PleinAir Magazine – August 2019

36 August-September 2019 / http://www.outdoorpainter.com

nglishartistMatBarberKennedy
knowsthatwornandweathered
subjectstellthebeststories.He’s
beendrawntotheaging,decaying
partsof buildingsforas longas he
canremember.“I thinkthelifeof a city,of a cul-
ture,of a familyora business,is revealedinthe
waysthatourstructuresage,”hesays.Fornearly
30 yearshe’schanneledhisappreciationforthe
used nature of what he sees into art. “In some

senseI thinkmyworkis a kindof portraiture

hopingtorevealmorethanjusttheappearance

of things,butrevealing something of the life of

things,”hesays.

THEARTINADAPTABILITY

Anarchitect’sson,Kennedybegantoshift

towardfineartwhilestudyingarchitectureat

theUniversityof Sheffieldandthenat theRoyal

College of Art in London. “I started to explore

myideasaboutarchitecturethroughpaint,

collage,andmixedmedia,”hesays.Whileother

studentsconcernedthemselveswithhowthey

couldprotectthepristinequalityof whatthey

designed,Kennedywasexcitedat thethought

of howoccupantsandthepassageof timemight

affectandchangethestructures.“Tomeit was

allabouthowpeopleadapt,”hesays.“Wereno-

vate,repairdamage,andredecorate.Thepassing

of the seasons and the touching of a door handle

ElementsofwearandtearinMatBarberKennedy’stexturalwatercolorsshow

signsoflifeandhowweliveit.

——— BY STEFANIE LAUFERSWEILER ———

BETTER WITH TIME

MAT BARBER KENNEDY