Plate - "Baltimore and Ohio Railroad" c. 1936

Helmut Hiatt made this plate, "Baltimore and Ohio Railroad", sometime before his death in 1995, probably using ceramic paint or transfer techniques. The monochromatic palette gives it a historical, almost ghostly feel, and the overall effect is quite charming. The plate's surface is smooth, but the decoration is incredibly detailed. Look at how the industrial scene in the center contrasts with the ornate, almost baroque border of seashells and foliage. It's like two different worlds colliding. There's a tension here, a push and pull between the industrial revolution depicted in the plate’s center and the natural world represented in the border. The sharp lines and mechanical forms of the train set against the organic shapes of the shells make you wonder about our relationship with technology and nature, how one impacts the other. It reminds me a bit of Charles Burchfield, who also captured the moodiness of industrial landscapes, but in a totally different way. It's like these artists are in conversation across time, exploring similar themes with very different approaches. Art, you know, it's all just one big, weird, beautiful conversation.