Enter a world where love and the vibrant energy of spring intertwine in a symphony of colors and emotions. "Sprung" is not just about the changing of seasons; it's a celebration of new beginnings, blossoming feelings, and the exhilarating rush of romance. In this exhibition, we explore the profound connections between the awakening of nature and the stirring of hearts.

The exhibition "Sprung" acknowledges the amorous essence of springtime, where love blooms alongside the flowers and fills the air with fragrance. It's a tribute to those who find themselves utterly infatuated, completely taken over by the irresistible pull of romantic interest. The exhibition also acknowledges the differences that these concepts reveal: The Spring is about growth, feeling sprung is often fleeting. 

Join us for an immersive exploration of identity, spirituality, and social justice through the diverse lenses of five visionary artists. In this exhibition, we celebrate the dynamic creativity of Adewale Alli, Liz Miller, Raine Dawn Valentine, Savannah Imani Wade, and Khadija Jahmila, whose distinctive practices intersect to provoke introspection and inspire transformation. Each artist featured in "Sprung" was carefully selected for their exploration of themes or modalities related to both the seasons and love. Through their diverse practices, they offer unique perspectives on the intersection of nature's renewal and the passion of the human heart.

Artist Bios 

Adewale Alli is a self-taught Nigerian visual artist based in Baltimore, Maryland. His work is a profound exploration of materiality intertwined with the eloquent language of color. Each piece he crafts is a chapter in his ongoing odyssey into the vast spectrum of being, capturing not only the splendor and intensity of existence but also delving into the enigmatic truths that elude our comprehension.

Aliana Grace Bailey is an interdisciplinary fiber artist—taking up space with bold softness. She is a passionate advocate for radical self-love, wellness, healing, and grief support. Her work embraces artmaking as a vehicle for growth, building intimacy, and creating inner peace through weaving vibrant colors, narratives, and environments.

Khadija Jahmila (b.1993, Maryland) is an Afro-Caribbean mixed-media artist and creative entrepreneur. Specializing in cut-paper and digital collage, Khadija’s Afrofuturistic creations reassert the humanity, beauty, intersectionality, and otherworldliness of the African diaspora. She has been awarded the NextGen Award, 2020 by VisArts Rockville, MD. Her work has graced retail shops and been exhibited in group shows throughout Washington, DC and Maryland, including venues such as Eaton DC; Capitol Hill Arts Workshop; 11:Eleven Gallery; and VisArts.

Liz Miller is a second-generation fine artist. She creates hair sculptures, sculptural paintings, wearable art, performance art pieces, and film. Her films capture community members and herself performing while adorned with hair sculptures for meaningful transformative movement rituals. The concepts embodied in her work are social justice themes centered around the black experience in America; utilizing both history and Afro-futurism simultaneously balanced within.

Raine Dawn Valentine has taught middle school art for 16 years with Baltimore County Public Schools, MD and is an adjunct professor at Notre Dame of Maryland University. Raine is an intuitive Spiritual teacher and creative arts director who pulls from her Native American lineage to facilitate a space for all to connect with their higher selves. She is a member of the Turtle Mountain Tribe of Chippewa in North Dakota and is rooted in her tribe’s traditional spiritual practices.

Savannah Imani Wade is an interdisciplinary artist, arts manager, and arts educator from Washington, DC, currently residing in Baltimore, MD after attending Maryland Institute College of Art. In 2023 Wade founded Our Art Room, a collective of women and femme artists who share resources, networks, and artist accountability in a community context.

Their personal practice is an exploration of dance, puppetry, theater, painting, and illustration that prioritizes the inner world as a source of information. Wade generates personas and recurring symbols that call on archetypes of the feminine and ancestral histories.