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audreybeardsley.bsky.social
@audreybeardsley.bsky.social
32 followers 22 following 110 posts
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audreybeardsley.bsky.social
@bmorethical.bsky.social

The Museum of Industry may have been no more than 40, the Spirit of Fort McHenry fired us up enough to feel like 400. Great to be able to encourage runners and protest too.

#NoKingsDay #Baltimoreprotest #BES
Yours Truly standing on Key Highway by the Museum of Industry holding banner featuring the six men killed at the Key Bridge collapse of 2024. Fellow protester at the Museum of Industry with sign telling us "So Bad even the Introverts are Here ". I understand completely. Two fellow protesters at the the Museum of Industry. One woman about my age holds a sign representing reading "Creepy Babies against Fascism". She is joined by a "dinosaur" come back from extinction with a "Fit Check for our No Kings Era!". It's odd, but I didn't see a single armed Antifa operative anywhere. This is a long shot of our modest, but passionate group of registers at the Baltimore Museum of Industry, doubling as cheerleaders for the diverse array of runners as they passed by.
October 19, 2025 at 11:04 AM
audreybeardsley.bsky.social
@bmorethical.bsky.social

Just returning from the Wednesday afternoon weekly protest at 40th and Roland. Walked around Marble Hill area Sunday. Why don't these three historical houses have a plaque at least?

#BaltimoreBlackAttorneys
#Hidden History
#FightforEqualHousing
Three story brick house at 1318 Druid Hill Ave. The only one of four homes Harry Sythe Cummings that still stands in the Marble Hill neighborhood he represented as Baltimore's first Black City Councilman starting 1890. Three story brick house at 1834 Druid Hill Ave. In Baltimore MD, bought by attorney George McMechen in 1910. He was almost lynched by some of his white neighbors, but was protected by fellow attorneys and allies. This led to one of Baltimore's sorriest first in the nation. Modest two story brick house at 1911 Division Street in the Upton area of Baltimore MD. Warner T. McGuinn, law partner with Harry Sythe Cummings, owned and lived in this house through the 1910s and 1920s until his wife Anna died in 1929.
August 13, 2025 at 9:59 PM
audreybeardsley.bsky.social
Only 1318 Druid Hill Ave. remains. Cummings lived with wife, Blanche, and their son and daughter in the last six years of his life 1911-1917. He died there of a sudden stroke, in September 1917, aged only 51.

#HiddenHistory #BaltimoreBlackAttorneys
Street sign at the corner of Druid Hill Ave. and McMechen Street. The neighborhood is called Marble Hill. Cummings lived in at least four different homes within this area from 1890-1917. Three story brick row home of Harry Sythe Cummings, where he lived from 1911 until his death in 1917. Thin bay windows on the first two floors. Marble front steps with black railings. Modern security door. Full basement. Of the four addresses, this is the only one that still stands today.
August 10, 2025 at 3:25 AM
audreybeardsley.bsky.social
Of the four addresses Cummings called home from 1890-1917, 935 North Eutaw St., 435 Biddle St., 1234 Druid Hill Ave., and 1318 Druid Hill Ave., the first two vanished to build State Center. This is the lot where 1234 Druid Hill Ave. existed.

#HiddenHistory #BaltimoreBlackAttorneys
August 10, 2025 at 3:14 AM
audreybeardsley.bsky.social
I took a walking search around the Marble Hill and Upton neighborhoods seeking the homes where these Attorneys lived. Here is History Detective recording the Scene of the Time.

##HiddenHistory #BaltimoreBlackAttorneys
Panorama of the 1200-1300 blocks of Druid Hill Ave in the Marble Hill neighborhood Harry Sythe Cummings represented as Councilman. A Bethel AME church perches on the corner .
August 10, 2025 at 3:07 AM
audreybeardsley.bsky.social
He hadn't reestablished himself back in his hometown when Harry Sythe Cummings became the first Black Baltimorean elected to the City Council in 1890, aged only 24. I think this photo may have taken about that time.

#HiddenHistory #BaltimoreBlackAttorneys
August 10, 2025 at 2:57 AM
audreybeardsley.bsky.social
These are photos of Harry's slave born parents, Henry Cummings Sr. Eliza Jane Davage. Both toiled on a farm in White Marsh owned by the Ridgely family. Both were freed in 1854. Henry worked as a cook in a fancy hotel. Eliza sewed and ran a boarding house.

#HiddenHistory #CummingsFamily
August 10, 2025 at 2:42 AM
audreybeardsley.bsky.social
After a nice morning painting, I began my investigative project as an amateur history detective. This research seeks t o uncover "Baltimore's Black Attorneys and the Fight Against Segregated Housing, 1910-1920", starting with this gentleman:
Sepia photograph of Baltimore Attorney Harry Sykes Cummings (1866-1917) taken during his second term as a Baltimore City Council member about 1900. Handsome round face, well groomed mustache, chin clean shaven, well pressed thin striped suit, silk bow tie, stiff white collar. His expression is serious, but not solemn. There's a twinkle of friendliness in his eyes. Brief biography of Baltimore City Councilman and attorney Harry Sythe Cummings (1866-1917).
August 10, 2025 at 2:34 AM
audreybeardsley.bsky.social
Starting tomorrow morning however, the history detective Baltimore's Black Attorneys project begins with this guy.
August 6, 2025 at 6:08 PM
audreybeardsley.bsky.social
Hello everyone. I'm a self taught painter whose main project is to help grieving people transform suffering through portraiture. Welcome to the Million Gun Victims March!

#art #portrait #artactivism #MGVM
Portrait of Marcus Parks Sr. 1969-2020. Oil on canvas, 11X14. Painted 2020. Marcus is dressed in a luxurious bus driver uniform. A golden Aten sun disk with rays that end in hands holding ankhs adorns his head. Behind him, a magic winged bus glides to a landing, ready for Marcus to take the wheel.
June 22, 2025 at 9:35 AM
audreybeardsley.bsky.social
Such was the case with Mackenzie Elliot. She was three years old in 2014, just finding out the excitement in being able to form complex thought into speech. The whole block loved her bright eyes and happy ways.

#MGVM #artactivism #Marcherstories
Portrait of Mckenzie Elliot (2011-2014), oil on canvas 11X14, painted 2014. The three year old stands in a flower garden, trellis with her name and dates behind her. Her braids are held together with colored beads. Her dress is bright green decorated with butterflies. She wears bright red buckle shoes. A deep blue sash is tied around her waist. She holds a baby rabbit in her arms as she gazes straight at the viewer. The mother rabbit perches beside her, watchful, ready to defend. McKenzie Elliot was born in the Asian year of the Rabbit, hence the symbol.
June 13, 2025 at 7:28 PM
audreybeardsley.bsky.social
Sounds like you understand more about economics than I do. I tend get most of my info from Joe Blogs and Patrick Boyle. Yes, it's me.
June 3, 2025 at 10:00 PM
audreybeardsley.bsky.social
All I realize is that I somehow captured an expression of serene peace and calm on her face. For the first time, a portrait subject exudes a quality I as artist don't think I have. I'm not really a calm person.
Portrait of Truc Thi Ly Nguyen (1971-2014), oil on canvas 9"X 12". Truc Thi Nguyen sits in her salon chair, a soft peachy colored wall behind her. Her left arm stretches over the tools of her manicurist trade, fingers spread wide to showcase her engagement ring, which she gazes at lovingly. Her expression exudes a joyous tranquility. Her right hand holds a sample of wedding veil lace to her breast. This presents a moment of a sweet dream.
May 24, 2025 at 10:54 AM
audreybeardsley.bsky.social
Her name was Truc Thi Ly Nyugen (1971-2014). She is the 40th Marcher to join the crusade. She worked every at a salon as a manicurist in East Baltimore. She and her fiance arrived in America with hopes of working hard for a house of their own, so they could marry.

#MGVM #Marcherstories
May 24, 2025 at 10:25 AM
audreybeardsley.bsky.social
This is the story of gentle giant Gerald Commodore (1990-2013). He is the 33rd Marcher to join this project. He was soft spoken, large hearted, and did freelance repairs to get by as well as help friends and neighbors.

#MGVM #artactivism #portaits
Portrait of gun victim Gerald Commodore (1990-2013). Oil on canvas, 9" X 12", painted 2014. Gerald, a large black man, aged 33, gazes dreamily towards the upper right corner. He wears horizontal striped thick workshirt, a tape measure in his right hand, a hammer in the other. A toolbox rests on the table beside him.
May 15, 2025 at 12:18 AM
audreybeardsley.bsky.social
Portrait of gun victim Deshaun Jones (1998-2013), oil on canvas 9X12. He stands partially hidden in a dark alley, bright eyes staring into the distance with part resignation, and also still smarting frustration. His left hand holds a microphone pointed down. His swamp green shirt displays his hip hop name, Lor' Deshaun, bright red letters outlined in white.
April 26, 2025 at 12:55 PM
audreybeardsley.bsky.social
What budding hip-hop artist Deshaun Jones (1998-2013) thought as he sat on his home stoop will never be known. A few doors down, on the corner, a group of young men were playing craps.

#MGVM ##Marcherstories #portraits ##artactivism
April 26, 2025 at 12:45 PM
audreybeardsley.bsky.social
She was just weeks away from receiving her bachelor's degree from Morgan University. Gennie Shird (1992-2013), was bright-eyed, beautiful, glamorous, outgoing,filled with joy in life, a real people person. She had even studied abroad a year.

##MGVM #artactivism #portraits #gunvictims
April 23, 2025 at 9:24 PM
audreybeardsley.bsky.social
Carter Scott was 13 months old in May of 2013. He is the 11th Marcher portrait in the series. I can only imagine the life of a toddler just starting to take their first steps. Just before Memorial Day, Carter was strapped in his car seat, while his father Rashad drove.

#MGVM #portraits
Portrait of gun victim Carter Scott (2012-2013), oil on canvas, 9"X 12", painted 2013. The toddler sits on the fresh grass. The day is cloudless. His smiling face is turned slightly left. A big balloon with his name and dates of birth and death is connected with string to his right hand. His arms encircle a new puppy, full of joy at having this forever friend.
April 19, 2025 at 1:54 PM
audreybeardsley.bsky.social
One of these two buildings are the address where the shooting of James Smith the Third happened January 3rd, 1997. They sit less than half a mile (2/3 kilometer) from my house. I thought surely something will be done to legally protect children from gun violence. I'm less naive today.

#MGVM
April 14, 2025 at 5:23 PM
audreybeardsley.bsky.social
It is now noon, Eastern Standard Time, United States. 12 years ago today I began a 15 hour straight painting stretch on this portrait. April 14-15, Bodhisattva Brushes of Fury was born. The Million Gun Victims March began.

vilomah.life

#art #activism #gunvictims #compassion
Portrait of three year old James Smith the Third (1994-1997). Oil on canvas 9X12 inches, painted April 14-15, 2013. James sits on a barber chair waiting for his birthday haircut. He gazes to the side, a smile of anticipation on his face. A lion cub and a lamb are snuggled on his lap.
April 14, 2025 at 4:07 PM
audreybeardsley.bsky.social
I know I've been quiet these past few weeks. Not much interested in reading about watching paint dry. I've spent January and February mostly hiked up in the studio. This is what I've concentrated my energy on .
Four foot, or 1.25 meters square oil on canvas painting featuring five of the twenty one victims of the San Ysidro, California mass shooting at a McDonald's in 1984. The first part of a four canvas scene takes place in the foyer of an elegant, luxurious restaurant. Starting from the left, Mrs. Aida Velasquez Victoria (1914-1984) is escorted inside by her loving husband, Miguel Victoria-Ulloa (1909-1984). Hostess Elsa Herlinga Barboa-Firro (1964-1984) places a hand on Miguel's jacket, ready to hang them on the silver rack behind the door. Two boyhood friends, David Flores Delgado (1973-1984) and Omarr Alonzo Hernandez (1973-1984) have already hung up their coats and are getting ready to enter the Ionic Archway into what will be the main dining room.
March 6, 2025 at 10:46 PM
audreybeardsley.bsky.social
January has been a quiet month once the New Year's celebration was done. I've spent most time in the studio working on the first of four canvasses with a group portrait of 22 people, of which these 2 boys are part of .

#art #portraits #multicanvasgroup #MGVM
Portrait in oil on canvas of two 11 year old boys, David Flores Delgado and Omar Alonzo Hernandez. They were two victims of a mass shooting at at a McDonald's in San Ysidro, California in 1984. Eventually, the 21 "Marchers" will cover four canvasses before I am finished.
January 31, 2025 at 8:12 PM
audreybeardsley.bsky.social
Finished. Right before 2025 arrived. I hope the woman likes this portrait. My only new resolution for 2025 is to get more MGVM portraits home. Otherwise an unsuspecting nonprofit finds they inherited hundreds of undelivered paintings.

#MGVM #painting #art
Portrait commissioned by a woman who prefers to be called Tig. Oil on canvas 11X14. Figure is seated inside a marble pavilion. She plays guitar while her gray tabby listens . She wears a gold streaked skirt while a floral sarong drapes over her shoulders.
January 5, 2025 at 2:30 PM
audreybeardsley.bsky.social
Wishing everyone a happy New Year from MGVM! Among the many miracles I've experienced this year, this portrait of Delwyn Javier Lopez Ortiz represents the 250th painting of American gun victims to join Million Gun Victims March. Check out website at https:vilomah.life.

#MGVM #portraitart
Oil on canvas portrait of plumber Delwyn Javier Lopez Ortiz (1984-2022), victim of gun violence. Seven cliff swallows flittering around him represent the children left behind
January 1, 2025 at 1:21 AM