KAREN MATHEIS

In these current works, I re-interpret the idea of traditional landscape. I am intrigued by the flat, open space and lack of verticals of the surrounding fields near my home in Kansas. The terrain and roads are geometric and simplified. Abstraction is the result of my quest to capture the feel of this region.

The concepts for the paintings are conceived while moving through the space with the intention of recording the region, similar to a visual map documenting one point to another. Memory and quick sketches are utilized in the production of each painting. The outcome is that the landscape goes through an editing process: extraneous parts are deleted while other parts are heightened.

Color plays an important role in these works. Color choices are intentional and not always as they would appear. Instead, the objective is to represent the essence of the time of day or season that I witness.