Shawn Theron is out to make the world a better place, one painting at a time. So far, the world is proving remarkably responsive. To call him an overnight sensation would not be an overstatement.

"I've been unbelievably lucky," he says.

Consider the evidence: A guy with no formal art education or training beyond high school—who's been earning a modest living bartending and waiting tables—takes up painting in his 30s. He is immediately offered an opportunity to display his work publicly, which he accepts, selling two paintings within half an hour.

Autumn Johnson did the practical thing after graduating from the Baltimore School for the Arts in 2000: went to college, got a degree, and entered the "real world." But, in a few years she realized her true calling was acting. The 25-year-old Ashburton resident packed up her car this summer and headed for Hollywood. Before she left, she contacted a prospective agent and arranged to move in with three friends. Her priorities are to get a night job and audition as much as possible.

Baltimore's art scene, especially its music scene, reached a tipping point in April. That's when Rolling Stone published its "Best of Rock" issue, which included categories such as Best Live Band (Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band), Festival Band (Radiohead), Producer (Danger Mouse), and Reunion (Led Zeppelin). No surprises there. But it was the Best Scene category that raised some eyebrows across the nation. It didn't go to any of the usual suspects like Austin, Seattle, Los Angeles, Athens, or that epitome of hip, Brooklyn. Instead, that honor was bestowed upon Baltimore.

If you think putting a violin in the hands of a six-year-old sounds premature, think again.

This month, first graders at Harriet Tubman Elementary School in West Baltimore will begin OrchKids, an after-school music venture led by the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and based on the Venezuelan program El Sistema. OrchKids is funded by BSO music director Marin Alsop, and Robert E. Meyerhoff and Rheda Becker.