Vivid Art Gallery is hosting an exhibit for Featured Artist Matt Schaefer and his newest exhibit, Traces, throughout the month of July. The exhibit includes large-scale city scene landscapes inspired by his immediate surroundings in Evanston, from common sights to unexpected observations. This can include anything from the view he has of his backyard through his bay window to the city’s skyline. These large paintings, most 66 x 48 inches, are filled with bright, striking colors that jump from the canvas. They are also incredibly intricate, so viewers see something new every time they look at them.   
 
Matt works intuitively, responding to each previous mark until he finds a composition that resonates with him. To create his work, Matt will first apply a multitude of thin layers to the canvas. Subsequently alternating between flat blocks of color and more exuberant brushwork, Matt’s paintings exude his energy, bringing the canvas to life. As the painting evolves, prior layers poke through to create interesting combinations of both form and color.  
 
In describing his work, Matt says, “My work is not pre-determined. Every brushstroke creates something new, which fuels my enthusiasm for what I’m working to create. As I add each layer, traces of the previous brushstrokes peek through. This allows the painting to function as a sort of palimpsest, where something is reused or altered but still bears visible remnants of its earlier form. I keep adding layers, alternating between representation and abstraction, until I feel I’ve found something interesting. I enjoy this uncertainty; no two paintings are ever alike.”
 
Matt’s work will be exhibited in the gallery throughout the month of July. Please be sure to stop by to see it.