNY DONAHOE
DIRECTED BY TAD JANES

MAY 15 – JUNE 14

Preview May 14
ASL Interpreted Performance May 22

At once a transcendent coming-of-age tale and a call to reach out to each other, Every Brilliant Thing is a warm-hearted, hilarious, heart-wrenching play about how depression can affect a family, and the lengths we will go for those we love.

Between 1946 and 1953, Henri Matisse created 28 lithographic portraits for Poésies Antillaises (Antillean Poetry), a book of poems by John-Antoine Nau. Published posthumously in 1972, this rare volume remains one of Matisse’s least-known illustrated works.

Inspired by his brief 1930 visit to Martinique, Matisse translated Nau’s evocative poems—celebrating travel, music, and oceanic landscapes—into vibrant portraits. These reflect the artist’s collaborations with notable Caribbean and international models and are presented alongside works by two leading artists from Martinique and Guadeloupe, Germaine Casse and Serge Hélénon. This focus exhibition illuminates aspects of the transatlantic artistic circles active during the late French colonial period.