Our newest gallery, housed in the Arts and Humanities Hall (AHUM), the Essex Gallery showcases student work, faculty exhibitions and curated shows that explore diverse themes and media. Its renovation in 2014 added projection capabilities that support digital and time-based art.
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Exhibit Dates: January 19–March 27, 2026
Reception: 2/20 6–8 p.m.
Curator: David Zobel
CCBC's 'Becoming' exhibitions annually showcase the incredible artwork produced by students from the department's capstone course, Portfolio Development -a class that prepares students for the next steps in their art & design careers. Join us in celebrating Becoming 2026 at our reception where there will be voting and awards for artworks in several different categories.
September 29–November 7, 2025
Curator: Joy Davis
Artists Featured: Sam Green, Ajee Hassan, Shannon Pyles, Tyler Sanville, Jessica Walton, Ania Wilton, and Phyllis Zhu
'Threads of Connection: Diverse Voices in Contemporary Fiber' brings together diverse voices in contemporary fiber art, creating a space where traditional craft techniques engage in conversation with varying artistic practices. This exhibition supports artists working across the spectrum of fiber arts: challenging the spatial boundaries of personal, imagined, and cultural narratives. Each piece serves as both individual expression and collective voice, demonstrating how fiber art transcends disciplines to connect communities, preserve stories, and explore new territories of making.
Image Credit:
Detail of "Fissure", 2025. Rope and yarn. Artist: Jessica Walton
Design Credit:
Showcard design by Jason Austin
Jan. 27–Feb. 21, 2025
Reception and Awards Night: Jan. 31, 6–8 p.m.Artists: Aaron Corson, Trevon Crawford, Monique Fletcher, Angela Gavino, Kaylah Jackson, Allie Lewis, Hailey Lipsey, Diago Beltran Martinez, Emmett Hubbard-Poling, Justin Prudent, Matt Valenti, and Destany Whitehead
Take a 3D Tour of the Exhibit.
Oct. 14–Nov. 15, 2024
Curator: Derek Pentz
Artists: Artists: Studio 5 Baltimore (Nicholas Rudolf & Richard Henneberry), Zenobia Darling, Jessi Hardesty, Alexa Hauck, Alisa Kleckner, Brixx Minguez, Megan Plummer, Ashley Reinhardt, and Linnea Tobert
In The Paranormal Realm: Beyond the Lore at The Gallery at CCBC Essex, curator Derek Pentz (aka Zenobia Darling) has invited a select group of talented artists and creatives to explore the question: is the paranormal realm more than just mythology and folklore?
March 18 - May 19, 2024
Curator: Mallory Kimmel
I don’t dream of labor is a collection of work by women artists and healing practitioners that undermines hustle culture through satire and provides space and resources to foster community around well-being.
Artists and Healers: Ama BE, Ama Chandra, Kathryn Cornelius, Nancy Daly, Chiara Francesca, Michelle Dubreuil Macek, Maria Porges, Shirin Towfiq, and Christine Wang
June 17 - September 13, 2024
Artists: Emilyann Craighead, Kye Fothergill, Daniel Fuchs, David Jackson, Ama Liza, Bella Hernandez Lopez, Rolin Lopez, Conner Meyer, Jeremy Naclia, Emmett Poling-Hubbard, Isabel Rodriguez, Matthew Valenti, and Jessica Wagner.
Guest Juror: Derek Pentz
"1sqft: a small works" show features a collection of CCBC student artworks, each confined to a one-square-foot space or, in the case of sculptural pieces, one cubic foot of space. This exhibit emphasizes the power of storytelling within the constraints of a small size, showing that compelling narratives can unfold on even the tiniest of spaces. The curation highlights the students' ability to convey deep and meaningful stories through their art, challenging viewers to look closer and discover the richness contained within these miniature pieces. 1sqft: a small works show invites visitors to explore and appreciate the creativity and ingenuity of the next generation of artists.
September 18 - December 1, 2023
Artists: Vian Borchert, Kristine DeNinno, Peggy Fox, Nic Galloro, Shawn Humes, Bonnie Kennedy, Catherine Kleeman, Corrie Francis Parks and Kelly Bell, Roz Racanello, Lisa Scarbath, Rhonda Smith, Elizabeth Steel, and Ann Stoddard.
Curator: Sharon Trumbull
underCurrent showcases artwork focused on the Chesapeake Bay and its surrounding waterways. Each artist explores the ecology of the area with a mix of celebration and fear for its continued health.
June 17 - September 9, 2022
Selected Artists: Chukwudumebi Amadi-Emina, Rowan Bathurst, Autumn Breon, Theresa-Xuan Bui, Ainsley Burrows, Allen Golder Carpenter, Ailish Hopper, Charles Jean Pierre, Christopher Johnson, Sagar Kamath, Jeffrey Kent, Denese King-Ashley, George Lorio, Paula Mans, Tonisha Hope McCorkle, Elizabeth Ann Miller, Lydia Moore, Amuri Morris, Kim Rice, Laura Sligh, Fahimeh Vahdat, McKinley Wallace, Esteban Whiteside, and Helen Zughaib.
For centuries, art and object making has served as a tool of resistance. Unveiling Resistance is a snapshot of the broad scope of issues concerning artists based in the mid-Atlantic region and beyond. This exhibition hosts a captivating group of artworks regarding issues including the prison industrial complex, refugee crises, racialized violence, and other oppressive systems inflicted on marginalized groups.
Artists in this exhibition use well-known figures such as Kwame Ture (otherwise known as Stockley Carmichael), Sam Sharpe, and the “Founding Fathers” of the United States to draw attention to important historical accounts as well as propagandas that force us to question the information we’ve been indoctrinated with. Other artworks depicting scenes of dilapidated neighborhoods, protests and marches, and refugee migrations portray communities currently under siege.
Jowita Wyszomirska Solo Exhibition
April 4 - May 21, 2022
“The shore had a dual nature, changing with the swing of the tides, belonging now to the land, now to the sea.” - Rachel Carson
Working at the intersection of installation and drawing, I contemplate nature and our relationship with the environment. My work evolves from the context of observing moments at the periphery of our experience: A cloud casting shadow as it crosses the sun, the ever-changing shoreline as land and water meet, the sensory experience of wind, the warmth of shimmering light touching the skin.
Based on the imagery of the Atlantic coast, Nearshore Light is a drawing installation that reflects my interest in creating dynamic compositions. Its layout encourages physical movement by continuing across several large Mylar panels suspended from the ceiling. It functions as an extended drawing that viewers experience by walking around, defining their perceptions of space. This experience resembles how we see the world; the perspective framed by constant motion and shifting points of view represents a reality that remains incomplete.
January 31 - February 25, 2022
Our yearly student exhibition, juried by a panel of guests and CCBC teachers, celebrate the hard work and creativity of our students.
Every year we host our Becoming exhibitions on the Catonsville and Essex campuses. The Portfolio Class is our art students' capstone course and prepares them for their next steps in their careers, be that moving onto a 4-year institution or entering the work force.
The students submitted works to be considered for the exhibition and through a jury selection process, this show celebrates our talented and creative students. We hope you enjoy these exhibits and join us for our Celebration Night!
