For his solo show, Light, Texture, and Emotion,hosted by Blue Rain Gallery in Santa Fe, Matthew Sievers unveils approximately 15 new landscape and tree paintings that have helped him explore and express his emotions. “[These pieces are] a celebration of life’s simple pleasures and profound connections, where every brushstroke is infused with the warmth of shared memories and the promise of new beginnings,” Sievers explains.
Emerald Lake, oil on panel, 48 x 36"
The artist confesses that his recent divorce has been a huge influence on his decision to integrate more emotion into his work, and it even inspired a slight change to his already bold mark-making and layering process for which he uses only a palette knife and a squeegee. “It has opened up large, expressive scrapes and pushing paint to a turbulent space before I come back with calm beautiful brushwork to sit on top of those initial marks,” he says. “I want the viewer to be able to peel back layers visually and see every step of the process where the painting started and the place it was considered finished.”
For example, show piece Emerald Lake reveals a special experience Sievers had while hiking with his sons. “One of my favorite artists is John Singer Sargent,” says the artist. “A few years ago, I was able to book a trip to Lake O’Hara, where there is a bench and a plaque to specify exactly where Sargent stood to paint one of his most well-known landscape paintings. I was lucky enough to spend a week there painting in the same location—hiking throughout Banff [National Park in Alberta, Canada].”
Mountain Light, oil on panel, 72 x 36"
Sievers continues, “High mountain lakes have the most amazing clear water from the sediment of the granite that sits at the bottom. Being able to hike up to an alpine lake with your loved ones and soak your feet in the cold water [while eating all the] naughty snacks that you packed all the way up the mountain is one of my favorite things. These are the emotions that I want people to relate to as they look at this painting.”
River Sunset, oil on panel, 36 x 72"
For his piece River Sunset, featuring gorgeous sunset hues reflected across the water, Sievers was able to reflect on feelings of peace as he painted. “Being the son of an accomplished oil painter, I grew up with my father constantly pointing out the colors in a lake or river,” Sievers shares. “As we fished, and occasionally painted outdoors together, there was always an art lesson to be had. Now, as a father of four, I find myself giving the same lessons in seeing color in a shadow, reflecting off of a river or the under branches of a tree…”
In addition to the richly colorful landscapes pictured here, Sievers also displays tree paintings in the show—a subject matter he’s always been fascinated by. “[The] expressive marks in my tree paintings remind me of a genealogy tree like the one my grandma had—where she filled in all the family names in her beautiful cursive handwriting,” Sievers says. “Trees are a theme that I will always explore and push. In this most recent body of work, they have become my most sought after, like the lily pads of Monet.”
Warm Light, Cool Air, oil on panel, 24 x 48"
For the new collection, hanging from April 26 through May 10 at Blue Rain Gallery’s Santa Fe location, Sievers' hope is that viewers will be inspired to “pause, reflect and rediscover the magic that surrounds us, both in nature and in the bonds that unite us all.” —
Blue Rain Gallery 544 S. Guadalupe Street • Santa Fe, NM 87501 (505) 954-9902 • www.blueraingallery.com
Powered by Froala Editor
