I just did some writing for Mercedes Matter: A Retrospective Exhibition at the Figge Art Museum in Davenport, IA (September 4, 2010 through January 2, 2011). This first major museum exhibition devoted to the Abstract Expressionist artist Mercedes Matter (1913-2001) spans her career from 1922 through 2000.
There will be two of my oil paintings (from 2002 & 2010) on loan; and I will be sending the following statement: "The things I learned from Mercedes Matter's teaching remain acutely specialized. Because of them I'm sure, I've been referred to as a cubist. No matter how many mutations I take my work through since then, the ways I arrange the structure and color remain steadfast. It is very satisfying to pay attention in making those choices so specific. In composing images today, I feel I can endow the illusion of space with many different (art historically retroactive) possibilities to enhance the portrayal of subject and meaning. Mercedes also relayed big lessons to her pupils, such as 'the greatest discipline as an artist is getting what you want'."
Mercedes' retrospective. The artist website has been around for at least 10 years. It's quite neat. Mercedes Matter
