Pink at Timber Island 20x20 Oil $2100
For her new show, Local Color, artist Jill Matthews reflects on her process, inspiration, and the evolving direction of this body of work.
“I want to take a moment to share my excitement and a little of my process around this new body of work,” Matthews says.
The title Local Color offered her a natural opportunity to expand her palette. “My work typically embraces a more subdued palette, but I allowed myself to explore color in new ways. You’ll see unexpected pops of brightness, but I tried to really balance that with the simplistic compositions that ground my work.”
Gooches Storm 1 4x14 Oil $1100
Low Tide Parsons Blue 36x48 Oil $3900
Timber Island Blue 20x20 Oil $2100
For Matthews, restraint in composition has always been a guiding principle. “Growing up in Vermont, wide open landscapes surrounded me. It’s not uncommon to drive for miles among farms and pastures and then be greeted by a singular barn. That landscape taught me that strength in composition can come from simplicity. I have mentioned this often and over time. It’s become an anchor in my process. I think of myself as more of an editor. I am always asking what can be removed, what can stand alone, and what ultimately creates harmony.”
Even while investigating new color choices, Matthews remains true to her style. “Throughout this collection, while I experimented with color, I kept my brushwork quiet and my forms pared down, maintaining that sense of stillness I strive for in each piece.”
YH Bell Buoy 24x30 Oil $2800
Yellow 24x24 Oil $2495
KPT Bell Buoy 24x30 Oil $2800
Much of this collection is deeply connected to the local landscape. “I spent a lot of time revisiting places that I love. I wake up early on those mornings when the fog is heavy, revisiting scenes that I'm drawn to time and time again. I am reminded of the importance of being out in the field and truly feeling a space, listening to the grass or for a gull overhead, feeling the mud flats beneath me, or the heaviness of the fog. All the sensory input is happening when I am present in a space. Then it comes back to me in the studio. It's so important when I’m driving in the car to pull over and take that photograph, or to carry a sketchbook, so if I have an idea, I can get it down. I need to be present in that moment. It truly does show through in the work when I revisit these concepts at the easel.”
Like the landscapes she paints, the process of developing a show is layered and conscious. “Preparing for a show and shaping a collection of work is never accidental. It’s a deliberate process of trial and error, and truly problem-solving. Some paintings never make it through, but each decision shapes the whole. No matter how much time I give myself, I always feel there’s more to explore, a stronger way to say what I want, and that constant pursuit to grow as a visual artist. It is what keeps me coming back.”
Fogged Point 30x40 Oil $3100
The show Local Color is on view from September 20 through October 15 at Maine Art Hill, located at 5 Chase Hill Rd in Kennebunk, Maine. The gallery is open daily at 10 AM. For more information, visit maine-art.com, email info@maine-art.com, or call 207-967-2803.