Alexandra Matthews - Painter (Sweden/USA)

My name is Alexandra Matthews, I work as a contemporary artist/Painter.I was Born in America, Hartford,Connecticut Upstate, in 1965...but I live in sweden and have done since 1969 , I am half English....with some roots in AMerica..(swedish Mother/English Father).I went to the University College of Fine & Contemporary Arts and Design, Stockholm, Sweden,-87-94, in painting and sculpture.Have been working mostly in the painting section of art, but also installations ,scripts... objects and film....and open to most creative ideas.My field is though Painting and this is where i mostly explode my works....into mind scapes...fields of "metafysical" worlds....endless ways there are!!;-)I never really had the disciplined patience required for the classical sculpture techniques, and processes... In painting, I get the direct contact I want.
For me painting is narrative, a kind of geographical fantasy scenario. Sometimes I write, sometimes I paint. In the story, I try to grasp something that I do not really know what it is ...and it never matters...it becomes vital and sublime anyways....... embedded memories future .....etc... I feel like a reflector....a surfer... As an artist I have the task of researching my existence, what does it mean to be a human ...or me.. that slowly emerges - seven years of thinking and writing may explode in a series of images...take it further, its a play owith reality and imaginary inner scapes as material.
Inspiration I get from life, my everyday life,people, conversations, good music in all genres, I also get inspiration by watching movies and going to the library where I borrowed books on biology and astronomy to find out how a star is born and dies.And also sneak into the worlds of the old masters.
By that I build,create,and try to attract the curiosity of others....to see beyond reality..... The playfullness and open tickeling mind, must not be forgotten as an adult. I want to give the people who see my pictures an opportunity to put themself into a new state, to fall into another world....and into their own...

The challenge is to find oneself and to dare to be yourself faithful. Not allow yourselfe to be stressed by what is happening around you, of trends, or that someone has done something similar or slightly better. It took many years before I came this far, there has been an uncertain groping. Now I dare to stand up for what I do....and do what i wish...

-The metaphysical in the image is important - state of reality is dissolved - which gives room for something else,to step forward and grow itself...into a form,colour or scape...beeing.

- What really affects me? - All ........ Landscape - the morbid beauty of the landscape. Maybe not the red cottage, but the worn down old pulp mill ...or factory.... Moving to northern Sweden, was to be unleashed in a ferociously....a rough new world from nature....that captured me....and took me more steps into my artistic personality further,

When I paint old industries, they may look like weathered temple - they remind us of another time. The nature around buildings that are left are poisoned, exploited, ravaged,left emty, - still beautiful. It has magical charisma ............ you can fantasize that the old industrial buildings is something else, and discerns that nature once again takes over, resuming its seat by the inevitable breakdown. Organisms will again take over in other forms...new survival kits;-)

I do not let technology control when I paint, it must adapt. If I want to do something, so it does not matter if there is a new technology that I've seen someone else use. I do it anyway, in my own way...like any other artist any filed, lets her be inspired...!

http://www.volym.info/