By Jim Potterton
One of my great joys as a faculty member at City College was to discover my latent talent for painting through the mentorship of my colleague Eve Page Mathias. In 2005 I took a sabbatical to explore the psychology of creativity and spent a semester with Eve in a one-on-one tutorial where I would paint, read, journal and bring my “in progress” paintings to Eve for feedback. This experience changed my life!
So it is with great enthusiasm as well as professional pride that I am able to bring my retired colleagues up to date on what’s been going on with Eve. Here are some responses to a few questions I posed to her about her as she concluded a busy year painting and exhibiting an exciting body of work.
Jim: Show us a piece that has been recently exhibited in a museum, gallery etc? What makes showing this piece meaningful to you?
Eve: This piece was recently on exhibit at the Miro Gallery, downtown San Jose. My dear friends’ daughter had a very difficult premature delivery of a beautiful baby girl who now is a thriving mischief maker. I entitled it “Resilient – Nora and Meadow”. It is 48 x 36” acrylic on Rives BFK paper under glass frame.
Jim: What are you currently working on? Please offer your thoughts regarding your interests and intentions in this new work.
Eve: During Covid I began my “Big Red Chair Project” a series of large figurative paintings I exhibited at the Triton Museum in a solo show last year. I still haven’t finished with the portraits! So far, all women. Always a fresh face/ body to puzzle out. I completed one of my favorite nieces (my husband John’s side of the family). We thought we were going to lose her to colon cancer, and then ovarian… she is now free and clear!
The visage of the human, the so-called portrait, seems to hold me captive in that there is so much to say and do. For me it is a quiet conversation with my loved ones. I’m surprised how many there are. To me it satisfies way more than social media.
Here is an example of one of my paintings entitled “Rhonda”. Tall, straight, and glowing, Rhonda is the personification of “Dignity” and all its positive attributes. Smart, compassionate, and noble, Rhonda projects a bearing of respect which elevates everyone she encounters. Only her kindness and generosity exceed her beauty.
Jim: What inspires your work? Has this changed much since retirement?
Eve: Retirement was planned, but for the Covid shut down which cut short the sweetness. Suddenly it was all about how to learn on-line teaching (in three days) in order to teach three final months. A disaster. I felt so miserable, I missed everyone. Then I realized I had painting to help and decided to use that outlet to make pictures of those people I missed. I happened to have quite a few 5 foot canvases in the basement, so there it went!!! The only thing that has changed since the beginning of retirement is the accelerated velocity the work has taken. I’m glad my studio is at home so I visit every day with my work.
Jim: Making satisfying art means riding the risky roller coaster of joy, anguish, frustration, disappointment and excitement. How do you sustain yourself on this bumpy ride?
Eve: As a working artist all my life, I know this will happen. It always does… I recognize when it starts so I just remind myself I have the tools to get through or out of it. (Jim Morrison …” break on through to the other side…”) Deep breathing, good environment, sweet doggie, and best husband all help. I think I drive John crazy when I tell him a piece is finished and then keep touching it up, sometimes for months! It never comes easy, but the ride is worth the journey’s end. I must have it in my life.
Jim: Thank you Eve for sharing this work and your thoughts about your creative/life process. You continue to inspire me!
For a further look at Eve’s artwork, with a glimpse at stunning portraits of some very familiar City College staff and faculty included in her “Big Red Chair Project”, please visit her webpage: https://www.evepagemathias.com/