Last weekend, Todd’s Inheritance Historic Site hosted a painting invitational to kick off the 2024 season.
Todd’s Inheritance is a historic property first settled by the Todd family in 1664. During the War of 1812, the original farmhouse was occupied by invading British, who burned it down before retreating to their ships. The house was rebuilt in 1816 and now operates as a museum.
Still life painters visited the site on Saturday, April 27 to capture everyday objects around the property. Artists chose antique coats and dresses, landscapes, furniture, and the house itself as their subjects.
“I’ve known about this really terrific location for many, many years,” said artist Matt Klos, who has done many oil paintings of homes in Fort Howard. He added that the house is maintained entirely by volunteers in the local community.
“Thanks to everybody that’s doing the work, week in, week out, even during the winter months — with snakes and stuff,” Klos said.
Visitors toured the house throughout the day, watching the painters work and talking to them about their art. Some kids even drew their own pictures in crayon alongside the professionals.
In the afternoon, guests were treated to an artist talk by painter and professor Ibrahim Harris, a graduate of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts.
“I think it was Van Gogh who said, ‘Painting is my religion,’” Harris said. “I liken painting to meditation, to prayer, to something that gets us one step closer to the mystery of the world.”
From a young age, Harris was interested in the beauty of painting, especially the detail of oil paintings. As a kid, he had a book of mythology that was full of classic works like the 16th century Bacchus and Ariadne.
“Painting just has this familiarity to it,” Harris said. “Oil painting in particular has this beautiful tactile quality to it, this buttery finish to it which I enjoy, it’s very therapeutic.”
Harris also talked about the connection he sees between practicing mindfulness and painting. When artists paint from direct observation, they are entirely focused on the present with all of their senses.
“If you’re painting from a landscape, not only are you painting what you’re observing, but you feel the weather around you,” Harris said. “You feel the heat of the sun, you see the light, how it lands on the landscape.”
Todd’s Inheritance Historic Site is located at 9000 North Point Road, just outside Fort Howard. Admission is free during the 2024 season thanks to a grant from the Maryland Humanities SHINE program.
Todd’s Inheritance Historic Site, Inc., is a 501©(3) nonprofit, accepting donations and volunteers. For more information, go to www.toddsinheritance.org.
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