SEPTEMBER EDITION 

“Colour is my day-long obsession, joy and torment.” – Claude Monet

Oscar-Claude Monet 

14 November 1840 – 5 December 1926) was a French painter, a founder of French Impressionist painting and the most consistent and prolific practitioner of the movement's philosophy of expressing one's perceptions before nature, especially as applied to plein air landscape painting. The term "Impressionism" is derived from the title of his painting Impression, soleil levant (Impression, Sunrise), which was exhibited in 1874 in the first of the independent exhibitions mounted by Monet and his associates as an alternative to the Salon De Paris. 

Monet's ambition of documenting the French countryside led him to adopt a method of painting the same scene many times in order to capture the changing of light and the passing of the seasons. From 1883, Monet lived in Giverny, where he purchased a house and property and began a vast landscaping project which included lily ponds that would become the subjects of his best-known works. In 1899, he began painting the water lilies, first in vertical views with a Japanese bridge as a central feature and later in the series of large-scale paintings that was to occupy him continuously for the next 20 years of his life.

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Well September has arrived yet the last dog days of summer still hang on. I always feel a bit nostalgic this time of year with everything quieting down back to school, beaches empty, all that activity and energy just disappears. It always had a sad or lonely feeling to me as we are perched on the doorstep of Autumn. I also think back to watching my dad paint his landscapes and seascapes in our basement. The same space where I paint now. My fathers interest in painting didn't come until later in his life. Perhaps the creative spark dwelt within him but he needed something to set it a blaze. Thomas Everett Matlock was born in 1929 in Eastland Texas. That's North central Texas about an hour West of Dallas and from what he told us it was a wide open area for miles around with not much to do. Being raised a strict Protestant getting in trouble meant punishment by the switch, a much different time than today however he did say he never got in trouble for the same thing twice? after graduating Highschool he and his very best friend Jack Conklin both enlisted in the Airforce. They went in separate directions but both served for many years traveling the globe to Greenland, Thailand, Vietnam, and Germany. Sadly Jack never made it home dying in a plane crash. I was supposed to be named after him but the church considered Jack a nickname so it was John on the birth certificate. During his service he met my mother while home on leave and they were wed. In his final years of service we all moved to Ramstein Air Force Base in Germany for three years and lived on base housing I was eighteen months old at the time.
  It was here where it all started. My father met a man named Segoine, pronounced (Se - goyn) who lived in a small cabin in a wooded area off base property. He was an artist who survived by selling to local families and on the street. I was told in times of financial  desperation he once used his own bedsheets to paint on as a canvas to sell. He was also quite a drinker as well but he taught my father the basic do's and don'ts of painting and color palette and the right tools and brushes. He had a very distinct accent when he spoke calling my father by name but sounding like Toe'-mass instead of Thomas. "Toe'mass  De trees are all de same! you must not paint all your trees to look like de tin soldiers!" as an example of painting loosely and true to nature. After a twenty year service My father would retire a Senior Master Sargent and we moved to Holyoke Massachusetts. He immediately began selling his artwork at outdoor summer shows and indoor shopping mall shows in the winter traveling every weekend from Maine to New Jersey, It was 1970 and along with my Mother working, did very well supporting a family of four for nearly twelve years. Eventually he would return to get his associates degree and worked at Westover Air force base in Chicopee Ma. until he retired. Golf and fishing became is new passions but he did not hesitate when I told him in 1991 I wanted to paint and sell at the shows. He did as much as he could to help me get started although times were different now and selling was not as easy as I expected it to be but never the less I stayed persistent. In 1995 My father was diagnosed with terminal cancer in 1996 he passed but not before promising him I'd never give up on my art no matter how difficult times get. I mentioned last month my many art teachers who inspired me, but it was through my fathers work with is art that was truly inspirational. Suffice to say, he had more influence on me and my art then anyone in this world and still does to this day!

 Below are just a few pictures of his work, his artist palette, and him.


   

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Above is a video of the truest piece of My fathers history as an artist preserved forever. I discovered it by accident 2 years ago when gutting out and refitting my art studio. It brought back memories I forgot of the past and means more to me than most could ever understand. Thank you for watching.     

New in the Studio ~ 
I now can offer color prints single matted unframed of just about anything you see on my Face book page "The John Matlock Art Gallery" I am building up stock on my marine life themes to sell to the public and approach stores, shops, and other locations willing to sell them. if you see something you like please message me for availability, sample pics below. 

My sizes are
 11 x 14  with matt - $20.00
   8 x 10  with matt - $10.00

Also happening in the month of September will be my month long exhibit "Clean Blue Sea" at the public library in Enfield Connecticut 104 Middle Rd, Enfield, CT 06082. I've chosen sixteen paintings to best represent my new work.

This months recipe ~ Sheet Pan Smoked Sausage
September usually is symbolic with apple season. Here's one I want to make !  

So as I may have mentioned I am trying to broaden my horizons on where to show my artwork. This year I dove deep into Connecticut with several coastal locations in 2020 to include Enfield and Simsbury Library. UCONN Health of Hartford and the Mystic & Noank Library. I would like to start heading East as well. Looking at Worcester, Boston and select areas on Cape Cod. All of the showings I'm exhibiting at are No Fee showings. While an outdoor arts festival makes more sense I would have to spend upward of $300.00 for a 2 day show or find an indoor venue for free for  a month sometimes 2 months. Along with that I'm continuously hunting for spots where I can sell my prints from. Coastal stores and shops seem to be my best chance just need to find those who appreciate my work. Should anyone out there be aware of a possible location they think may work for me please let me know or share my newsletter with them. In my past I've done many outdoor shows and it can be a chore setting up and breaking down your display. I can say I learned a lot about people ( the customer ) and have met many talented wonderful artists along the way. I think that would be a good topic at length for next months newsletter.   

   

 

Well by the next time I send a newsletter leaves should be dropping by then, October is my favorite month of the year and I'll have lots to talk about, East Longmeadow Library showing and who knows what else by then. Thank  you for reading my newsletter and please sign the guestbook so I know you were here. It is through friends like you that my brand can grow and be recognized. Have a safe and fun Labor day weekend. 

John Matlock 

www.facebook.com/TheJohnMatlockArtGallery 

                      August Edition

Norman Rockwell 

"Summer Time and the Living is Easy" A great song by Sam Cooke in it's slower version. Although the kid in this Norman Rockwell painting, "The Joys of Summer" may disagree? The distressed look of being lost on a crowded beach, Ice-cream rapidly melting down his hands even to include a sunburned shoulder and band-aid on his finger.  Rockwell didn't just drop a picture in front of us he captured feeling, sensation, and depicted a true summer experience. He told Stories through his paintings. 

American Author Painter 

Norman Perceval Rockwell was an American author, painter and illustrator. His works have a broad popular appeal in the United States for their reflection of American culture. Rockwell is most famous for the cover illustrations of everyday life he created for The Saturday Evening Post magazine over nearly five decades. Among the best-known of Rockwell's works are the Willie Gillis series, Rosie the Riveter, The Problem We All Live With, Saying Grace, and the Four Freedoms series. He is also noted for his 64-year relationship with the Boy Scouts of America, during which he produced covers for their publication Boys' Life, calendars, and other illustrations. These works include popular images that reflect the Scout Oath and Scout Law such as The Scoutmaster, A Scout is Reverent and A Guiding Hand, among many others. 

As far back as I can remember I always wanted to be an artist.  

I have enjoyed art as far back as I can remember. I grew up surrounded by it at home as my father was a fine artist as well. Let me take you back to the beginning. In 1972 at the age of five years old I remember waking early on Saturday mornings to watch a show on public television titled “Drawing from Nature with Captain Bob Cottle”. He was an artist who would encourage children to draw along with him step by step with crayons on a large sketch pad. It was always some form of wildlife or nature study; Insects, rainbow trout, seagulls, whales, squirrels and so forth. He sported an old captain’s hat and bore a very strong Rhode Island accent. I can still hear his theme music playing a style of sea shanty through a harmonica note for note. It was instructional and fun. Looking back, I think it’s fair to say he was my very first Art instructor but there were others. 

Now with the Captain Bob television show influencing me, not to mention the tremendous influence my father’s art had on my life as well my kindergarten teacher took notice one day that I had some sort of creative spark. At John Ashley elementary school during art time I once chose to color a picture of my back yard. I colored the grass red and sky purple prompting my Kindergarten teacher Mrs. Papentonis to ask, “You do know the sky is blue and the grass is green right John?” My response was, “Yes, but this is my world and I like the sky purple, it looks good with the red grass.” She agreed probably being relieved I wasn’t color blind. I used to love to draw from books and always took a strong interest in art class and projects in grade school. One book I found particularly helpful was “How to draw animals”. It showed you step by step how to draw any animal from a series of ovals, circles and squares. I continually checked it out of the school library. From first grade to sixth grade I was considered the class artist and was involved in school projects and plays often painting trees and props. 

 When entering my junior year of High school, I met another influential person in my art world my art teacher Mrs. Barbara Ostrowski or as everyone called her, Mrs. O. She was free spirited and encouraged students to experiment with different mediums and also follow their individual strengths. This new sense of freedom allowed me to explore other avenues of art without being forced into them. She saw I had a strong attention for details and fine lines and encouraged me to attempt some pen and ink work. I was just starting a extremely detailed pencil sketch of an axe wielding barbarian and she said I should do it in pen and ink or to be more precise, pointillism. Pointillism or stippling is the production of continuous graduations of light and shade through the use of small, discrete dots or strokes. This could take years to do or so I thought, and the idea of attempting it scared me from a fear of failure. I was comfortable within the confines of my pencil sketching shell. I was impressed by the technique however and two of my class mates, Amy and Gregg who both worked in this medium with great success. I chose to sit and study how they worked and realized it wasn’t that far from shading with a pencil. If you want a darker area in pencil you need only apply more pressure to the surface and keep the strokes close together. In stippling you need to keep the dots closely grouped for darker area gradually spacing them further apart for lighter values. I worked relentlessly on this over my Christmas break and blew my teacher away when I returned with it finished. Thanks Mrs. O for encouraging me to try something new and allowing me the freedom to explore and grow with it. Now I had a new whole world to explore and for the next two years you could say I was seeing nothing but spots! She also encouraged me to paint with acrylics and watercolors but I saw no future in that for me.  

My years in college taught me fundamentals yet I had no instructor that lit my fire or whom inspired to go further. My path was mine to take at this point but always thinking back and thanking Captain Bob, my first art teacher. My Father was no doubt my biggest influence towards art but I feel that's a better topic for next months edition. 

 

Latest Paintings : 

Dog Faced Puffer fish 11x14 acrylics.

The Arothron Dog Face Puffer, also known as the Blackspotted Puffer, gets its name from its resemblance to canines. It changes appearance during different stages of life. While in the gray phase, it is gray with black markings around the mouth, eyes, and dorsal fin. The pectoral fins have a yellow appearance. The half-yellow phase is denoted by a yellow underbelly and dark gray overcoat, while the face looks similar to the gray phase. It may also have black spots over the body, which may be gray or yellow. 

The Arothron Dog Face Puffer lacks pelvic fins, but is very maneuverable, using its pectoral, dorsal, and anal fins. Instead of "teeth," it has a fused beak-like structure which it uses to crush prey.

I have a lengthy list of marine animals I've never ventured to paint and find the 11x14 inch size is best to represent certain subjects. Somewhere down the road I would love to combine everything I've painted into one gigantic wall mural in the right location? Another project for the bucket list. 

🌴 🥥 🌴 🥥 🌴 🥥 🌴 🥥 🌴 🥥 🌴 🥥 🌴 🥥 🌴 🥥 🌴 🥥 🌴 🥥 🌴 🥥 🌴 🥥   

Recipe of the month:

A little something different this month with the Summer heat and Holidays throughout I thought it be nice to share some different refreshments for age 21+ only. 

Any of the above cocktails are sure to provide that cold refreshing addition to any summer party. As always please drink responsibly.

Oh those nostalgic Summers:

The dog days of summer are upon us with occasional heat waves, summer storms, and finding ways to stay cool. Growing up in New England most every summer we had a family vacation to the beach scheduled. Living in Massachusetts we some how became regulars to Misquamicut State Beach in Rhode Island. We took many day trips, a few weekend visits and once a week long house rental with a bunch of family with us. Back in 1980 my parents discovered Hampton beach in New Hampshire with a huge boardwalk and better accommodations than earlier in the week at a different location. Now my wife and I try to get to the beach every summer just recently taking a relaxing but all too brief vacation to Old Orchard beach, Maine. Ogunquit Maine is a beautiful town and beach and our favorite place to visit and perhaps one day on a permanent location. I guess my point is memories formed in our childhood we choose to indulge over and over into adulthood. Like that poor kid in the picture above sometimes the beach is hot, crowded, and cumbersome but there's something about that scent of salt air off of the ocean that cant be replicated. For me it heals the soul from within. August is the busiest month for vacationers in New England so please drive safely, be considerate to others and keep the beaches clean. 

The Sea, she calls us home...

Thank you to the West Springfield Public Library

 

The month-long July exhibit was a great experience. I received some very positive responses and found it to be a great location for local exposure. This kicks off a long list of venues to come but I wanted to start in my home town first. Next exhibit will be the month of September at the Enfield Public Library in Connecticut. I am considering doing another home show in September as well with some reduced prices on some non-marine life subjects. More to follow on both in next month's edition.  

As I close out this month's edition, I give you a sneak peek at my basement studio or as I like to refer to it as Davey Jones's Locker. It's rough, rustic and dingy but suits my needs perfectly .. well almost? As always, I thank you for taking the time to read my newsletter and find out a little more about me and my artwork. My goal is to share with you the Where, when, and how to see my art in person. Please feel free to share this with your friends and family and please comment on this month so I know you were here. Have a safe and fantastic finish too your summer.  

Thank you all,  

John Matlock