Can a coal scuttle fly? The Maryland Historical Society thinks so! Visitors showered a 1996 recycled wonder with praise and paper hearts during our #HeartsForArts initiative. Baltimore-born Tom Miller (1945-2000) hoped to combat racial stereotypes of his city's African-American communities through his art. For his sculptures, he re-purposed found objects and discarded furniture. These transformations often involved decorating his findings in line with an African-American aesthetic Miller developed and called "Afro-Deco." This particular sculpture inspired a series of illustrations used in a children's book: an autobiographical story of Miller's childhood and how the young artist re-imagined the old coal scuttle from his neighbor's garage as a colorful bird. #marylandhistory #afrodeco #baltimore #arthistory #art #recycledart #blackartists #blackhistorymonth