Christopher Mathie Spring 2020

Christopher Mathie

New Paintings | Online Exhibit

May 15 - July 7

"Dreamy Day Sailing"

48" x 72" (triptych)

(SOLD)

"Curious Sea"

20" x 40"

(SOLD)

"Paired"

30" x 30"

(SOLD)

"Dichotomy"

24" x 48"

(SOLD)

gallery view, June 2020

"Tranquil Sea"

18" x 18"

(SOLD)

"Time Keeps Moving On"

20" x 40"

(SOLD)

Mathie studio May 2020

"Comforting Saltwater Winds"

30" x 60"

(SOLD)

"Anchored"

12" x 24"

$800

"Afternoon by the Sea"

24" x 48"

(SOLD)

"Anchored II"

12" x 24"

(SOLD)

"Saltwater Shore VII"

12" x 12"

(SOLD)

“Quarantine, and Creating Art”
by Christopher Mathie, May 9, 2020

We are living in a time that will be historically important. What was it like living under quarantine? How did people cope, and what happened to mental and physical health? We each will have a story to tell.

The "Stay at Home Order," came from Washington's governor March 23, 2020. That was 47 days ago, although I haven't left the house for a couple weeks before that! When things get difficult, I tend to go inward. I have always used art as a vehicle to figure out how I feel and what I think. I create when I'm scared, and when I'm happy; when I experience confusion and when I feel joy. It all comes out in the art.

When Allyn, the owner at White Bird Gallery, asked how has quarantine affected your current work? I realized that I had again looked inward and gone straight to making art. This time it's different because I'm mostly alone, besides my partner and our dog Blue, with very little interruptions. The usual phone calls, emails and texts from galleries and usual demands on my time both professional and social have subsided. My head is actually clearer and I'm processing thoughts fully. I purposely slowed down on social media because I was finding it too negative. The result, I think, has been more purposeful paintings. I’m making pieces where my attention has stayed in the art. Allyn commented that this body of work feels powerful and confident. And if that is true, I think that comes from focus.

Mathie studio grounds May 2020

I intentionally use art to transform feelings and emotions. When something causes me anxiety I try to play it out on the canvas. I often create chaos with paint first and then find ways to resolve the conflict right before my eyes. It reminds me that things can and do get better. Resolution is possible. It also reminds me that it's not always easy or fast. While some paintings do come out spontaneously, others take a great amount of time and effort. The current body of work is a mix of those two things. Some pieces seem to just pour out of me. But when I am deep in thought layer after layer gets applied to the canvas. It's as if each train of thought is explored as another layer of paint. These are the paintings that become complex; rich in texture with complicated coloration. My work is rarely simple...neither are my thoughts. I suppose that's true for everyone.

When I see that a piece has transformed from chaotic to organized and structured, it feels good. Like I found my way through murky feelings that have now become clear. I suddenly know what I think and that seems to make finding resolutions in the rest of life easier. Creating art really is my coping device. It is a way of acknowledging and celebrating the strength of the human spirit. And it is something positive I can do during trying times. Hopefully I’m putting art into the world that inspires and helps others cope too.

Christopher Mathie Talks More About his Process on YouTube

https://youtu.be/XNExkq8mXks

https://youtu.be/FbjnPJsBvQc