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June 30, 2022

The Talbot Spy

The nonprofit e-newspaper for the Talbot County Community

Education Ed Notes

Talbot Schools Recognize Community Partners of the Year

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Talbot County Public Schools began celebrating and thanking their Community Partners at an annual breakfast prepared by the Easton High Culinary Arts Program in 2016. A District Community Partner of the Year is recognized, as well as a partner of the year for each school and one for the Internship Program. When the pandemic hit in 2020, Dr. Griffith and school Administrators continued the recognition by visiting each recipient personally to deliver awards and breakfast baskets prepared by culinary students in lieu of hosting the large gathering. During the visits, TCPS leaders share testimonials about how the partnerships make a difference in the lives of students and staff. This tradition continued this year with visits and presentations throughout the month of May.

“We could not do what we do for the children of Talbot County without the support of our generous community,” said Dr. Kelly Griffith, Superintendent.“Now more than ever, our community partners give so much to our students and staff. Every year we like to take this opportunity to give back, and thank them for their partnership.”

The Talbot County Public Schools Community Partners of the Year for 2022 are:

Choptank Community Health System, Inc.- District Community Partner of the Year

Talbot County Chamber of Commerce- Internship

Carrion Electric- Chapel District Elementary

For All Seasons, Inc. – Easton Elementary

Avalon Foundation- Easton Middle

Lowe’s Home Improvement, Easton- Easton High

St. Michaels Police Department- St. Michaels Elementary

Ed and Debbie Trumbull- St. Michaels Middle High

Brackish Life- Tilghman Elementary

Walmart, Easton- White Marsh Elementary

2022 Artist-in-Residence Jackie Milad

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Jackie Milad, Aqui Es, 2021, mixed-media collage and painting on cut canvas, courtesy of the artist.

The Academy Art Museum is pleased to announce its 2022 Artist-in-Residence Jackie Milad and her concurrent exhibition, Vestige, which runs from August 2 – November 13, 2022. On August 6, she will also teach a free Multi-Media Collage Workshop at AAM.

Jackie Milad: Vestige
August 2 – November 13, 2022
Opening reception: Friday, August 5, 5:30 pm

Baltimore-based artist Jackie Milad’s large-scale pieces, often featuring bright colors and bold lines on paper, canvas, and textiles, explore the complex relationship between the individual and the long arc of history and cultural heritage. The artist asks, “How are we shaped by narratives of belonging?” In the center of this exploration is the contrast between the short-lived human life and her physical impermanence and the grander symbolism elevating our existence: eyes, hearts, pyramids, and sarcophagi in Milad’s whimsical hand. In layer after layer of her exuberant work, Milad uses references to her identity as a Honduran-Egyptian-American woman. Each layer then becomes entry points into Milad’s retelling of human history.

Milad is the Museum’s 2022 Artist-in-Residence. As part of her residency this summer, she will spend time in Easton and create new work. “I grew up in Maryland and it’s part of my history. I look forward to learning about Easton and its history. The residency is a unique experience and opportunity to meet new people and for them to see my work. That exchange or engagement can be really beneficial and lead to some new ideas and new perspectives for my work.”

Jackie Milad is a multi-year recipient of the Individual Artist Grant from the Maryland State Arts Council. In 2019, she was named a Janet & Walter Sondheim Prize Finalist and a Robert W. Deutsch Foundation Ruby Grantee. Her work has been featured in group and solo exhibitions at museums including The Walters Art Museum (Baltimore, MD), The Baltimore Museum of Art (Baltimore, MD), and the Arthur Ross Gallery University of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, PA), among others. Milad received her BFA from the School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Tufts, and her MFA from Towson University.

Jackie Milad, fuc it, 2021, mixed media canvas collage of older works, courtesy of the artist.

Multi-Media Collage Workshop with 2022 Artist-in-Residence Jackie Milad
Saturday, August 6 from 10 am to 2:30 pm
Tuesday, August 9 evening

In this free workshop, Milad will guide participants through multi-media collage techniques. Sourcing collage materials from new and repurposed paper, objects, textiles, and the participants’ own artwork, artists will embark on an archeology of their own work to create fun, intriguing and layered collage pieces. Milad will guide participants through transferring, layering and mounting techniques and address the conceptual underpinnings of collage work during the first session of the critique on Saturday, August 6 from 10 am to 2:30 pm. Participants will reconvene in the evening on Tuesday, August 9 to revisit the participants’ finished work and celebrate the workshop.

The workshop is free but space is limited and reservations are required. Some materials are provided; however, participants are expected to bring some of their own artwork and/or found materials they would like to include in their collage.

About the Academy Art Museum Artist-in-Residence Program

AAM’s Artist-in-Residence program began in 2017 with New York based artist Emily Lombardo. Each residency consists of a solo exhibition of the artist’s work and an artist-taught workshop. Since then, the Museum has hosted Philadelphia-based artist Amze Emmons in 2019 and Baltimore artist Antonio McAfee in 2020. The Artist-in-Residence Program and exhibitions are generously supported by Mary Ann Schindler.

About the Academy Art Museum

As the premier art museum on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, the Academy Art Museum presents high-quality exhibitions and a full range of art classes for visitors of all ages. Past exhibitions have featured artists such as James Turrell, Robert Rauschenberg, Mark Rothko, Pat Steir and Richard Diebenkorn. The permanent collection focuses on works on paper by American and European artists from four centuries including recent acquisitions by Graciela Iturbide and Zanele Muholi. Arts educational programs range from life drawing lessons to digital art instruction, and include lunchtime and cocktail hour concerts, lectures and special art events, as well as a Fall Craft Show. AAM also provides arts education to public and private school children from the region and is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums.

Location: 106 South Street, Easton, Maryland
Summer Hours: Tuesday-Wednesday 10:00 am to 4:00 pm, Thursday 10:00 am to 7:30 pm (free admission), Friday 10:00 am to 4:00 pm, Saturday 10:00 am to 6:00 pm, and Sunday, 10 am to 4 pm. Closed Mondays and Federal holidays.
Admission: $3, children under 12 free, AAM members free.

CDBG and ERAP Grants Making a Difference in Talbot County

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Talbot County Government is serving those most in need in the county through two important programs – the Maryland Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG) and the Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) both of which are administered through the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development. Mary Kay Verdery, Grants Administrator for Talbot County, is helping to manage the programs which are helping low-income families in a variety of ways.

The Maryland Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG) is a federally funded program designed to assist county and municipal governments with activities directed toward neighborhood revitalization, housing opportunities, economic development, and improved public facilities and services. CDBG funded projects must be for eligible activities under Program regulations and must meet one of three national objectives:

  • Benefits persons of low-and moderate-income
  • Eliminates slum and blight
  • Meets an urgent need of recent origin that threatens public health and safety

CDBG funds are provided primarily as gap funding for projects selected by the jurisdiction to meet community needs. CDBG funds provided must meet a national objective and additional Maryland objectives and applications are accepted on a competitive basis. The maximum amount Talbot County may request, for a single project or cumulative projects, is $800,000.

“The CDBG funds can be used for acquisition of property, demolition of structures, rehabilitation of structures (both residential and non-residential), construction of public facilities, and public services. The funds are directed toward the low to moderate-income families and affordable housing and economic opportunities,” states Verdery.

In the past seven years, CDBG grants have helped such organizations as The Neighborhood Service Center, Talbot Interfaith Shelter, St. Michael’s Senior Center, Habitat Choptank, Early Headstart, Chesapeake Multicultural Resource Center, St. Michaels Community Center, Upper Shore Aging, and Mid-Shore Pro Bono.

For the FY23 grant cycle, five local non-profit organizations submitted formal letters seeking County Council consideration. Of the five letters of interest received, two projects were found to be the best fit for CDBG funds, and the other three were referred to other sources for potential funding. Because CDBG funds are primarily a gap funding source, applicants must be ready to go with the project they submit because DHCD wants the funds to be spent in a certain timeframe. Applications are ranked based on various factors such as public purpose, project impact, project management, and local commitment/leveraging of other funding sources.

Talbot County has partnered with Habitat for Humanity Choptank (Habitat Choptank) on a FY23 CDBG application which is seeking $100,000 to renovate a home located in the historic area of Easton at 122 S. Locust Lane. Funds will be used to support the demolition, stabilization, and interior and exterior rehabilitation of an existing single-family home located in the historic area of Easton, known as “The Hill.” The property was purchased by Habitat Choptank in January 2022. Habitat Choptank’s affordable home program serves those in Talbot County who earn between 35% and 65% of the HUD-defined Area Median Income which equates to between $35,385 and $65,715 annually. Additional funding opportunities for this project include a Community Legacy grant and Town of Easton American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds.

Pictured are the before and after photos of one of Habitat Choptank’s projects in St. Michaels, Maryland.

“Our Brooks Lane Neighborhood Project in St. Michaels involved Habitat Choptank partnering with Talbot County in the use of CDBG funds to support the site work/infrastructure needed to build seven quality affordable homes on land that was donated to Habitat Choptank. This project built more than homes for first-generation home buyers…it built a neighborhood and a community of hardworking families. Our continued partnership with Talbot County around the rehabilitation of 122 S. Locust in the Hill District of Easton is a testimony to the County’s commitment to building community through neighborhood revitalization, providing another avenue to make high-quality affordable homes available at a time when they are so desperately needed while preserving and honoring the resiliency of this historic community,” comments JoAnn Hansen, Executive Director, Habitat for Humanity Choptank.

Talbot County has also partnered with Building African American Minds (BAAM) on a FY23 CDBG application for $347,138 for the construction of an Academic Center located at 31 Jowite Street in Easton. The new three-story, state-of-the-art facility is located in the Town of Easton in a low-to-moderate income service area. The facility will continue to provide after-school and summer programs for first through fifth-grade students from Easton Elementary School and Easton Middle School. In addition, BAAM will expand programming to offer a workforce development program for youth and the community. Partnerships and programing include Chesapeake College and other community organizations that will provide educational programming for youth, parents, and the community in areas such as financial literacy and budgeting, job skills/enhancement training, GED courses, wellness, and arts programming.

“I am appreciative of the County’s support of BAAM’s CDBG grant application. If granted, these funds will help us with the construction materials needed to build our new Academic Center. Our new Center will be a state-of-the-art facility that will host all of our current programming and allow us to expand services. I am so thankful for all the support that BAAM has received over the years from our donors, partners, youth, and their families, and am excited for the opportunities and new partnerships that our new Academic Center will offer,” states Dina Gomes Daly, Executive Director, BAAM.

“I enjoy most the opportunity to work with so many different aspects of the community – the full spectrum from young children to seniors. Now, we have this opportunity to provide the ERAP funds to individuals so that we prevent eviction and homelessness. These are projects where you get to help the community,” Verdery adds.

The Talbot County Council received $2.4 million in the spring of 2021 to administer the Department of Housing and Community Development’s grant for the Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) to ensure housing stability for families and individuals at risk of experiencing homelessness or utility cut-off. A sub-recipient agreement was finalized in August 2021 between Talbot County and Neighborhood Service Center (NSC), the County’s Community Action Agency, to administer the funds. The deadline for spending the first round of ERAP program funds is September 30, 2022. The funds cover rental and utility assistance and other housing and service-related costs and program administration costs. The Neighborhood Service Center (NSC) completes the screening to determine eligibility, issues the funds, and provides report information to the County. The second grant award of ERAP funds for Talbot County is $1.6 million and will be distributed beginning July 1, 2022.

“The hardest part at the very beginning was just getting the word out that we had these funds available. But once we were able to reach out to the local rental communities, we were able to contact a lot of individuals in the unserved or minority communities,” Verdery comments.

“The Neighborhood Service Center, since 1969, has worked hard to reduce poverty and homelessness by helping individuals and families become self-sufficient. In these unusual times, it takes out-of-the-box thinking and unfortunately a lot of money to keep individuals and families in their homes because the normal channels were closed due to quarantine regulations. Without the ERAP funds, we would have depleted all of our reserves almost immediately, putting many current programs in jeopardy. Talbot County has always stepped up to donate time, money, and resources, but this was a time when the need greatly surpassed what locals could donate,” states Frank Divilio, Talbot County Council member and board member of the NSC.

For further information on applying for CDBG grants annually, contact Mary Kay Verdery at 410-770-8002. Citizens can log onto the NSC website (nsctalbotmd.org) for applications and instructions for the ERAP Program or call the NSC at 410-822-5015.

UM SRH Laboratory Services Team Sends “We Care” Package to Hospital Lab in Uvalde, Texas

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From left are Margaret Pulleyn, Manager, Laboratory Services, UM SRH, and Kelly Salins, Laboratory Supervisor.

UM Shore Regional Health’s Laboratory Services Department recently sent a “We Care” package to the lab team at Uvalde Memorial Hospital in Uvalde, Texas, following the tragic Robb Elementary School shooting that left 19 children and two teachers dead.

“So often support goes to front-line members of health care teams,” said Juliana Hospodor, Director, Laboratory Services, UM SRH. “The lab staff is very much behind the scenes, but they are facing the same stress from this devastating tragedy. We wanted the lab team at Uvalde to know that we care about them and are praying for them. The box is an opportunity to provide a little pick-me-up.”

The box contained contributions from the Laboratory Services team in Easton and the UM SRH Marketing and Communications team. It included stuffed animals, candy, peanuts, hand lotion, tea, notebooks and Chap Stick. For local flavor, the UM SRH Lab team included Old Bay seasoning, Rise Up Coffee and nuts from the Chesapeake Culinary Center in Denton. The Lab team also included two cards with personal messages to the Uvalde team.

The UM SRH Laboratory Services team has mailed a “We Care” package once before to a hospital laboratory services department in Tennessee after devastating fires in that area.

About University of Maryland Shore Regional Health

As part of the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS), University of Maryland Shore Regional Health is the principal provider of comprehensive health care services for more than 170,000 residents of Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s and Talbot counties on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. UM Shore Regional Health’s team of more than 2,200 employees, medical staff, board members and volunteers works with various community partners to fulfill the organization’s mission of Creating Healthier Communities Together.

About the University of Maryland Medical System

The University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS) is a university-based regional health care system focused on serving the health care needs of Maryland, bringing innovation, discovery and research to the care we provide and educating the state’s future physician and health care professionals through our partnership with the University of Maryland School of Medicine and University of Maryland, Baltimore professional schools (Nursing, Pharmacy, Social Work and Dentistry) in Baltimore. As one of the largest private employers in the State, the health system’s more than 29,500 employees and 4,000 affiliated physicians provide primary and specialty care in more than 150 locations, including 12 hospitals and 10 University of Maryland Urgent Care centers. The UMMS flagship academic campus, the University of Maryland Medical Center in downtown Baltimore, is recognized regionally and nationally for excellence and innovation in specialized care.  Our acute care and specialty rehabilitation hospitals serve urban, suburban and rural communities and are located in 13 counties across the State. For more information, visit www.umms.org.

Talbot County Council Awarded “Community Action Vision and Value Award”

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Left to Right: Sharon Strauss (MCAP Board Member), Marilyn M. Neal (MCAP Vice Chair and Executive Director, Neighborhood Service Center), George Newman (MCAP Chair), Frank Divilio (Talbot County Council Member), Corey Pack (Talbot County Council Member) and Angela Martin (MCAP Executive Director)

At the 2022 Maryland Community Action Partnership Human Services Conference held during May 11 – 13, 2022 in Ocean City, Maryland, the Talbot County Council was awarded the Community Action Vision and Value Award.  This year’s conference theme of “Future Focused: Advance, Build, Connect” highlighted improvements within communities as a result of community action services and partnerships. The Talbot County Council was nominated by Marilyn Neal, Executive Director, Neighborhood Service Center, for “continued support for Neighborhood Service Center in its mission toward eliminating poverty by empowering individuals and families to become self-sufficient.”

Council member Frank Divilio stated, “The last few years have been especially challenging.  Many of these challenges are the same ones that the Neighborhood Service Center helps the public with daily.   I am thankful that we already had many channels set up to help the community and appreciate everyone working together to keep us afloat.  While we faced many challenges, I am beyond grateful for the programs that we already have in place and watching them expand rapidly to fill the needs.”

The Neighborhood Service Center located at 126 Port Street in Easton serves as the County’s Community Action Agency, providing services and assistance to low-income families and elderly residents of the county since 1969.  Programs include After School Youth Program, Emergency Food Pantry, Electric Universal Service Program, Emergency Services Program, Maryland Energy Assistance Program (MEAP), Mobile Food Pantry, On-the-Job Training for Homeless Individuals, and Rapid Rehousing.  Additionally, the Neighborhood Service Center operates Webb’s Hope, a low-income rental property located at 36 West Street in Easton.

Talbot County has supported and partnered with Neighborhood Service Center on a variety of grants through the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development including:

Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) – Homeless Initiative for the acquisition of 6 South Street in Easton and renovation of three apartments ($414,000).  Project completed in October 2018.

Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) – provides direct financial assistance and housing stability services to renters struggling to make payments for rent and utilities.  Assistance can be for rental arrears, prospective rental payments, prospective and arrear utility and home energy costs, and “other expenses related to housing incurred due, directly or indirectly, to COVID”.

ERAP 1 – $2,439,498. Expenditure period commenced July 1, 2021 and will conclude on September 30, 2022.

ERAP 2 – $1,678,514. The award end date for ERAP 2 funds is December 31, 2022.

For more information about the Neighborhood Service Center please visit www.nsctalbotmd.org or 126 Port Street, Easton (410-822-5015).

Edith Ramirez Joins Mid-Shore Pro Bono as Community Outreach and Communication Coordinator

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Edith Ramirez

Edith Ramirez of Greensboro, Md. has recently joined the Easton office of Mid-Shore Pro Bono as the Community Outreach and Communications Coordinator.

Her responsibilities include raising awareness about Mid-Shore Pro Bono’s civil legal services to individuals in need throughout the Eastern Shore, and to donors interested in forwarding the nonprofit’s mission.

Ramirez is bilingual in English and Spanish. She most recently worked in customer service in Dover, Del., and is a graduate of North Caroline High School, where she was a member of the National Honor Society.

“Learning about resources available in our community has always been important to me, especially growing up as the daughter of a single, immigrant mother,” says Ramirez. “I’m passionate about helping to provide an equal chance to underserved individuals and families in my new role.”

“Edith is a pleasure to work with,” said Mid-Shore Pro Bono Executive Director Meredith Lathbury Girard, Esq. “Her experiences bring warmth to our clients and earnestness to our communications. We’re especially grateful to have her among our other interpreters so that we can make a difference in the lives of clients from different cultures.”

Mid-Shore Pro Bono delivers a mission of helping Maryland’s Eastern Shore residents obtain access to legal assistance, with offices in Easton, Chestertown, and Salisbury, with more at www.midshoreprobono.org.

The Artists’ Gallery Presents “Shore Delights” by Nancy R. Thomas

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Throughout the month of July, The Artists’ Gallery will feature new paintings by Nancy R. Thomas in “Shore Delights.”  According to the artist, “it was a joy to paint this past year as things opened up and plein air festivals were available to the public again.”  Thomas has participated in as many events as possible along the Eastern Seaboard, stating “she never tires of painting the local scenery, there is just so much beauty to behold, it is a sheer delight.”

Nancy came to the Eastern Shore in 1994 from Alexandria, VA., where she had pursued dual careers of dancing and painting for over two decades.  Her painting classes were taken at The Torpedo Factory, The Corcoran School of Art,  A Project Study Tour of Italy and Northern Virginia Community College, where she earned an Associates Degree in Fine Art in 1990. Thomas is a signature member of the Baltimore Watercolor Society, a past member of The Washington Watercolor Association and a current member of Oil Painters of America.

“Afternoon Delight” 36X24 Oil by Nancy R. Thomas

Upon moving to the Eastern Shore, she juried into the Working Artists Forum, where she held the position of President for three years.  Nancy has co-chaired and juried into the Local Color Show, held each year in conjunction with Plein Air Easton, for 16 years.  She became a partner with The Artists’ Gallery in 2010 and juried into Plein Air Easton in 2018. One of her exhibition pieces was purchased by The Avalon Foundation for a permanent collection featuring agricultural scenes on the Eastern Shore.  Thomas finds the light of the Eastern Shore to be captivating and enjoys painting the waterways, dramatic skies, the farm fields and farmhouses on canvas en plein air. She paints with The Plein Air Painters of the Chesapeake Bay.

The public is invited to visit The Artists’ Gallery for the opening reception of “Shore Delights” on First Friday, July 1st from 5-8 p.m.  Light refreshments will be served along with a chance to meet the artist. The Artists’ Gallery is located at 239 High Street in Chestertown and is open Tuesday-Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Sundays from 12:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.  For more information about the artist, please visit www.nancyrthomas.com or the gallery website at www.theartistsgalleryctown.com.

One Mission Cambridge Hosts Open House

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Since its opening on June 6, 2022, One Mission Cambridge has served over 140 people in need. The first week alone, the coalition of Christian churches and ministries called to meet the physical and spiritual needs of men, women and children in the Cambridge area, served over 90 people and had to order 3,000 pounds of extra food to meet the needs of the community.  The organization will host an open house on July 16 from 10 a.m. to 12 noon at its location at 614 Race Street in Cambridge. The open house is open to everyone in the community to learn about the mission center and celebrate it.

Pictured is Krista Pettit of One Mission Cambridge in the center’s facility at 614 Race Street in Cambridge.

One Mission Cambridge’s location has proved ideal to serve some of the community’s most vulnerable populations. The building includes a storefront on Race Street with a large communal space in the rear of the building. By consolidating some of the area’s food pantries, One Mission Cambridge can offer a food pantry store where people can shop for what they need in a dignified manner. In addition, the center offers community navigation with computers onsite for people to research jobs and complete job applications and look up resources to help them connect to community services. Whether you need food items, to get a replacement Social Security card or photo ID, or just need a friendly face to talk to, the center is open for walk-in services.

“When you are in a crisis, you are overwhelmed with navigating the process to get on the other side of it. We are the stopgap – stepping into the process and providing support,” comments Krista Pettit, leader of One Mission Cambridge’s efforts.

In the back of the storefront, there is a private meeting room to offer Christian counseling and support groups. Further back, a large community space is available to host community dinners for about 120 people. These dinners hope to start in the fall on the first Monday of each month and will include a sit-down dinner, along with a Bible reading and discussion, as well as music and art enrichment.

One Mission Cambridge is about the Body of Christ working together – combining resources and people. The organization’s name “One Mission” comes from all the churches having the same mission: to love God and to love their neighbors.  All Christian Churches are invited to participate in this exciting organization. The organization was born in the summer of 2021 when a volunteer subcommittee brought people from the community together and interviewed nonprofit organizations, governmental agencies, and community members who utilize various agencies to determine the unmet needs in the community and what services could be provided. The survey revealed that people in the community have a heart for others, there are a lot of great organizations helping people, and there needs to be a place for people to talk, listen and provide guidance on getting help and encouragement.

One Mission Cambridge, the coalition of Christian churches and ministries, is called to meet the physical and spiritual needs of men, women and children in the Cambridge area. Its storefront location is ideal for serving some of the community’s most vulnerable populations.

To date, over 15 churches are working with One Mission Cambridge. Krista Pettit, who began working on the project as a volunteer with Grace United Methodist Church and St. Paul’s United Methodist Church, recognized the need in the community when talking with other churches. The organization wants to partner with everyone providing services in the Cambridge area, including area food pantries, nonprofit organizations, government agencies, and churches who, according to Krista, are doing tremendous work in the community. Volunteers are also needed and interested persons can attend the open house to inquire, contact Pettit directly, or sign up via the website at onemissioncambridge.org or call 410-901-3959.

One Mission Cambridge will be open Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, from 1 to 6 p.m. and the second Saturday of each month from 9 a.m. to 12 noon. These hours were selected as times when other organizations aren’t open and to allow people who work to utilize the services.

Visit One Mission Cambridge on Facebook or Instagram or their website onemissioncambridge.org or call 410-901-3959. Donations can be made to One Mission Cambridge, P.O. Box 815, Cambridge, MD 21613.

Studio B Art Gallery to Host a Plethora of Plein Air Easton Artists and Events

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This July, Studio B Art Gallery is honored to host a special Plein Air Workshop and exhibit featuring Master Jove Wang. The workshop and meet-and-greet exhibit opening will offer a rare opportunity to interact with the master painter right in downtown Easton. The activities are part of a variety of upcoming gallery events, sure to please art enthusiasts this summer.

The Plein Air Workshop with Master Jove Wang will be held in Easton and picturesque locations around Talbot County on July 11-15.  Jove will instruct the immersive, weeklong workshop during the same week that he will be recognized for his work as juror for Plein Air Easton 2022. The Plein Air Easton committee recently announced that Jove will be the judge of Plein Air Easton 2023.

European Fishing Village – Oil by Master Jove Wang

To celebrate the exclusive plein air workshop, Studio B Art Gallery will host an opening reception for the new exhibit “Masterstrokes: Visions of Jove Wang” on Friday, July 15. The showcase honors Jove’s latest works and guests will enjoy an Art Salon reception with the master painter in attendance from 5-8 p.m.

“Jove lives and works in California, but loves making the special trips to Talbot County to teach in our amazing small towns, rural fields, and beautiful waterfronts,” Studio B Art Gallery owner Betty Huang said. “Jove has played an important role in this year’s Plein Air Easton event and we look forward to our guests getting a chance to pick the brain of next year’s festival judge.”

There will be plenty more opportunities to enjoy art during annual Plein Air Easton Festival, held on July 15-24, and Studio B artists are right in the thick of the festivities.

Studio B Art Gallery is proud to represent award-winning artists that will be competing in Plein Air Easton once again. Stop by the gallery to see work by Hiu Lai Chong (past Plein Air Easton Grand Prize and Artists Choice award winner), Daniel Robbins (who won three awards during Plein Air Easton 2021), and Bernard Dellario (award-winning artists and Academy Art Museum instructor). There will be impromptu opportunities to meet with the gallery’s artists throughout the week of Plein Air Easton.

Betty Huang is the President of the Working Artists Forum (WAF). The group sponsors the juried and judged art exhibit “ Local Color” under the auspices of the annual Plein Air Easton Festival. “Local Color” sells original two dimensional art by artists of the Delmarva Peninsula and WAF members who have been juried into the show.  This year, 42 professional artists will be displaying their beautiful work in oil, watercolors, pastels, and graphite from July 20 through July 24 in the Fellowship Hall of Christ Church (111. S. Harrison Street Easton, MD).

Follow Studio B Art Gallery on Facebook and Instagram @StudioBArtGallery to learn about all these upcoming events with live updates and special announcements throughout July. The Master Jove Wang Plein Air Workshop requires advance registration with only a limited number of spaces available. Visit www.studiobartgallery.com to signup and reserve your space. Make your way to www.pleinaireaston.com to discover more about Plein Air Easton and plan your week of amazing art in charming Easton, MD.

Studio B Art Gallery is located at 7 B Goldsborough Street in historic downtown Easton, Maryland. The gallery represents nationally and internationally known painters Hiu Lai Chong, Bernard Dellario, Ken DeWaard, Betty Huang, Qiang Huang, Daniel Robbins, Master Jove Wang, and sculptor Rick Casali. Visit the gallery any time during open hours, browse online at www.studiobartgallery.com, or call 443-988-1818 to arrange a private viewing.

Talbot County Free Library Now Circulating Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum Passes

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The Talbot County Free Library now has Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum (CBMM) Passes that patrons can check out with their library card.

Each pass admits up to four adults and their children or grandchildren under the age of 18. Due to the limited supply of passes, the checkout period is limited to two days.

“There is a natural partnership between CBMM and the Talbot County Free Library as both organizations offer the community equitable access, lifelong learning, and the opportunity to discover new interests,” said Talbot County Free Library Director Dana Newman. “I know that we will have a number of families take advantage of the passes, especially now with the rising cost of everything. This is a great example of how our community works together.”

All a library card holder has to do is stop by the library and ask if a CBMM pass is available. The pass will be available to check out, free of charge for two days. These passes are available on a first come, first serve basis at the circulation desks of our Easton and St. Michaels branches.

It is recommended to return the passes to the Circulation Desk at the same branch from which the patron borrowed them from. Passes cannot be renewed and cannot be put on hold.

“The Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum is happy to be able to work in partnership with the Talbot County Free Library,” said CBMM President/CEO Kristen Greenaway. “As an educational organization, and one that values making its resources available to all, offering these passes to library cardholders is a natural fit.”

To obtain a library card, come to one of our branches with a driver’s license or identification card and proof of your address ready. Examples of proof of address include a water bill, electric bill, rent contract, or voter registration card. A Talbot County Free Library card is a key to everything we have to offer including books, e-books, digital media, access to online databases, and more.

“As Chief Curator of CBMM and a member of TCFL’s Board of Trustees, I’m thrilled to see these two organizations find ways to work together,” said CBMM Chief Curator Pete Lesher. “We seek to provide meaningful and accessible experiences to all of our communities and constituencies, and getting more people in the doors of both CBMM and the Library is certainly a worthwhile goal toward that end.”

The library occasionally offers story times at the CBMM. Keep an eye out for this program on the library’s website.

For hours, directions, and other details, please visit the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum at www.cbmm.org.

About Talbot County Free Library

It is the mission of the Talbot County Free Library to enrich and renew the lives of the people it serves. There are two locations: The main library in Easton is located at 100 W. Dover St., and the St. Michael branch is at 106 Fremont St. The Maryland Room in the Easton branch holds a voluminous collection of genealogical resources and historical documents. Services at both locations include the circulation of books, DVDs, digital devices, free Wi-Fi, public computers, exhibits, and programs for both children and adults. For more information, please visit www.tcfl.org. Be sure to like the library on Facebook and follow us on Instagram @Talbotcountyfreelibrary.