Saltboxes are a forgotten piece of civic infrastructure. Stationed in various areas of the city, these boxes hold rock salt to be used during snowy times; found in hilly areas. There is a movement where artists in Baltimore are decorating the fronts of these Saltboxes with designs inspired by their love for the city.
In the winter of 2023-2024, I was busier than ever and wasn't sure I had the energy or the bandwidth to do another salt box series. I had no idea what I would focus on, as this is the third year that 'salt' and 'Baltimore' is the focus... often as a working artist I will release myself from projects if I can't find a reason to actually participate.
The Baltimore Saltbox IG page has their yearly new years' post where they show the saltboxes that got the most amount of likes from the past year and 4 of them were mine. My partner had said to me 'You may not need the saltbox game but the saltbox game needs you'.
I often show what I am working on to my students and I think of what might inspire them. Noting that it was an election year and many adults felt uninspired in light of that; it made me think of the responsibility that the artist often takes on to interject levity and imagination into the cycle we are collectively going into. Presidential nominations were what I chose to take on for this Winter's designs besides a few site-specific pieces.
The design for my box will be debuted at a press conference and family event called ‘Dia Del Nino’ at Patterson Park 11-2p on 4/29/23. Children will decorate the other sides of the boxes and the public can meet all 4 artists!
Following the larger Saltbox Art Movement, the Baltimore Department of Transportation invited 4 artists to create designs for the 4 giant Saltboxes which will grace the main parks of Bmore. Julie Ames, the movement founder created the design for the first giant saltbox at City Hall.
I decided to base the design for my Giant Saltbox on the group Dru Hill which was named after Druid Hill Park. I changed the title to ‘Druid Hill’ instead of ‘Dru Hill’ and shifted the phrase to ‘enter the park’ instead of ‘enter the Dru’.
I incorporate hair into most of my work- Sisqo’s hair is actually textural so if you find the box, feel free to rub it! it will be stationed at Latrobe Pavillon at Druid Hill Park.
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