The Origin of American Screen Painting
The unique tradition of painting on screens has long been considered an indigenous form of folk art. William Oktavek, a Czechoslovakian immigrant, artist, and grocer was concerned about his wilting outdoor produce display during Baltimore’s infamous hot and humid days. So he moved his fruits and vegetables inside and painted pictures of his merchandise on the screens and outside of his storefront. His customers noticed they could not see inside the store from the outside during the day, but once inside, as they looked out, it was as if there was nothing on the screen at all.
A few days later a customer came to him with a picture from a calendar and asked him to reproduce that picture on her screen door. Before he knew it, the entire neighborhood had him painting their screen doors and windows as well. Soon, there were many artists painting the screens of doors and windows in rowhouses and enclaves throughout east baltimore.
A new art form was born. By the 1940’s there were over 300,000 painted screens on doors and windows through-out Baltimore. Alas, with the advent of air conditioning, this magical folk art fell into decline.
Today, this rich tradition lives on through the baltimore painted screen society. The remaining few screen painters continue on passionately with the ambition to educate and inform new screen painters and admirers of the like.