Q & A with Melinda Mathews

Artists Incorporated Art Gallery, located in the “Little Red Barn” on Morgan Drive in Vestavia Hills, displays work from more than 50 local artists. On the first Friday of each month, the public is invited to a Featured Artist reception to enjoy refreshments and meet the artists. This month’s featured artist is Melinda Mathews.

Tell us a little bit about yourself.

I am a full-time practicing attorney. I have been a shareholder in the firm, Sirote & Permutt, for more than 30 years, practicing in the estate planning area. I am a past president of the Birmingham Estate Planning Council and am currently on the board of Breast Cancer Research Foundation of Alabama. I also love to paint.

Describe what type of art you do.

I paint people, (not portraits) using watercolor, acrylics, and oil, just not all at the same time. My people are mostly made up. I rarely use models, but when I do, I may add about 40 pounds or so, and no one would ever recognize them. I start from an idea and a doodle, alternating pencil with eraser, and then get caught up in the fun of seeing what evolves. I love the process!

Sometimes I end up with a small design, which I then paint larger. The end result is almost never like the beginning. I usually paint with a working title, but the title evolves with the painting. Occasionally, I finish a painting in one concentrated weekend. Some paintings have evolved over a decade. One painting that I sold recently took years of layers before I was satisfied. X-rays of that painting would be fun to see.

My best art advice came from my daughter, Melanie. At the time, she was an art student at Auburn. She said, “Paint the unexpected.” I was puzzled. And so, having grabbed paper, pencil and paints (always abundant in our house), she described what she meant, painting as she talked. That painting still hangs in our kitchen. That was an “ah-ha” moment, and I will be forever grateful. I have painted regularly since that day.

Where does your inspiration come from?

Artistically speaking, I am fascinated by people, pets, fabrics and patterns. The important things of life center around relationships. I have one painting that I did, just for fun, of two flowers. All the body language was there! Even my floral painting was about relationships.

What do you enjoy the most about creating your art?

I am constantly surprised. A color. An expression. Integration of primary image and background. There is a huge amount of internal dialogue that goes into a painting. The eternal “what if.” As a lawyer, I am conservative, cautious, and carefully consider all the pros and cons (and help my clients do the same), but painting is very different. Painting is still about choices, but if I think, “wouldn’t it be fun to try ...” I can do it, and after all, it is just paint and paper (or maybe canvas). As a painter, I am absolutely free.

What is the greatest compliment you have ever received about your work?

Actually I have two favorites that are related: “Your painting makes me happy,” and “Your painting makes me laugh.”

Typically, my paintings have some ambiguity (which I embrace), but also express a love of life. If the viewer can recognize the ambiguity and embrace the joy, I am happy.