Flames of Orion and Art at Red Emma's Baltimore

Red Emma's was a perfect place to hold a DIY event like this!

Over the weekend, Shirkerism, a Baltimore-based arts and culture zine, and the District of the Damned wargaming club held an event showcasing art, zines, and miniature gaming! It was held at a Baltimore icon, Red Emma’s, a worker cooperative bookstore, cafe, and community events space since 2004. The event featured a lot of amazing artists, including our friends Daniel Hassell (draugr._), Molly of the Skirkerism fame, and Martin McCoy (martin.mccoy.art). There was also a host of gaming tables set up to play the mech combat game Flames of Orion.

Daniel set up a variety of his work, including prints of some of his amazing artwork and some of his zines.

In addition to selling prints, Martin was creating portraits for people. It was amazing to watch him work, combining pencil sketching and watercolors.

There was a large space downstairs set aside for playing Flames of Orion!

In addition to playing Flames of Orion, there was a collection of loose bits and other plastic models for converting your own mechs to play the game!

Molly and others enjoying the chaos of Flames of Orion, just waiting for mechs to overheat and explode in a cataclysmic fashion.

Molly recently acquired this fascinating half-frame 35mm film camera, the Yashica Samurai X3.0.

If you are in Baltimore, you owe it to yourself to visit Red Emma’s, where you can get something to eat and drink in the cafe before exploring their vast array of books.

They also have an entire wall of zines and pamphlets!

I am really grateful for Shirkerism and the District of the Damned for putting this event together. It was a wonderful way to see friends and connect more with the art scene and Baltimore as a whole! I look forward to the possibility of them putting together another event!

- Eric Wier