SoWeBo Festival 2004, Hollins Market, Baltimore, 2004: photograph 1 (At the Sesow spot, behind the hand-painted “MATT SESOW” sign — SoWeBo, Baltimore, May 30, 2004.)

SoWeBo Festival 2004, Hollins Market, Baltimore, 2004: photograph 2 (Matt’s paintings laid out on the street in front of New Dimension Ministries — SoWeBo, Baltimore, May 30, 2004.)

SoWeBo Festival 2004, Hollins Market, Baltimore, 2004: photograph 3 (At the Sesow spot — SoWeBo, Baltimore, May 30, 2004.)

SoWeBo Festival 2004, Hollins Market, Baltimore, 2004: photograph 4 (The festival street — SoWeBo, Baltimore, May 30, 2004.)

Pictures · click to enlargeAt the Sesow spot, behind the hand-painted “MATT SESOW” sign — SoWeBo, Baltimore, May 30, 2004. · Photo: Matt Sesow (Matt’s archive)

See all 30 pictures ↓

Exhibition 2004

SoWeBo Festival 2004, Hollins Market, Baltimore

SoWeBo Festival, Hollins Market, Baltimore, MD — Sunday, May 30, 2004

SoWeBo, third year. On Sunday, May 30, 2004, Matt laid his paintings out on the street at SoWeBo again, with his name on a hand-painted sign. Neighborhood kids made the day — posing, mugging and dancing in front of the paintings. Five months later his paintings were hanging in the American Visionary Art Museum.

Pictures · click to enlarge

SoWeBo Festival 2004, Hollins Market, Baltimore, 2004: photograph 5 (A little girl at the festival — SoWeBo, Baltimore, May 30, 2004.) — A little girl at the festival — SoWeBo, Baltimore, May 30, 2004. · Photo: Matt Sesow (Matt’s archive)

SoWeBo Festival 2004, Hollins Market, Baltimore, 2004: photograph 6 (A girl in pink — SoWeBo, Baltimore, May 30, 2004.) — A girl in pink — SoWeBo, Baltimore, May 30, 2004. · Photo: Matt Sesow (Matt’s archive)

SoWeBo Festival 2004, Hollins Market, Baltimore, 2004: photograph 7 (Two girls by the paintings — SoWeBo, Baltimore, May 30, 2004.) — Two girls by the paintings — SoWeBo, Baltimore, May 30, 2004. · Photo: Matt Sesow (Matt’s archive)

SoWeBo Festival 2004, Hollins Market, Baltimore, 2004: photograph 8 (Kids crowding the camera — SoWeBo, Baltimore, May 30, 2004.) — Kids crowding the camera — SoWeBo, Baltimore, May 30, 2004. · Photo: Matt Sesow (Matt’s archive)

SoWeBo Festival 2004, Hollins Market, Baltimore, 2004: photograph 9 (A girl on a stool by the booth — SoWeBo, Baltimore, May 30, 2004.) — A girl on a stool by the booth — SoWeBo, Baltimore, May 30, 2004. · Photo: Matt Sesow (Matt’s archive)

SoWeBo Festival 2004, Hollins Market, Baltimore, 2004: photograph 10 (A boy in red in front of the paintings — SoWeBo, Baltimore, May 30, 2004.) — A boy in red in front of the paintings — SoWeBo, Baltimore, May 30, 2004. · Photo: Matt Sesow (Matt’s archive)

SoWeBo Festival 2004, Hollins Market, Baltimore, 2004: photograph 11 (Two brothers at the paintings — SoWeBo, Baltimore, May 30, 2004.) — Two brothers at the paintings — SoWeBo, Baltimore, May 30, 2004. · Photo: Matt Sesow (Matt’s archive)

SoWeBo Festival 2004, Hollins Market, Baltimore, 2004: photograph 12 (Posing for Matt — SoWeBo, Baltimore, May 30, 2004.) — Posing for Matt — SoWeBo, Baltimore, May 30, 2004. · Photo: Matt Sesow (Matt’s archive)

SoWeBo Festival 2004, Hollins Market, Baltimore, 2004: photograph 13 (A big grin — SoWeBo, Baltimore, May 30, 2004.) — A big grin — SoWeBo, Baltimore, May 30, 2004. · Photo: Matt Sesow (Matt’s archive)

SoWeBo Festival 2004, Hollins Market, Baltimore, 2004: photograph 14 (Hands on cheeks — SoWeBo, Baltimore, May 30, 2004.) — Hands on cheeks — SoWeBo, Baltimore, May 30, 2004. · Photo: Matt Sesow (Matt’s archive)

SoWeBo Festival 2004, Hollins Market, Baltimore, 2004: photograph 15 (A girl with her purse — SoWeBo, Baltimore, May 30, 2004.) — A girl with her purse — SoWeBo, Baltimore, May 30, 2004. · Photo: Matt Sesow (Matt’s archive)

SoWeBo Festival 2004, Hollins Market, Baltimore, 2004: photograph 16 (Two girls posing — SoWeBo, Baltimore, May 30, 2004.) — Two girls posing — SoWeBo, Baltimore, May 30, 2004. · Photo: Matt Sesow (Matt’s archive)

SoWeBo Festival 2004, Hollins Market, Baltimore, 2004: photograph 17 (Friends — SoWeBo, Baltimore, May 30, 2004.) — Friends — SoWeBo, Baltimore, May 30, 2004. · Photo: Matt Sesow (Matt’s archive)

SoWeBo Festival 2004, Hollins Market, Baltimore, 2004: photograph 18 (Clapping — SoWeBo, Baltimore, May 30, 2004.) — Clapping — SoWeBo, Baltimore, May 30, 2004. · Photo: Matt Sesow (Matt’s archive)

SoWeBo Festival 2004, Hollins Market, Baltimore, 2004: photograph 19 (A girl reading — SoWeBo, Baltimore, May 30, 2004.) — A girl reading — SoWeBo, Baltimore, May 30, 2004. · Photo: Matt Sesow (Matt’s archive)

SoWeBo Festival 2004, Hollins Market, Baltimore, 2004: photograph 20 (Close-up — SoWeBo, Baltimore, May 30, 2004.) — Close-up — SoWeBo, Baltimore, May 30, 2004. · Photo: Matt Sesow (Matt’s archive)

SoWeBo Festival 2004, Hollins Market, Baltimore, 2004: photograph 21 (Two boys — SoWeBo, Baltimore, May 30, 2004.) — Two boys — SoWeBo, Baltimore, May 30, 2004. · Photo: Matt Sesow (Matt’s archive)

SoWeBo Festival 2004, Hollins Market, Baltimore, 2004: photograph 22 (Arms crossed — SoWeBo, Baltimore, May 30, 2004.) — Arms crossed — SoWeBo, Baltimore, May 30, 2004. · Photo: Matt Sesow (Matt’s archive)

SoWeBo Festival 2004, Hollins Market, Baltimore, 2004: photograph 23 (Dancing on the paintings’ edge — SoWeBo, Baltimore, May 30, 2004.) — Dancing on the paintings’ edge — SoWeBo, Baltimore, May 30, 2004. · Photo: Matt Sesow (Matt’s archive)

SoWeBo Festival 2004, Hollins Market, Baltimore, 2004: photograph 24 (Two boys in front of the paintings — SoWeBo, Baltimore, May 30, 2004.) — Two boys in front of the paintings — SoWeBo, Baltimore, May 30, 2004. · Photo: Matt Sesow (Matt’s archive)

SoWeBo Festival 2004, Hollins Market, Baltimore, 2004: photograph 25 (Three friends — SoWeBo, Baltimore, May 30, 2004.) — Three friends — SoWeBo, Baltimore, May 30, 2004. · Photo: Matt Sesow (Matt’s archive)

SoWeBo Festival 2004, Hollins Market, Baltimore, 2004: photograph 26 (A visitor and a boy — SoWeBo, Baltimore, May 30, 2004.) — A visitor and a boy — SoWeBo, Baltimore, May 30, 2004. · Photo: Matt Sesow (Matt’s archive)

SoWeBo Festival 2004, Hollins Market, Baltimore, 2004: photograph 27 (Eyes closed — SoWeBo, Baltimore, May 30, 2004.) — Eyes closed — SoWeBo, Baltimore, May 30, 2004. · Photo: Matt Sesow (Matt’s archive)

SoWeBo Festival 2004, Hollins Market, Baltimore, 2004: photograph 28 (Best friends — SoWeBo, Baltimore, May 30, 2004.) — Best friends — SoWeBo, Baltimore, May 30, 2004. · Photo: Matt Sesow (Matt’s archive)

SoWeBo Festival 2004, Hollins Market, Baltimore, 2004: photograph 29 (Laughing by the paintings — SoWeBo, Baltimore, May 30, 2004.) — Laughing by the paintings — SoWeBo, Baltimore, May 30, 2004. · Photo: Matt Sesow (Matt’s archive)

SoWeBo Festival 2004, Hollins Market, Baltimore, 2004: photograph 30 (One more pose — SoWeBo, Baltimore, May 30, 2004.) — One more pose — SoWeBo, Baltimore, May 30, 2004. · Photo: Matt Sesow (Matt’s archive)

In their words

that is from sowebo festival in baltimore. ... Hugely important! I did that festival for a handful of years and it is how I met ted Frankel of AVAM AND THE SIDESHOW GIFTSHOP. It is a great reason why I am in avam
Matt Sesow, Matt Sesow, email to Claude, October 29, 2026

Saved web pages and links

Research notes

SoWeBo (the Sowebohemian Arts Festival) fills the streets around Hollins Market in Southwest Baltimore every year on the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend. Matt sold paintings there for several years (2002–2005 are documented). It is where he met Ted Frankel of the American Visionary Art Museum and its SideShow gift shop — in Matt’s words, “a great reason why I am in avam.” AVAM first showed his paintings in October 2004.
Matt’s camera dates these photos May 30, 2004 (one on May 29, the set-up day).

Where this record comes from

Matt Sesow, email answers to Claude, October 29, 2026
sesow.com (Matt’s own site, server copy): index 2003, 2005review.htm
Matt’s camera photos (_****YEARS)

Cite as: Sesow, Matt. “SoWeBo Festival 2004, Hollins Market, Baltimore.” Matt Sesow Career Chronicle, 2004. history.sesow.com/e/2004-sowebo-festival-hollins-market-baltimore.html. Accessed [date].

Were you there? Do you have a photo, a clipping or a memory of this? Please write to sesow@sesow.com or use Ask Matt a question, and it will be added here.

Also in 2004

Exhibition (16)

Press (18)

Media (1)

Lecture — “The Short Films of Sesow,” Indiana University Department

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