THE BALTIMORE GLASSMAN

Paul "The Baltimore Glassman" Darmafall was born in 1925 in West Virginia. His mother and father were from Poland. The father was a coal miner who died when Paul was 10 years old. He had 6 brothers and sisters. He enlisted in the Navy when he was 17 and participated in major battles in World War II. Paul moved to Baltimore in the 50's. He worked as a grinder at Bethlehem Steel and then as a bricklayer, working on several important Baltimore buildings. He retired in 1976 and spent his time fishing, riding his bike to historic sites, taking photographs and reading. He began making his mixed media messages in about 1983. He first worked on the sidewalk along a busy stretch of highway. Then he got a work space in a studio in Baltimore. Paul's works are messages that represent his ideas about life. He enjoyed explaining them to people. The art incorporates broken glass, found objects, and glitter. He first traced a drawing, then painted over the design and added found objects, and finally printed his messages. Paul's art is informed by a life of hardship, honest work, and personal isolation because of his singular world view. There was an exhibition of his work at the American Visionary Art Museum in the summer of 1999. Paul passed away on October 26, 2003 at the age of 78.