Empty office or co-working space with red columns, large windows, couches, chairs, and artwork on the wall.

BLIFTD’s RESIDENT ARTISTS

BLIFTD’s founding artists include Jeffrey Kent, Chris Wilson, Jerrell Gibbs, Nicole Clark, ALEXIS TYSON, Terry Kilby, and the late Gabriel Garcia. With their combined 100+ years of art-making, art education, and networking, they are trailblazing an alternative path for artists to find their place in Baltimore's burgeoning art scene, one that is accessible to those outside the city's traditional pathways.

  • A portrait of a confident, bald African American man with glasses, wearing a denim shirt with the sleeves rolled up, standing indoors with crossed arms and a neutral expression.

    Jeffrey Kent

    FOUNDER

    Jeffrey Kent is an American multidisciplinary artist whose life's work has been a conduit for self-healing and communal wellness. In addition to his art practice, Kent founded several public art hubs. LEARN MORE

  • A smiling blonde woman wearing a black sheer long-sleeve top and a tan skirt, sitting on a blue couch in an indoor setting.

    NICOLE CLARK

    CO-FOUNDER + DIRECTOR

    Nicole Clark is an American artist, writer, and change management consultant who lives and works in Baltimore, MD. LEARN MORE

  • A portrait of a bald man with a beard, wearing a black t-shirt, sitting at a marble table, looking directly at the camera with his arms crossed.

    Chris Wilson

    BLIFTD Resident Artist

    Chris Wilson splits his time between Miami, Baltimore, and New York City, working as a visual artist and a social justice advocate. He investigates societal injustices, human relationships, and public policies through his work. LEARN MORE

  • A young man with dreadlocks sitting on a wooden table, dressed in a colorful graphic t-shirt and blue athletic pants, with sneakers featuring embroidered flowers. He has tattoos on his arms, a wristwatch, and a necklace. An open notebook and a jar filled with paintbrushes are also on the table near him.

    Jerrell Gibbs

    BLIFTD RESIDENT ARTIST

    Across his career, Baltimore-based artist Jerrell Gibbs has challenged the near-invisibility of Black life in American art. He does so by celebrating identity and culture with profound compassion and insight, often weaving in elements of his own upbringing. LEARN MORE

  • A woman with curly platinum blonde hair resting her head on her hand, wearing a dark green sweatshirt, in front of a large colorful abstract painting.

    Alexis Tyson (TWZ)

    STVDIOS COORDINATOR | BLIFTD RESIDENT ARTIST

    Alexis Tyson (TWZ) is an artist, curator, and public historian dedicated to preserving and amplifying overlooked Black narratives. Based in Baltimore, their work spans murals, exhibitions, and interactive storytelling, transforming public spaces into sites of memory, dialogue, and reclamation. LEARN MORE

  • A black-and-white photo of a man with a bald head, a gray beard, and earrings. He's wearing a beaded necklace, a printed t-shirt, and a denim jacket, standing in front of a chalkboard with writing and drawings.

    Eric Briscoe

    BLIFTD RESIDENT ARTIST

    E. L. Briscoe is a visual artist and educator whose art explores the interplay between personal memory, media, and cultural perception. Drawing on formative experiences from childhood and a lifelong reflection on popular media, Briscoe creates artwork that revisits and interrogates the narratives once absorbed through entertainment. Learn more

trailblazing an alternative path for artists to find their place in THE art WORLD

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