Screen painting facts for kids
Screen painting is a special way of painting on window screens. It started in the early 1900s in Baltimore, Maryland. This type of art was created by people who had moved to the city and lived in working-class neighborhoods.
Artists paint pictures directly onto the wire mesh of window screens or screen doors. They often paint peaceful outdoor scenes, like landscapes, or pictures of everyday objects, called still lifes. The trick is to paint without blocking the tiny holes in the screen. This means the screen can still let air in and out, keeping homes cool.
One cool thing about screen painting is that it helps with privacy. When you look at a painted screen from outside, it's hard to see through it. You mostly see the picture. But from inside the house, you can still look out and see everything clearly!
Today, screen painting is seen as a unique part of Baltimore's city culture. You can still find real examples of this art in older neighborhoods like Hampden and Highlandtown.
Contents
The Story of Screen Painting
How Screen Painting Began
Screen painting was invented by a man named William Oktavec. He was an immigrant from the Czech Republic. William had studied art before he opened his produce store in Baltimore.
He first painted a screen to help block the bright sunlight from his shop. People liked his idea, and soon other artists in different neighborhoods started doing it too.
Screen Painting Through the Years
At one time, there were many screen paintings in Baltimore. It's thought that as many as 100,000 painted screens decorated the fronts of rowhouses (houses built in a row).
By 2014, fewer screen paintings were left. There were only about 1,000 still around. This makes the ones that remain even more special.
Where to See Screen Painting Today
If you want to learn more about screen painting, you can visit the American Visionary Art Museum. This museum in Baltimore has a special display about screen paintings.
They even have a recreated row house that shows what homes with these screens looked like. You can also watch a movie called "The Screen Painters" there. It was made by a person who studies folk art, Elaine Eff.
