“Whenever I visit Laurel, I love to go to Lee’s Coffee & Tea for breakfast and coffee. The high ceiling soars skyward like a cathedral and the interior windows, doors, and staircases invite curiosity, as does the upstairs balcony area. Why are there interior windows? Why is the ceiling so high? The balcony space is peaceful and conveys a sense of distance—an invitation to ponder places one cannot see.

The seascape scene from Mother and Infant Boy (26.163) invites these same emotions. The print is titled for the scene in the foreground, yet the beautiful picture above them, apparently hanging on a wall, sparks the same amount of visual interest as the mother and child. 

As I stand in the café looking up at the balcony, my eyes travel freely, seeing the peacefulness of the boats floating on the sea far in the distance.” -René D. Shoemaker