Jeff Mathison
The Influencer, 2019 | watercolor | 20 x 14 inch
What's the purpose or goal of your work?
It’s the job of the artist to direct a viewer’s attention to focus on what the artist chose to paint, so they will enjoy or understand the world differently.
How do you navigate the professional art industry?
I enter national watercolor shows, in the hope of attracting attention at high levels.
Which art trends inspire your current work?
I try to ignore them.
How has your style changed over time?
As a young man, I absorbed so many influences that my art fragmented into stream of consciousness chaos. Eventually, the pieces returned to traditional composition and one story at a time.
What are your favorite and least favorite parts of professional art?
The necessity of judgement. I must judge my painting in progress, to get it to peak potential. But then it must compete against an ever growing number of excellent artworks aspiring to national exhibitions.
Do you have a network of other artists, and how do they support you?
I have several artist friends that I can rely on for accurate suggestions on artwork in progress.
What have critics and collectors said about your work?
They like that my nudes tell a story of modern, stronger women.
What factors influence the price of your work?
Pricing is an art, too. I weigh many factors, but basically a large painting must bring me a decent weeks wage.
What are your ultimate career goals?
A gold star of recognition. And a reasonable level of sales.
How do you manage a work-life balance as an artist?
I’m “retired”. I do sometimes work at map illustration for clients. Mostly, my days are free form.
Describe your ideal working environment.
A larger studio than I have.
How has your education helped you in your career?
Not much. I feel mostly self taught.
What was your first experience of working as a professional artist?
I drew portraits at local art festivals. Lots of pressure but it built my confidence.
Mention a specific critique you have received about your work. What have you learnt from it?
One of my models complained that she looked like Mrs. Santa Claus. I learned it is wise to flatter the model!
Tell me about a time you received negative comments or harsh criticism. How did you handle it?
A small local art museum refuses to display my nudes. They will only take my landscapes. I object in a mild way but I avoid confrontation.
Describe a piece of art you are most proud of. Why?
The model I’ve worked with for many years once showed up for a photo shoot with a vintage, pink, pleated skirt. She was a big hit on Instagram and ignored me while she took selfies for her crowd. But the photo I took of her doing that became my best painting. I managed a very difficult passage of showing sun glowing through her dress pleats, while maintaining a realistic but loose style. That painting was accepted in the 2022 American Watercolor Society Exhibition!
BIO
Jeff Mathison has always been an artist. Raised in the Philadelphia suburbs, He graduated from Penn State in 1972 with a BFA degree. He so enjoyed the combination of town culture and woodsy countryside, that he never left Centre County, Pa.
Retired from a wonderful career doing graphics, mapping, and artist renderings for an archaeological consulting firm, he is now free to paint. For many years, Jeff experimented with a variety of artistic styles and media. Around 2002, he chose to concentrate on watercolor, which allows for colorful improvisation as well as exacting realism. He began taking photos of the local landscape when walking or biking in the woods. The resulting studio paintings were good but seemed stiff.
The plein air movement was a revelation for Jeff. After attending local outdoor painting events, he gained enough confidence to travel to Chincoteague VA, the Adirondacks, and even Moab, Utah for plein air events. It was quite an eye-opener to paint rolling ocean waves, or red rock canyons after all his years in green Pennsylvania! Outdoor painting obliges the artist to think fast. The light you see one minute may not be there the next. He believes the spontaneity and excitement carry over into his studio work, helping him bring both emotion and skill to the paper.
Jeff’s major interest is figure painting, in vintage clothing, or just nude. About ten years ago, he succeeded in combining the nudes with landscapes, by working from photos of models in natural settings. In this Free Spirit series, he depicts the harmony of the human spirit with the natural world.
Jeff Mathison continues to work as a freelance illustrator, specializing in illustrated maps for books and other publications. He recently provided over 30 illustrations for a popular book on genetic manipulation, "A Crack in Creation", by Jennifer Doudna and Sam Sternberg. In 2007, he created new maps for a reissue of the Princess Bride, by William Goldman.
