On view for a limited time this May, The Beauty of Maryland brings together a range of artist perspectives shaped by place, memory, and material. This special feature runs briefly, with a reception on May 3 from 3–5 pm—an opportunity to experience the work in person and meet the artists behind it.
The works in the show begin in different ways. Some grow out of direct observation. Others come from memory, material, or reflection. What connects them is a shared engagement with place and the many ways it can be experienced and interpreted.
For some artists, inspiration starts with what is seen. Diane Dunn’s Black Eyed Susans on a Rainy Day draws from a familiar late-summer walk through a Maryland Environmental Protection Area. A field of the state flower becomes the subject, but not in its usual brightness. In the rain, the yellows soften and recede. The scene shifts into something quieter, more reflective.
A similar sense of place anchors Karen Jury’s encaustic work, EC Waterwheel, which begins with a photograph of public artwork set into a brick wall in Ellicott City. The image is reworked through layers of melted beeswax and resin. Oil pigments bring out the warmth of the brick. Each layer is fused with heat, building a surface that echoes the weight and presence of the wall itself.
While some works respond to what is visible, others begin to question how we see. In Hima Jain’s At Maryland Heights, the cliffs along the Potomac River begin to suggest a human face. Whether this form exists or is imagined remains open to interpretation. A small figure stands above, looking toward birds drifting beyond reach. The work invites reflection on how meaning forms through the act of looking.
This shift continues in Nishita Jain’s watercolor, Turning Point, where a familiar setting begins to dissolve. The background softens, allowing the focus to move toward a single figure turning a corner. The presence of the American flag offers a point of reference within the scene. The contrast between a changing environment and forward movement suggests a moment shaped by resilience and hope.
Material and form offer another path. Gene Adcock’s Sailing on Chesapeake translates the movement of sailboats on the Chesapeake Bay into a sculpted elm wood vessel. The white exterior recalls the shape of sails. The natural grain within, finished with oil and lacquer, brings attention back to the material itself.
In Karen Wallace’s Ruby Honey Murrine, process becomes the focus. Hundreds of hand-pulled glass elements form a field of color, shifting from red to cream with bands of yellow. Each piece is placed by hand. As the glass settles, the edges expand slightly, creating forms that suggest organic growth.
Jay Moore’s work turns to the brief but striking bloom of the Tulip Tree, also known as Saucer Magnolia. In early spring, these trees reveal their goblet-shaped pink and white flowers for only a few days at their peak. In Pagoda in Spring (Sunset), two of these trees frame the iconic Pagoda building in Patterson Park, capturing a moment that is short-lived, yet deeply memorable.
Taken together, these works form a portrait of Maryland through different approaches. Observation, perception, and process each offer a way into the same idea of place.
The result is not a single view, but a collection of perspectives. Each work reflects a way of seeing, shaped by experience and intent.
View all works from this show in our online shop.