The Child Ballads are a collection of 305 distinct ballads from England and Scotland and their American variants, all of which were collected by Francis James Child in the late nineteenth century. The Ballads compiled by Child consists of songs which have survived through oral traditions for several hundred years, some of which continue to be sung today. These songs deal with morality, murder, romance, supernatural experiences, historical events, riddles, and folk heroes. More than just a collection of songs in an old dusty book, these songs found their way across the Atlantic to become part of the core of traditional Appalachian music. They continue to be sung today in both America and Europe. The Child Ballad Show is an exploration and continuation of these beautiful and strange old songs.

The artists featured in this forthcoming show have each chosen a different ballad from the 305 for interpretation. Much like the singers through the ages, who have brought their own voice, inflection, and life experience to the Child Ballads, these artists have their own diverse approaches to narrative in their painting. The artists represent 6 different states, including Maryland, Arizona, Georgia, Pennsylvania, New York, and Indiana.

The art opening will be followed by a musical performance of the ballads by Baltimore's own old time and country favorites Walker and Jay, Brooklyn's haunting H. Honne Welles, and Grammy Award winning collector of traditional music, Georgia music icon, and banjo wiz Art Rosenbaum.