"Group Exhibit at the Baltimore World Trade Center

in celebration of Black History Month - featuring Belle Massey"

I had a great feeling about Saturday. I arrived at the show with my daughter Fontaine, son Mandela, my sister Rose and her grandbaby, Jada. That same morning while standing in the bank - who should be standing behind me but the President of my alma mater, The Maryland Institute, College of Art - Fred Lazarus, IV. It was truly wonderful to see him...he remembered me and Fontaine, who was still an infant in a baby's blanket last time he saw her. We chit-chatted about 'growing pains,' etc. He seemed pleased to hear that I was still pursuing art and was having show that night and so, he wished me well.

I was greeted at the Baltimore World Trade Center by a number of people, including my co-workers and friends at the Fund for Johns Hopkins Medicine - downtown Baltimore. Great atmosphere... with a live jazz trio and refreshments. Folks were very intrigued by the diversity of pieces in the show, oil and acrylic paintings, collages, sculptures, 3-dimensional pieces, etc.
Although I only had 2 pieces in the 2008 Juried Exhibition, I was totally taken away by the responses to my work! This exhibit is the first of its kind to be held at Baltimore's World Trade Center. I was able to share with many people samples of my other works, as I had purposefully taken my portfolio of recent pieces.

Although I was peeved that one of my show pieces had been sort of cleaned with a wet cloth (remnants of the fibers from the rag were still evident on the canvas), I was determined not to let that annoy me and I picked the tiny fibers off of the canvas.

My boss (Jamie Kelley) was gleaming as he arrived with his wife (Meg); I could tell he was very proud of me. My oldest sister was there, one of my best friends, Pamela, my ex-husband and a number of friends I hadn't seen in years. Another friend, one whom I always looked up to as a fellow artist was there, Heidi Minken...she works at Hopkins now as a big-time fundraiser. It was great to see her too. It humbled me. I was able to rub elbows with a few artists whom I hadn't truly interacted with since college, Skip, Tommy and others. Mandela's grandfather was there and he was very happy for me. What a fabulous night !!! Can't wait to do this again.

For those of you who haven't made the trip, you may want to visit the Top-of-the-World Trade Center - 27th Floor - Inner Harbor - between now and February 29th and enjoy the pieces on display. I believe it represents about 10 or 12 of us actively making art. The name of my two pieces are: "I am Dark But Comely" & "Flowers for You, Mama". Hope you can drop by to see them.

Until then, take care...Belle