The Ohio Artist Registry (OAR) is an exciting opportunity for artists to share their work, connect with the creative community, and establish an online presence—all on a free, virtual platform! The OAR encourages artists working in all art forms, throughout Ohio and beyond, to create a profile, which allows them to better promote themselves and their work. Being listed in the OAR provides artists with new opportunities to share their work with clients, galleries, patrons, and audiences. A listing in the OAR does not confer an endorsement, approval, or verification by the Ohio Arts Council.
For more information, contact Kathy Signorino, artist programs director, at kathy.signorino@oac.ohio.gov or 614-728-6140.
2024 Ohio Artist Registry Juried Exhibition
Brian Mathus
Artist Elemental StudioDayton OH 45405 United States Home Phone: 15037102025
Bio
Brian Mathus Bio
I Grew up in Hampton Virginia by the coast. I watched my mom drawing girls’ scouts when I was a child. I was fascinated watching the chaos of her mark- making become people. In grade school I made scratchboards from oil pastels. Scratching into the black oil pastel reveals the color underneath.
I started hanging out at the Charles H Taylor with Deborah Burell around the age of twelve. This was my first introduction to the art world. I helped her hang artwork and mail out letters and set up for shows. This was the place where I first got to draw the figure. My dad ended his navel career and moved us out to Beaverton OR. I was going to C. E. Mason which is a magnet art school and it was the first school. I would move on to the Pacific NW College of Art. I studied under Joseph Mann and Mark Andreas during the summers. Learned Fauve like principles and theories of art. I dove heavily into abstraction with Acrylic paint. I spent a lot of time in the art scene.
I went on to be a founding member of Rake art Gallery. Which lasted about four years. I was invited to China to be part of the “time and space oil paint show”. Although, now I think that the cop who brought us over so his child could come over to America and set up college under the guise of exchange because she was his second child. I had a baby girl in 2008, this brought my artistic life to a halt. I was in critical parenting. And looking for a new job. I ended up joining Air National Guard and serving for 10 years. During which I had another child. traveled all over the country and to Guam. Moved to Dayton in 2013. Halfway through my enlistment. In 2015 started studying Graphic design finished with a degree. Bringing order to chaos I began to love creating again. I and my wife and a few friends moved into a Studio on the front street. Started painting again seriously in 2017. I started paint figuratively again.
Artist Statement
When drawing I have always had to eliminate my own preconceived notions and break down my own stereo types in order to see the subject. I seek to break that down in the viewer. I intertwine the abstract and the figurative because the abstract gives voice to feelings, emotions and modes and the body can embody these things. I scratch at the surface of things trying to bring out what is underneath. I use prompts like showing the inner child or the wilderness of mirrors to construct visual narratives. I’m inspired by human interaction and how it can both abstract and visceral.
I work in Acrylic and oil paint, I mainly do figures on an abstract field or a figure that has been abstracted in some way or straight nonobjective abstraction. I make larger paintings because I think a person should have their visual field engulfed by the painting
