Proposed Designs Added to Charlestown, MD.:
Proposal for MSAC (Maryland State Arts Council)
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As Urban Planning Consultant Designer and inaugural Art Director for Charlestown, Maryland (a historic waterfront town along the North East River), I was engaged to lead the community’s first organized public arts planning process, seeking $30,000 in grant funding to support my role in developing a comprehensive public arts plan alongside a steering committee of local partners, including school staff, arts and historical organizations, college representatives, businesses, and community leaders. The project aimed to create artistic way finding signage, build partnerships, tell community stories, and activate the waterfront and underutilized properties, with community engagement at its core through workshops and collaborative visioning.
My design contributions celebrated Charlestown’s colonial heritage, scenic river views, and small-town character by proposing extended walkways and sidewalks, a timber garden with engraved seating, seasonal pole posters, historical signage, memorial displays in Veterans Park, creative wayfinding at the marina using natural materials, and safety improvements with wooden sidewalks. Although the grant was not ultimately secured, this project remains a highlight in my portfolio, demonstrating my ability to translate the unique character and needs of Charlestown into thoughtful, sustainable design solutions that foster public engagement and strengthen the town’s sense of place.
