If you live in Baltimore or you’re a frequent visitor, chances are you may have seen a wire sculpture by street artist Reed J Bmore. For the past few years, Reed has developed quite a loving following for his cheerful and realistic wire sculptures that can often be found hanging from street light lines all over Baltimore City. In total the MICA graduate has installed over 35 wire sculptures in various locations of Baltimore, DC, and Philadelphia, however, like other street art, it is often removed. “Stuff is removed all the time. It pisses me off but that’s just the name of the game. That’s graffiti.” Reed selects the locations for his wire sculptures simply because he finds them to be special or to have a distinct beauty. For Reed, his sculptures are far more than just street art, “Street art for me is a contribution back to the community. I feel that’s what separates the good street art from the bad street art. What is the message? What is it trying to say?”
As a kid Reed’s artistic abilities shined through drawing. “I was always really good at drawing, so people always wanted to work with on me school projects,” Reed recalls. His classmates weren’t the only ones to recognize his abilities. Reed says his dad also helped him with art. “I remember one time, kind of jokingly, I asked my dad if I could spray paint my room and he said yes, ‘just use ventilation’, and he even gave me some old spray paint cans to get started.” Around high school, Reed became inspired by artists like Alexander Calder, and he began working with the cheapest medium he could find, wire. In fact, most of his portfolio when applying to MICA was wire sculptures. Reed’s first ever wire sculpture was a small 3D surfer on a surfboard he did for a class in 6th grade.
Once he graduated MICA, Reed continued to hone his strengths as a wire sculptor. He was (and is) constantly creating new pieces. Reed says that most of the time he sculpts, he’s at his friend’s houses and they are playing video games, or even just sitting at a bar or restaurant with friends. His art doesn’t come without its difficulties though. “A challenge I’ve had to face with this art is kind of having the cojones to just go out on the street and do it, knowing that it will most likely be taken down, It’s kind of a ball and chain, sometimes I feel it, sometimes I don’t. It just gets to me when I get into a slump and haven’t created anything.” But once he is out of his slump, his creativity truly shines. Reed’s wire sculptures, even if only briefly, are able to take viewers away from the hustle and bustle and often stressful days we all have. When you are stopped at a red light and you see a smiling sun sculpture, its hard not to crack a smile, but even more so you’re likely to remember it throughout the day. Which only adds more charm and a sense of community the neighborhood your driving through.
Recently most of Reed’s inspiration has come from weather, he has a “cloud kid” hanging in Philadelphia and a “smiling sun” here in Baltimore. He is also inspired by a feeling that his viewers will get. Reed explained “I like to enlighten people’s day, maybe seeing this hanging by a stop light will change their perspective for the day. Maybe it will allow them to see things differently. I like to use my art to help people flow in a different way.” If you visit his Instagram page it’s clear his art does exactly this. People from all walks of life love and admire his work. The Friends School of Baltimore gave him a solo show where he spoke about his work and taught a class on wire sculpting. In addition, Reed’s work has been on display at the National Aquarium in Baltimore, and he even has a permanent wire sculpture outside at the DC Botanical Gardens in the outdoor pollination garden.
Reed’s wire sculptures are incredibly unique. Even though they are made of wire they are impressively detailed and realistic. His proportions to life are spot on and when one views his work it will inspire some sort of feeling, often one of nostalgia. However, even more so, Reed’s street art offers something far deeper and meaningful to the communities his work is displayed. It gives that community something that no other has, something genuinely unique, something special that can help define that neighborhood. I spoke with a neighbor who drives past the sun sculpture in Old Goucher, and she said “I have a 9-5 downtown and I drive through the city every day, I don’t know anything about who made it [sun sculpture] but I love it. It makes this place shine a bit more and when I see it driving by, it just makes me happy.”
Reed Bmore’s advice for other sculptures or any artist in general:
“Recognize the process. Life sucks you kind of just have to recognize it sucks and just do your art regardless.”
“Have good friends – have a range of friends and be inclusive. Different groups and different people who aren’t afraid to share their light with you, no matter what it is.”
“Be super bad ass at a specific thing, be original and unique.”
Follow Reed Bmore on Instagram and Facebook for his current projects and where to see his work. Want your own wire sculpture? He’s available for commisioned work as well, just contact him.
All images and content created by Nick Hanyok Imaging.
