Artscape a fun escape for many

For 25 cents, Djanjo, a 17-year-old capuchin monkey, will also shake your hand. (Sun photo by Monica Lopossay / July 19, 2008)

As they meandered among paintings, sculpture and crafts, patrons of Artscape could also take in a street performance.

They might watch a contortionist squeeze his entire 6-foot frame through a small hoop, a juggler toss oddities while skateboarding and an aptly named roving minstrel. The Monkey Man, aka Jerry Brown, works with a sidekick who steals the show.

"That's what I like about Artscape," said Baltimorean Lisa Kornberg, accompanied by her grandsons, who are from Woodbridge, Va. "It brings art to the city and brings the city together. These kids get a chance to see so much different stuff."

Grandson David Saunders, 11, said, "I like everything about Artscape."

Baltimore's 27th annual outdoor festival of the arts continues through today, with nearly a half-million visitors expected to attend the three days of performances, concerts and exhibitions along Mount Royal Avenue and in galleries and museums around the city.

Audiences gathered on the sidewalk to watch Brown. Dressed in a top hat with matching vest and bow tie, he strummed a ukulele, sang and danced, while the monkey on his shoulder waved to the crowd and did card tricks.

For a quarter, Django would award a quick kiss. "I bet my grandma has a quarter," said Jonathan Saunders, 5.

For a dollar, the critter, a 17-year-old female capuchin, would pose for a photo atop a human's head or across the shoulders. Kate Julian of Greensboro, N.C., settled for the less costly option - a kiss on her nose.

"It actually felt gentle," she said.

Several young patrons ended up assisting man and monkey in their sidewalk magic show. Steven Shriver, 11, of Glen Burnie tossed a ball back and forth to the monkey and Emma Moore, 12, of Charlotte, N.C., played a mind game in which she became convinced she had bent a fork. Alex Van Cleef, 10, of Mount Airy left with a dainty yellow hat the magician fashioned from a sheet of tissue paper that the girl had just shredded into pieces.

Ashley Van Cleef snapped pictures of her daughter's magical moment and deemed her first Artscape a great family event.

"I didn't realize all the things available in Baltimore until today," said Van Cleef, whose hands were filled with artwork her children had made in the Target Family Art Park.

Children dabbled in all manner of projects, learned about the city's cultural centers and sampled ethnic fare. They tested the odd musical instrument, painted a design on a floppy hat and made chalk drawings. Many also discovered belly dancing.

"We play interactive music and get a lot of children to dance with us," said Nina Amaya, leader of Belly Delight dancing troupe, which will perform today costumed in animal prints. "They love the Mideastern beat."

Nzingah Oniwosan came from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., to teach children a stamping tradition that dates to 19th-century Ghana. Her students would make a small pillow and stamp it with their choice of 40 intricately carved symbols.

"I want them to learn traditional African art and how to communicate with symbols outside the alphabet," Oniwosan said.

Wendy Sidlofsky, who moved to Pikesville a year ago, came to the festival with her 7-year-old son, Ben.

"Artscape is a great way for him to see all that Baltimore offers and a great way for the family to spend Saturday," she said.

Ben tested his musical aptitude on a Boomwhacker and found he liked the percussion tubes a bit better than the piano at home. For his efforts, he was awarded an honorary kazoo from the Greater Baltimore Youth Orchestra.

A dozen children from Follow Your Dreams Summer Camp in the city helped organize a "dream green" project. They encouraged others to plant seeds in recycled pots and then paint them.

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