Used with permission.
Available for all inquiries including sale of work, commission quotes, social media management for artists and businesses, and collaborations with Fanged Gorgons Artist Collective.
MAKSHEYFE BESALEL is a maximalist textile artist, printmaking student, and media consultant living and making in Baltimore, MD.
The lexicon of Maksheyfe’s art centers gender heuristics, pain and strain, and ritual spaces in relation to the human body under duress. Interwoven with dialectics of illness/ wellness, Maksheyfe’s work emphasizes the iterative processes of crafting, mending, and manual labor done with care and intention.
Exhibitions
✸ “Advanced Printmaking Salon.” 15/15 Gallery, Baltimore, MD, 2020
✸ “Juried Fiber Arts Exhibition.” Middendorf Gallery, Baltimore, MD, 2020
✸ “Accumulation and Metaphor: YES, MORE!” Middendorf Gallery, Baltimore, MD, 2019
✸ “Printmaking Juried Exhibition.” Rosenberg Gallery, Baltimore, MD, 2019. Curated by guest juror Zachary Leener
✸ “Scholastic Art Awards.” Fisher Art Gallery, Annandale, VA, 2014
Collaborations
✸ Guest Hosted Serigraphy and Zine-making Demo at Tri-Cities TN/VA Mutual Aid, 2020
✸ “Z’Man: Sacred Time,” embroidered prayer book cover, in collaboration with Hinenu: The Baltimore Justice Shtiebl, 2020
✸ “SZG All Saints Slam Zine,” organized by GOLDMOUTHZINES, 2019
✸ “Tarot Supercard Project,” Benefit for Kaleidoscope LGBT Youth Center organized by Valerie Quartz of Daryl Apparel, 2019
✸ Student-run and organized gallery exhibition, “Accumulation and Metaphor: YES, MORE!” Middendorf Gallery, Baltimore, MD, 2019
Social Media Managing and Graphic Design
Creative, skilled social media expert managing and integrating professional social media accounts for individuals and nonprofits.
➳ Cultivate community of active and engaged followers in clients’ target demographics
➳ Format content for scale and visibility algorithms across multiple social media platforms
➳ Collaborate closely with web production and writing teams
➳ Develop a visually clear, consistent, and unique personal brand for clients
➳ Curate dynamic and visually engaging social media feeds
➳ Use applied analytics tools and search engine optimization tricks to boost reach of content
✸ Communications and Branding Team Co-Lead at HINENU: THE BALTIMORE JUSTICE SHTIEBL, Baltimore, MD (March 2021 – Present)
Develop and manage social media campaign and a unified visual identity in collaboration with Hinenu board and out of house graphic design professionals. Web copy and layout design, data visualization based on surveys, media presence and cohesive brand identity, and email communications to congregation on timeline of web development.
✸ Co-Founder and Social Media Manager at FANGED GORGONS ARTIST COLLECTIVE, Digital (November 2020 – Present)
Develop and manage social visibility network for emerging artists and designers to expand engagement and find collaborators
✸ Social Media Manager, SEO and Marketing Coordinator at MONSTERING MAGAZINE, Digital (March 2021)
Developed and managed online visibility, branding, and fundraising ideas for a magazine centering narratives of disabled women and nonbinary people. Monitored benchmarks for measuring impact of social media promotion. Collaborated with masthead officers and staff to develop and manage interdepartmental social media management
✸ Instagram Algorithmic Engagement at PLATO’S CLOSET FAIRFAX, Chantilly, VA (2018)
Adhered to merchandising standards and buy guidelines for acquiring new merchandise, built a base of loyal repeat customers and maintained contact on social media and by phone, evaluated and anticipated market demands, arranged visually compelling UI-optimized graphics and garment layouts to compel customers to purchase the most expensive and in-demand products, and consistently met or exceeded store sales and purchase goals
✸ President and Social Media Manager of CHRONIC ILLNESS AND DISABILITY ADVOCATES (CIDA), Maryland Institute College of Art, Baltimore, MD (2016-19)
Maintained online visibility and sought out platforms for the student organization to gain traction and advocates among the student body and administrative spheres, coordinated event and meeting planning updates across platforms, fielded feedback from members online and synthesized it into actionable plans for improving campus accessibility and reducing academic barriers for disabled students and faculty
✸ Staff Writer and Editorial Artist at THE PURPLE TIDE NEWSPAPER, Chantilly High School, Chantilly, VA (2014-15)
Designed original graphics and illustrations to accompany articles, wrote and formatted copy in accordance with house style guides, formally and seamlessly cited sources in body text, and collaborated closely with other writers, editors, and masthead staff.
Maksheyfe Arts 