Page 20 - the NOISE August 2014

LYN MATTHEW: WRITING DOWN THE PAINT
BY SARAH GIANELLI
In addition to being the featured artist at Mountain oasis this month, Lyn Matthew is also presenting a special ex- hibit in her studio called “Painting the Words,” in which she will show her paintings with corresponding stories written in verse or haiku.
“I think it was in the early 80s when I first started writing with paint,” says Ms. Matthew. “I was quite blue in spirit so I began to paint my feelings on canvas. I painted a lot of vis- ceral, imagery like chains putting me into some kind of jail. I finally broke free of those troubling images and stories and my paintings became more uplifting.”
One of the first paintings to emerge from that time was Elana’s World, a natural dreamscape embedded with the sym- bolism of a spiritual journey. Once the painting was finished, the story revealed itself to her, and she began to share it with people. About four years ago, she started writing the stories down, eventually evolving from full narrative pieces into its essence expressed through verse or haiku.
She writes in the poem for Elana’s World:
Wading water Cleanses soul Leap of Faith
Find the Peace. Be Still they Say
Be Still
and wait.
Search inside Find the place.
Be still inside
Find peace Within
“I really love doing this,” says Ms. Matthew. “Sometimes the painting will be finished for six months to a year before the story is finally written. The writing then becomes rapid and to the point.”
At the Edge of Two Worlds depicts a woman crossing a creek with two figures presenting another reality for her to step into. “Most humans have the experience of being able to shed what no longer serves them,” she explains. “Once the bur-
dens are released, the person is able to move on to a new life. There are many magical symbols in this new world they are holding up for her to step into. Some understandable and others not,” Ms. Matthew says, beginning to tell the story of the painting.
Paraphrasing, the woman of indeterminate ages enters the scene through a gateway which will close once she crosses the creek. She is brave enough to take the first step to cross over to her new teacher waiting on the opposite bank and the new life it represents. If you look closely you will see the river is painted in the shape of a horizontal feather.
The elongation of the circle takes on the shape of a light bulb, representing spiritual light, wisdom, consciousness and understanding. Imagine now, you step on the first stone at the water’s lapping edge. On the other side, the teacher awaits your arrival, holding prayer beads for you. To the left the Whistling Elk looks on.
The ancestors are represented by the petroglyphs carved into the rock to the left of the figure. The butterfly tree is also to the left. In the painting you see dancing butterflies play- ing in the light and a butterfly fairy on the back of the turtle. There is a horse moving along the left ridge just below the full moon, and the black wolf and hawk are also part of the scene, as well as many other symbols if you take the time to look.
Ms. Matthew is challenging viewers to a storytelling contest, asking people to write their own interpretation of At the Edge of This World, in verse or haiku, and send to LynMatthew@aol. com. The winning story will be read during open studios at 4PM, Sunday, August 24 at Lyn Matthew Studio, 13 N. San Francisco Street, #3 downstairs. Ms. Matthew’s show, “Paint- ings of the Southwest,” runs through August at Mountain oa- sis international restaurant, 11 E. Aspen Street. Both loca- tions will be open during First Friday from 6-9PM on August 1. And Ms. Matthews is also a part of Open Studios.
| Sarah Gianelli enjoys big vistas while waiting for the season to change. arts@thenoise.us
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Leaves of June
.........
I would let the cupped leaves of June represent me I would hear the thunder when it comes
I would lie in the rain
All while you reconsider
Call to me senseless
Call to me defeat
There is nothing here but me Calling to me
Parched and vacant
It’s hard to let the pain of drought pass over It’s hard to see the clouds form
And move on
But the time is coming
When the sky will open
And if it is you there Harboring a warm rain for me I would be happy
| Nikki Check is unveiling her latest collection this ArtWalk at Kate’s Books.
See the ArtBeat for details.
20 • AUGUST 2014 • the NOISE arts & news • thenoise.us