Resident Spotlight: Raoul Middleman and Ruth Channing

Raoul Middleman and Ruth Channing, both working artists for most of their life (Raoul, a painter; and Ruth, also a painter as well as a print maker and sculptor who also operates a printmaking workshop), moved to the 19th floor of St. Paul at Chase in September 2018, largely, for the view; also, Raoul adds as an after-thought, for the elevator.

Raoul and Ruth met in Paris in 1966, where Raoul had gone on sabbatical and Ruth had come to learn the art and craft of printmaking. Shortly thereafter, they returned to the U.S. (specifically, to Raoul’s home town of Baltimore), to marry, work, teach, start a family, and raise their three sons (Ben, who now runs Raoul’s studio; Nathaniel, a studio sound engineer who shares Raoul’s warehouse in Belair-Edison, where Raoul stores his larger works; and Raphael, a Los Angeles-based advertising artist); for the most part, here in our Mt. Vernon neighborhood.

Raoul, primarily a painter of landscapes, portraits and over 1,000 self-portraits whose work has been purchased by prestigious institutions such as NY’s Metropolitan Museum of Art; the Baltimore Museum of Art; and DC’s Corcoran Gallery of Art, describes his work as deriving from the “offshoots of the figuration movement.” Recently retired from his 50+ year career teaching at the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA), Raoul now works partly from his studio in his and Ruth’s east-facing corner, 2-bedroom St. Paul at Chase apartment, and partly from another studio in his and Ruth’s townhouse at 943 North Calvert Street, at the corner of North Calvert and East Eager Streets.

Ruth and Raoul purchased the townhouse, about 1 city block from our condo building, in 1975 for $1 through Baltimore’s historic Homestead Program. It was renovated by Raoul’s and Ruth’s personal friend, legendary builder, contractor and art collector James “Buzzy” Cusack. Now, the townhouse is also home to Ruth’s and Raoul’s Ink Spot Press, a print shop workshop and art gallery featuring the works of the workshop artist/participants, and those of Ruth; Raoul; Master Printer Ian Jackson; and associate Richard Hellman. In the workshop, Ruth, Ian, and Richard teach various forms of print-making including etching, engraving, dryprint, linotype, monotype, relief, collotype, and mixed media. Upcoming gallery events include a one-person show of Richard Hellman’s color etchings (RICHARD HELLMAN: THE MAGIC FOREST SERIES), running March 15 through May 10, including an artist’s talk and color etching demonstration on March 29; an exhibit of Leslie Schwing’s collographs, running May 17 through July 12; and the Summer Workshop show featuring new works by 17 workshop artists as well as by Ruth, Raoul, Ian and Richard (July 19 through September 13). More information is available on the Ink Spot Press’s website at www.theinkspotpress.com.

Many of Raoul’s paintings, including his oil-based portraits, self-portraits, landscapes, and water-based cityscapes painted from the St. Paul at Chase 19th floor apartment, are also available for viewing, as are some of Ruth’s sculptures. To arrange a visit or tour of the Ink Spot Press gallery and workshop, as well as Raoul’s studio space, contact Ruth at (443) 798-1167 or theinkspotpress@gmail.com.

Written by Lois Tuttle