http://www.outdoorpainter.com / August-September 2019 37
Chicago-basedartistMatBarberKennedypaintsatAltaLakes,a
desertedminingtownnearTelluride. (Photo by Suzie Greer Baker)
matbarberkennedy.combya hundreddirtyhandsrevealthepatternsof useanddecaythatmirrorourown
livesinsomeway.”
Theheartof a placeexistsnotin itsgrandlandmarks,Kennedysays,butin the
everydaydetailsweexperienceevenif wedon’tpaythemparticularattention.“I love
theEiffelTower,butit’snottheessenceof whatit feelsliketo bein Parisandto experi-
enceParisianlife,”hesays.“Thatis foundin themansardroofs,thespacesbetween
thewindows,thecommunalentrancesto apartmentbuildings,thebusstops,the
buildingnumbers,thefoldingchairs,andthenewsstands.It’sthosethingsthatI want
to celebratein mywork,hopefullyrevealingtheirdignityandimportancethroughthe
energyof mycompositionandmark-making.”
Hiswife,Sherry,gavehimhisfirstsetof watercolorsandnudgedhimto “getout
andpaintsomething”oneafternoonin Londonin 1991.“Myfirstpleinairpaintings
weretypicallyof chimneystacks,shopsigns,frontdoors,andwindows,”Kennedysays.
Hisparentswerealsoavidartcollectors,andgrowingupin a homethatcherishedart
madebecominga professionalartistfeelwithinreach.“I wasfortunateto bementored
byColinKent,JohnBlockley,andLeoMcDowell,andwaselectedto jointheirranks
in the Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours very early in my career,” he says.
FleetStreet,Annapolis
2018,watercolor, 12 x 30 in.
Privatecollection
Plein air