SOCIAL MEDIA + NEWS
2021 Visual Artist of the Year is awarded to Annapolis own Comacell Brown at the 21st Annual Annie Awards.
In 2000, the Arts Council of Anne Arundel County first publicly recognized six exceptional Annie Award winners for their lasting, significant, and inspiring contributions to an art form, an arts organization and/or to the wider community of Anne Arundel County.
This year marked the 21st annual presentation of these prestigious arts awards honoring one member of the Anne Arundel County community in each of nine categories: Arts Education, Arts Leadership, Arts Maverick, Arts Patron, Historic Arts, Literary Arts, Performing Arts, Visual Arts, and Lifetime Achievement in the Arts. The 2021 Visual Artist of the year award was presented to Comacell Brown Jr. for his dedicated passion for the arts and the community.
The Calvert County Board of County Commissioners held a ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the newly refurbished basketball court at the Mt. Hope Community Center in Sunderland. Refurbishments were made possible thanks to contributions from NBA Trainer Patrick Robinson’s Pat The Roc Basketball Skills Academy and their sponsors. Patrick “Pat The Roc” Robinson was born and raised in Prince Frederick, Maryland and graduated from Patuxent High School. His basketball career began with Calvert County Parks & Recreation, which makes it especially heartwarming that he continue that trend kicking off his academy today. He held several free clinics training children ages 4-17 years on the fundamentals of basketball. Visitors were met with a newly painted court branded in a Pat The Roc design painted by Comacell Brown, Letia Smith and Deonte Ward.
(Swipe through the gallery to see some of the pictures)
The Maryland Cultural and Conference Center (MC3), formerly known as Maryland Theatre for the Performing Arts (MTPA), debuted a new vision for the Annapolis arts community with the One Annapolis Community Art Project; a three-phase project which included a webinar on the history of Carr’s Beach, the vibrant mural created by renowned artist Comacell Brown, and is now presenting the final phase, SPEAK, an Art Exhibit featuring the work of Comacell Brown, Jamison Scott, Sheldon Pindell, Letia Smith, Dee Ward, and local students Anastasia Jackson and Kira Holmes.
(Swipe through the gallery to see some of the pictures)
WPGC 95.5 CREATORS OF THE DMV
Featuring Cell Spitfire hosted by DJ Akademiks
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LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A newly renovated basketball court in west Louisville is now named in honor of Breonna Taylor.
Friday afternoon, to the chants of "Breeway," Councilwoman Donna Purvis, D-5, and the Russ Smith Foundation unveiled a new mural of Breonna Taylor on the court in Lannan Park at 27th and Northeastern Parkway. (Click Photos To Read More)
VIDEO: NEW ANNAPOLIS MURAL PAYS HOMAGE TO HISTORIC BLACK BEACH RESORT - CARR'S BEACH (1926-1974)
Carr’s Beach was an entertainment mecca on the Annapolis Neck during racial segregation in the early to mid-20th century. The private beach club drew thousands of people to hear the likes of Chuck Berry, James Brown, and Billie Holliday perform.
This past weekend, the City of Annapolis unveiled a vibrant mural paying tribute to the heyday of Carr’s Beach, along one of the roads that led to the beach resort. Today, the property is a waterfront condo community, but the city is pledging to create a physical reminder of the legendary pop-culture destination. Cheryl Costello has more on the history being revived. Watch below:
The Art of Activism opens at Maryland Hall
By Charlie Youngmann (Bay Weekly)
Maryland Hall reopens Friday for the first time since March to unveil something new: The Art of Activism, an exhibition of eight Maryland artists using their work to spark dialogue and change in the context of Black Lives Matter.
Artists have been using art to comment on societal issues including gender, race, politics, and religion for generations. The Art of Activism explores the ways in which current Maryland-based Black artists are using their work as a statement of activism.
Six vinyl banners were hung outside Maryland Hall in June, each displaying a single word in the phrase Black Lives Matter. For this exhibit, each of those banners was then assigned to a selected artist, says Katie Redmiles, Maryland Hall’s Digital Marketing and Communications Specialist. The artists were asked to use their banners as a canvas for whatever media they found appropriate to convey their own message inspired by their word.
The finished works anchor the new exhibit and additional pieces from the contributing artists will be placed throughout Maryland Hall for a socially distant gallery experience, Redmiles said.
A seventh banner will be displayed at the Banneker-Douglass Museum in Annapolis although they currently remain closed due to the pandemic, Redmiles says.
That banner, titled We Will Rise Up, is being designed by Annapolis artist Comacell Brown Jr., also known as Cell Spitfire.
Brown used his banner to highlight recent events, calling on elements of injustice, like the death of Breonna Taylor, and moments of excitement, like the Hoop Bus tour stop in Annapolis.
Brown says his piece is meant to commemorate the pursuit of justice for all, through the pandemic. “I always felt like art spoke volumes in itself, more volumes than a person can actually speak sometimes even with a platform,” he said.
After the death of George Floyd, Brown and fellow Annapolis artist Jeff Huntington worked on a freestanding mural of Floyd that featured the names of victims of social injustice. The public attention their piece garnered gave Brown the idea to use his work as an artist to send a much larger message.
“With art, there is no negativity in the protest, at least it’s not seen that way,” Brown said “With artwork, there is no violence. Even if you paint violence, no one is being hurt and that creates a healthy conversation.”
Brown has been painting since age 7, when he discovered art at a Salvation Army after-school day camp. While there were a number of crafts and activities to keep the children busy until their parents came to get them, Brown got his first opportunity to put brush to canvas as well as clothing. Following his passion for art and design into high school, Brown created his own clothing line. From there he sold shirts out of his backpack before attending The Art Institute of Atlanta and graduating with a degree in design in 2007. He now has his own graphic design business and partnered with several non-profits, allowing him to share his artistic knowledge with people from less privileged communities and “connect with those that may possess a real passion for it.”
In addition to his banner, Brown’s work will also be featured in the Maryland Hall portion of the exhibit. His paintings will hang in the same halls where he had begged his grandparents to sign him up for classes as a child, he said. “It’s always been a dream of mine to do something in Maryland Hall,” Brown said.
Breonna Taylor’s mother, Tamika Palmer, and family visit mural painted by Annapolis artists at Chambers Park
Tamika Palmer shouldn’t be here. She should be 600 miles away at her home, in Louisville, Kentucky, with her family and first-born daughter. Instead, Palmer and about 30 family members — aunts, uncles, cousins, siblings — have gathered at a basketball court in Annapolis to witness the mural now stretching out before their feet. (Click photo to read full story)
NBA Team Washington Wizards acknowledge DMV Artist Cell Spitfire on twitter for his artwork and his dedicated work to the local community.
Artists, volunteers paint mural of Breonna Taylor at Historic Chambers Park in Annapolis, MD
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (WBFF) -- During the 4th of July weekend, artists and volunteers gathered to paint a mural of Breonna Taylor in an Annapolis park. Click photo to read full story)
Annapolis Loves Carlester "Buckwheat" Smith
The man regarded an Annapolis treasure may not be well enough to walk around town any longer, but fundraising efforts are helping care for him and to make sure he’ll always be known along West Street. Click photo to read full story)
Neighborhood Leadership Academy completes Leadership Anne Arundel training
The Neighborhood Leadership Academy targets current and emerging grassroots leaders in neighborhoods throughout Anne Arundel County, providing residents of Anne Arundel County communities with skill-based leadership training. (Click to Read full Article)
The Huddle Show interviews Cell Spitfire about his journey, design inspiration, and more.
"Our Annapolis" Vlog w/ Alderwoman Sheila Finlayson interviewing Cell Spitfire about growing up in Annapolis and his passion for art.
Spotlight Artist of the Month - November 2019
(The Capital Gazette Newspaper)
Era 8 Apparel 2020 - New Collections
Coming Soon | Promo Commercial
BTS footage of mural painting by Jeff Huntington with help from myself and Dee Ward, Footage by Brian White of Street Art Films
INSTAGRAM FEED
AWARDS + ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
November 2019
Entrepreneurial Excellence Award
(presented by Parole Health
Center in Annapolis, MD)
December 2015
DMV Painter/Drawer of the Year
(presented by Titan Arts Awards)
TDK Memorial / Robinwood Studio Location
In Loving Memory of Edward "Tre' Da Kid" Seay