Calvert Headstones Preserve Memories, Personal Zest

For the past decade or so, a new art form aimed at preserving memories of the departed has gained popularity in Southern Maryland cemeteries.

The Southern Maryland Extra is presenting a gallery of such markers in Calvert County. Examples from Charles County were included in a May 24 report. A future issue will look at those in St. Mary's County.

More and more tombstones are designed to reflect a life interest or embellished with engravings that depict accomplishments or commitments of the person whose grave they mark.

Techniques used to create an image on the stone include etching, sandblasting, lasers and contouring with a diamond wire saw.

The hand etching process is similar to a freehand drawing combined with the use of a diamond-tipped engraving tool. Following the design on transfer wax paper, the etcher pierces the top layer of a polished stone to create a custom image. A lithochrome or acrylic paint can then be worked into the stone, adding a dimension of many colors.

During the latter part of the 20th century, laser technology was introduced and adapted for monument making, giving artists greater flexibility and versatility. When linked to a computer, a laser can be programmed to etch images into a highly polished piece of stone.

Accompanying this report are images of the art found in Calvert cemeteries. Some tombstones are referred to as "pre-need." They are placed by the living, a sort of reservation for their demise.

Paul Roberts writes about art in public places. His previous reports for the Extra include a series on murals in Southern Maryland.