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SUN MAGAZINECONTElYrSLEGAL MALPRACTICEBy Eric SiegelMalpractice suits against Marylandlawyers are increasing at a rate ofabout 15 percent each year. Some callit poetic justice. Others are genuinelyconcerned about a growing problemamong the state's 12,019 attorneys.62* 9re* 7 5«« ALL IN THE FAMILYBy Jack DawsonA family that paints together staystogether. For the Bahr family it's amutual admiration society.10Jes. Per*ono 1 , x e aBIG BAND BOOSTERBy Frederic KellyNelson Knode doesn't have anythingagainst bluegrass or rock 'n' roll. Hejust happens to be interested in swing.And he's afraid it's dying out.12DEAR DIARYBy Alice SteinbachDarlings, the diarist who appeared inthe Sunny Side Up column onDecember 6 is back. From time totime we'll be checking in on her in anew column entitled Dear Diary.22SEA CREATURESTurning art into an underwateradventure.28HOUSEBy Amalie Adler AscherThe Posts have furnished their oldstone house in Timonium withheirlooms—and each has its ownhistory.36phot**"** 4mBaltimore at WorkScience NotesSunny Side UpRestaurantsLa Vie BohemeLetters192425273438On the Coven Art direction by MarkFondersmith. Photograph By EllisMalashuk.Next Week: The film "Tattoo" and theRolling Stones' recent album "TattooYou" seem to have started a new wave ofinterest in body art. Only the choice ofdesigns seems to be changing.

Three Baltimore artists: l.eonard and Florence Bahr and their daughter Mary pose before a display of paintings by Mr. Bahr.A FAMILY OFARTISBy JACK DAWSONPhotos by ELLIS J. MALASHUK sz10LEONARD BAHR, the artist, callsit his "seeing eye" —an abilityto see beauty in things that others may miss. His wife Florence and their daughter Mary share thegift, but express it in their own inimitablestyles. Whatever, it makes life more beautiful for a family of artists and for thosewho appreciate (and buy) their work."It's one of the benefits of being an artist," Leonard Bahr said. "It may be an oldlady getting on a bus with a basket of fishor a rusty garbage can glistening in therain, but there's beauty everywhere youlook.""I take my sketch book everywhere Igo," Florence Bahr said. That may be on awoodland hike, to a flea market or political rally. "I love to experiment with different things and to try different effects,"she added of her mixed media works."If I am out painting, I see what I wantin terms of color and patterns, formed bylight and shade," Mary Bahr, 34, observed."That is bow I view it even when I'm notat work. It makes me feel more as a wholewith my surroundings. There is so much innature that has not been seen and shared."Love of nature is one of few threadsthat bind this family of individualists. Andyet, ironically, their steadfast individualism and independence of style is nowheremore apparent than in their interpretations of nature.Their work is so varied as to resistcategorization, but Leonard, 76, who hasbeen teaching more than 50 years at theMaryland Institute of Art, would mostclearly be associated with traditionalism.His landscapes really look like landscapes,while Mary's are more abstract. Florence,

Florence Bahr and their daughter Mary pose before a display of paintings by Mr. Bahr.FAMILY y getting on a bus with a basket of fishor a rusty garbage can glistening in therain, but there's beauty everywhere youlook.""I take my sketch book everywhere Igo," Florence Bahr said. That may be on awoodland hike, to a flea market or political rally. "I love to experiment with different things and to try different effects,"she added of her mixed media works."If I am out painting, I see what I wantin terms of color and patterns, formed bylight and shade," Mary Bahr, 34, observed."That is bow I view it even when I'm notat work. It makes me feel more as a wholewith my surroundings. There is so much innature that has not been seen and shared "Love of nature is one of few threadsthat bind this family of individualists. Andyet, ironically, their steadfast individualism and independence of style is nowheremore apparent than in their interpretations of nature.Their work is so varied as to resistcategorization, but Leonard, 76, who hasbeen teaching more than 50 years at theMaryland Institute of Art, would mostclearly be associated with traditionalism.His landscapes really look like landscapes,while Mary's are more abstract Florence,a youthful 72. is more likely to take apiece of the landscape—a pine cone or afeather—and incorporate it into a woodcut or collage.There are two other creative and artistically accomplished family members.Beth, who like her parents and sister graduated from the Maryland Institute, enjoysbeing a homemaker, sews and is a gourmet cook. Leonard, Jr., the family's"brain," is a 41-year-old marine biologist,artist and author who teaches and does research at Louisiana State University.Leonard junior's earlier works were inC o n t i n u e d on Page 32

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TiMy turn nS* ?% -M jptWCAt TOT D O w t - w lI33-5833DVERTISER,ED'SPLAN R YOU.f X)IS.ART FAMILYContinued from page 11eluded in a family exhibit atMcDoQOgh School this fall Therewas a self-portrait, probablydone when he was a student atMcDonogh, a conte-crayon portrait of the: late Dantini, a wellknown Baltimore magician, anda portrait of a sensitive lookingyoung violinist friend, apparentlypainted in exchange for fiddlelessons.Representative works by theother family artists featuredLeonard's still hies, portraits andlandscapes; Florence's collages,woodcuts, oil paintings and alarge Japanese butterfly book,and Mary's abstract series ofvertical and versicolor landscapes.At the McDonogh exhibit.Mary commented on the variousaspects of her parents' work."One of the things about mymother is her great love of theoutdoors and finding things,'' shesaid of "Totem," Florence's abstract collage of found objects—feathers, a butterfly, driftwood,pebbles, glass and other things."She has a great respect for other nations of life."One of Leonard's strongestworks was an oil of his latebrother, Maurice, at work undera Model T Ford. The paintingwas completed for a BaltimoreMuseum of Art exhibit andsubsequent national tour depicting the correlation of art andlabor. It was painted on masonitein dark browns, blacks and graysand framed by a rough-grainedpiece of lumber that adds to itsvirility."He has a great relationshipbetween his feelings and hispaintbrush," Mary observed."It's something that happens; youdon't labor over it. That's thegenius of a true artist."Of Leonard's "Seated Nude,"painted in 1968, Mary said,"Some people say my father ismore romantic in the sense of being in tune with his sitter, and isfreer with his colors. Renoir wasmore impressionistic except inhis later years when I think hewent downhill."I think mood is where they'reroost similar."There were still lifes of twochairs which demonstrated Leonard's strong sense of texture,color and shadow. Each of thechairs was draped by rich colorsand shadows that gave them analmost mystical presence. "He'svery sensitive to cotors,** Marynoted."My mother has} always beena strong role model for me in thesense of her being a dynamicwoman and artist Without goingback to the 1960s, I'd say she's areal flower child in the sense thatshe's in tune with nature and isopen and aware of things," Marysaid.Although she has not beenstrongly influenced by her fatherartistically, she credits him withencouraging her to follow herown destiny."At first I rebelled againstanything he told me, which isnatural for children," she said."But even though I've kind of disassociated myself from him as adaughter, I've always been inawe of him as an artist."Actually she says she seesboth Leonard and Florence as individual artists first, then as parents. "I'm just rediscovering allthose things I've been surroundedby for years," she said. "As I gothrough the cupboards of his oldwork, I'm surprised at all thechanges he's been through. It's acontinual and worthy rediscovery."As a child, my parents provided the material necessities tobe creative as well as certainfreedoms in which to demonstrate them," she continued. "Mybrother and I were allowed todraw on the walls and used scaling wallpaper that suggested figurative shapes. He painted largehorses on the ceiling and wallswith my favorite colors—orange,red and black."Leonard began teaching whilestill in undergraduate school.One of his students was a livelyyoung wdf an who also sat for aportrait. She later became hiswife. The painting has a prominent place on their living roomwall."He does paint figures beautifully," she says, quickly adding,"He's just a great painter.There's no doubt about it."It's a mutual admiration society. In fact, the entire family issupportive of each other and particularly of each other's work.Leonard remembers the timehe was beachcombing with hiswife and she picked up a deadcarcass of a fish to carry home."Now I can see picking up apiece of driftwood, but this was astinking dead fish," he said wonderingly. "But by golly, she madea woodcut of it that was justbeautiful. She painted a red moononto it that gave it a Japanesefeeling."Florence haswatercolor record of more than200 antique dolls of her extensivecollection. She moonlights on twopart-time jobs and is active inseveral civic and humanistcauses.Leonardisphilosophicalabout the current state of the art.He no longer keeps the heavyteaching schedule of yore (heonce taught 3 days and 3evenings a week plus Saturdays)but still teaches a foundationpainting class during the fall semester and an advanced figurepainting class each spring at theinstitute, as well as having several private students."I have some very talentedstudents and I worry about themwhen they enter all the intriguesof the contemporary art scene,"he said. "It was easier for uswhen we were young because wehad more access to the museum[Baltimore Museum of Art).They'd be hard pressed to find 25or 30 artists for an exhibit inthose days, and now there mustbe thousands."Today, perhaps more thanever, the artist has to do muchsoul searching regarding the priorities of his life and work. Shallit be painting for the sake ofpainting, art as a way of life—orshould the emphasis be on the vagaries of the currently popularstyle and the merchandising ofthe work, assisted by a good public relations man or agent?"Mary, who supports heravocation with a full-time job inthe Johns Hopkins Universityfilm department, shares a fourthfloor studio at 217 North Charlesstreet with her close friend PeterZawadzki. However, they domuch of their painting outdoors."I have to have a job, butotherwise I don't chinch myself. Ifeel as if I would only be hurtingmyself if I let money come between me and my work," shesaid.Although she has sold portraits and various still lifes,Mary's work has more recentlycentered on series of abstractlandscapes. There are more than12 paintings in her basin seriesthat trace transitions and changes in Stony Run in Wyman park."I'm interested in discoveringlittle universes of colors, patterns and shadows within smallthings. Sunlight coming throughthe trees or the interrelationshipbetween light and shade and thepatterns they create."It's called the "seeing eye,"remember?D

Florence Bahr and their daughter Mary pose before a display of paintings by Mr. Bahr. FAMILY OF ARTISTS rails ility oth-lor-the able eau-ttose art-lold lady getting on a bus with a basket of fish or a rusty garbage can glistening in the rain, but there's beauty everywhere you look." "I take my sketch