"I realized at some point that the locals loved Baltimore," Robert McClintock said. "So I began doing pictures of the familiar scenes."
His pieces combine photography and digital painting by hand, the canvas print bearing acrylic embellishment. Today they can be found gracing the walls of houses all over town. Many of these works have been reproduced on holiday and greeting cards and have become a favorite of locals with a real love of (and fierce bond with) landscapes of Baltimore's neighborhoods and its iconic landmarks.
With the help of his wife, he runs the Robert McClintock Gallery in Fells Point. But surprisingly, the McClintock house showcases very little of his work.
"Our house is full of things belonging to people that we love," Sue McClintock said, pointing out a handmade wrought-iron and glass dining table that once belonged to her aunt and a grand piano given to her husband by his father.
"Our furniture is very eclectic and most of the art is from people we know," she continued.
Indeed, their love of sculpture busts, Buddhas, cats and angels is evident in the many works placed on furniture pieces in a variety of styles. Above the glow of warm, tabletop lamps, hung pieces include a large Picasso print called The Joy of Life, Salvador Dali's bronze death mask and self-portrait, and a pastel called Vermont Cornfield.
The living room's plushy club furniture is an invitation to relax in front of a custom Craftsman cabinet housing a 42-inch Sony TV.
"We were really lucky to get this house," Robert McClintock said.
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making the house their own
* Careful renovating. Before knocking out the wall enclosing the dining room from a staircase, Robert McClintock considered the height of the ceilings, plaster walls and the placement of a staircase landing window that, once the wall was down, would throw natural daylight into the newly opened area.
* Reusing scrap items. The couple used a mahogany door as a headboard for their king bed and a metal grill unit, once a store display rack, for hanging pots and pans.
* Adding warmth and contrast through color. Sue McClintock used warm tone colors in each room to minimize the height of the ceiling without closing in the spaces. All of the trim work, including the fireplace mantel, is painted white for interest and contrast.
