Plaid Columns

We invite you visit the Plaid Columns Open Studio 12-4 today at The Goat Farm in West Midtown Atlanta.

I made these three paintings in the spirit of this weekend’s 30A Songwriter’s Festival. On view at Curate 30A in Rosemary Beach.

Plaid Columns Discipline mixed media on canvas 35 × 44 inches

“Just win, baby.” -Al Davis

The Arch mixed media on canvas 20 × 16 inches The Chapel Bell mixed media on canvas 21 x 16 inches

Plaid Columns Nicklaus '72 mixed media on panel 48 × 29 inches

Plaid Columns Sea Island Chairs mixed media on panel 30 × 30 inches

Plaid Columns Masters Bar-B-Que mixed media on panel 24 × 20 inches

Plaid Columns 1892 Georgia Bulldogs mixed media on panel 25 × 34 inches

Plaid Columns Seve mixed media on panel 24 × 32 inches

Plaid Columns London Calling mixed media on wood panel 24 x 24 inches #tdih

Plaid Columns Cypress Point mixed media on wood panel 48 x 48 inches

Thirty years ago today, August 1, 1995, I officially opened my gallery. That was the first day of my lease on a basement space in Tula Art Center on Bennett Street. The gallery was originally called Smith Gallery, named for one of my favorite bands, and also for Tubby Smith, the new Georgia Basketball coach at the time, one of the gallery’s early supporters. A couple years later I would change the name to Matre Gallery, as I tired of people calling me Rob Smith. The first half of the gallery’s history was defined by showing other artist’s works, where local artists like Steve Penley, Cedric Smith, Mark Boomershine and Tracy Sharp got their start. Monthly openings on Bennett Street were often epic. The last fifteen years has taken surprising turns. Bennett Street went downhill, and the gallery would soon move to Miami Circle. As I turned my focus to my own photographs and Plaid Columns paintings, Matre Gallery became more of a working studio and a vehicle for promoting and selling my own artworks. Thirty years…it’s gone by fast. I don’t plan to slow down any time soon, but it is nice to stop and reflect at moments like this. Thank you to all y’all that have supported me along the way. If you’re still reading, that likely means you! -@robmatre Pictured from August 1995 L-R: Rob Matre, Steve Penley, Mark Barge, Carole Carter Malloy, Lars Hellstrom. Paintings in background by Steve Penley and Art Rosenbaum.

“Don’t believe I’da told that.” -Lewis Grizzard