Since 1996, the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland, Southern Division (Greenbelt), has been an unexpected, but quite welcoming venue for large-scale art shows.

The Southern Division includes the counties of Calvert, Charles, St. Mary’s, Montgomery, and Prince George’s. Courthouse services include a variety of hearings, full court trials, bankruptcy appeals, both civil and criminal procedures, and other matters.

With multiple stories of vast wall space and a high volume of foot traffic, the Greenbelt location is the perfect setting to feature a wide variety of art sizes, themes, and media.

In late September 2023, the St. Mary’s County Arts Council (SMCAC), received an invitation by the Honorable Judge Peter J. Messitte to take a walk-through of the courthouse building and discuss the possibility of a show featuring St. Mary’s County artists.

Judge Messitte, with longtime ties to St. Mary’s County, offered the next available open slot which SMCAC Executive Director, Susie Glauner, readily accepted!

With just one month to plan, the Arts Council team moved right away to make this exhibit a success. Artists were contacted, pieces delivered for transport to the courthouse, lists collected for labels, and many other fine details sorted.

Sixteen artists were selected based on the Arts Council’s desire to showcase a variety of different media from a diverse group of local residents.

The artists responded and produced pieces of gallery-ready work and delivered them to the Arts Council office for subsequent transport up north (thank you Susie and the mini van!). Fortunately, the show came together quickly, thanks to the artists’ enthusiasm and willingness to meet the tight timeline.

We enjoyed a wonderful opening reception on December 7th, 2023, complete with delicious food, time for socializing, and of course viewing the art on the walls in the beautiful courthouse gallery.

Judge Messitte gave a short welcome speech, touched by how much the presence of the artwork is appreciated. He eloquently explained that a courthouse is not necessarily a destination people choose, but rather visit for required business such as jury duty, trials, bankruptcy cases, etc. But, the presence of art, per Messitte, has the ability to “humanize” the court and visitors’ experiences there. Rather than a backdrop of white, empty, and sterile wall space, people are greeted with vibrant colors, soothing scenery, and perhaps even by an image of a favorite place which they may have visited at one time. This current show embodies all of these concepts and more!

Our Southern Maryland artists shine brightly with images of sunsets over the Chesapeake Bay, watercolor paintings inspired by visits to China, images of local fish in batik, views of the Leonardtown Wharf, games at the Blue Crab Stadium, and even rock concerts with larger-than-life photo portraits!

The Greenbelt courthouse hosts four shows a year, with exhibits rotated every three months. A listing of current and upcoming shows may be found here.

The St. Mary’s County Arts Council would like to extend our deepest gratitude to Judge Peter Messitte for this special invitation. We also very much appreciate the courthouse staff, especially EJ Stolzfus, the Space and Facilities Specialist, and Bobby Donovan, who curated this exhibit.

We thank all of our artists who are part of this show, as well as their families and friends who joined us for the opening reception.

We appreciate Aicy Karbstein and Edward Young III who were called on to speak impromptu at the reception about their art and experiences in our community.

This art exhibit runs from November 2023 thru January 2024 and is open to the public during regular courthouse hours which are posted on their website. Visitors must pass through security to enter the building.

Photos provided by St. Mary’s County Arts Council.

Due to security reasons, only close up photos of artwork in the inside of the courthouse have been shared.