Debbie and Mike Schramer wrote in to compliment Matt’s treatment of light in his painting.  Matt responds:

Debbie and Mike,

Thank you for your wonderful comments.  As I read your comments about light, it immediately struck me that as artists, are we creating light, even though it’s not coming out in the traditional way.  Light opens our eyes and enables us to see around us—which is obvious, but in the dark, we have to imagine.  We have to remember where we are; noises and other senses take over.  But light gives us the ability to comprehend.

When I think about painting, whether we paint for a mission or for our ideas, the painting almost becomes part of the light, because we are able to turn the light on within ourselves.  We shine the light onto the things we are thinking about; we shine the light into the dark, hidden corners of our being.

Also, we never know, when other people are looking at the artwork, what lights they’re turning on in themselves.  Many people discuss and argue with me about what I’m saying in my work.  So it’s the interpretation, but if the work wasn’t there, there would be no light to turn on or off.  There would be no opportunity to discuss or agree or disagree about particular subjects.

It comes back to the question of “What is art, and what, practically, does it do?”  When I was pondering your comments, I thought:  “Maybe we’re not only artists, we’re electricians, too!”

Thanks again,
Matt