Matt Rogers’ Opening Reception at Caldwell Snyder Gallery

Caldwell Snyder Gallery is excited to welcome you to Matt Rogers’ Opening Reception on Thursday, November 21st, 5 -7 PM. The exhibition will be on view till December 23rd.

California artist Matt Rogers, known for his rhythmic and colorful paintings, offers layered, vibrant landscapes and prismatic florals in his latest work. Flower petals spill profusely across the frame or organize into balloon-shaped bouquets, while aerial views of cities and farmland seem to float by, patterned with rooftops, trees, and clouds. On one hand the images in this series are blissful, evoking romance, adventure, and candy-coated memories. On the other, with their heightened patterns, forms, and colors, they suggest a splendor that is slightly beyond reach.

Like Wayne Thiebaud, who was his friend and mentor, Rogers is exquisitely attuned both to the structures and attitudes of nature and the warping, transformative effects of paint. Fusing his outer and inner visions, he creates subtly surreal images that both enhance and disrupt conceptions of beauty and natural order. He has noted the importance of music to his practice, and the influence comes through strongly in this body of work, with repeating colors and shapes employed like beats and melodies.

A lifelong California resident who is intimately familiar with the region’s many facets and moods, its varied geography, its patterns of weather, Rogers was born in Oakland and studied at the San Francisco Art Institute. He lives and works in St. Helena, and has shown his paintings throughout California and beyond.