Some works of grates and grills, exploring pattern in relief by taking rubbings and further working them in the studio. I find pattern meets function in the abstraction. Some of the patterns are very old, such as the Victorian heating grates. The telephone access lids are from the earlier part of the 20th century. If you look around, they are every where in the Baltimore environment.
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Manhole, Purple22" X 30" Wax pastels and gouache on paper, mounted. This lid is by Saint Mary's Seminary on Roland Avenue. Some of Baltimore's more interesting manhole covers were installed by the phone company.
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Grate and GrillGrate and Grill 14" X 11" Wood cut, wax pastels, collage, watercolor on paper. Under the wood cut of the grill is an impression of the heating grate my husband gave me for my birthday.
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Twin ValvesTwin Valves 22" X 30" Wax pastels, gouache, collage on paper. The piece has the water coming and going. Intake and outflow, the infinite cycle.
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Visions of Barbeques PastVisions of Barbeques past 11" X 14" Wood cut, wax pastels, collage on paper. Under the woodcut of the grill is an impression of the fence outside the Maryland Historical Society. The hand marbled paper has a stenciled accent.
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Annabelle and FishAnnabelle and Fish 14" X 11" A woodcut of Annabelle on a Philadelphia heating grate as a fish flies over. This piece has been featured in a special Saatchi Online collection.
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Heating Grate, CirclesHeating Grate and Circles 22" X 30" Wax pastels, watercolor, ink on paper. This heat register is in the dining room of D. S. Bakker and Cynthia Sanders' historic house.
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Manhole Lid, OrangeManhole Lid, Orange 22" X 30" Wax pastels, gouache on mounted paper This access lid is in Church Lane east of Roland Avenue.
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Manhole Lid, FootprintsManhole Lid and Footprints 22" X 30" Collage, crayon, ink on paper. I started taking impressions of ironwork, fences, grates and access covers a few years ago to use as abstract compositional devices in my paintings. I also use them as non traditional landscape elements. This lid is over the storm drain down the street where I live.
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Elvis ponders his Pants.Elvis ponders his pants 30" X 22" Wax pastels, watercolors, collage on paper. Elvis is surrounded by pegboard dots and is framed by an impression of the register over the heating intake for the Main Building of the Maryland Institute, College of Art. The dragonfly is from hand blocked Indian paper.
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Renee's Heating GrateRenee's Heating Grate 14" X 11" This is a photograph taken, Photo-shopped and sent to be printed from an IPhone.